Tag: Ed Cooley

College basketball transfer portal: What schools have come in to visit Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi?

Two new schools are involved with Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi this week.

Cliff Omoruyi has seen a steady list of suitors in the transfer portal, the byproduct of four years of steady growth with Rutgers basketball and in the Big Ten.

There is already a strong offer list in place for Omoruyi, who was a three-year starter and an All-Big Ten selection at Rutgers.

According to a source close to the situation, two new programs have entered the recruitment for Omoruyi this week: Memphis and TCU. As part of their recruitment, Memphis head coach Anfernee Hardaway called Omoruyi and scheduled a follow-up Zoom call.

Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley visited Omoruyi this week, the source said. In addition, Georgia Tech, Kansas State and Oregon State have all visited the source said.

Villanova also sent an assistant coach to meet with the Rutgers center this week as did St. John’s.

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Oregon will visit Omoruyi on Friday.

As a senior, Omoruyi averaged 10.4 points per game in 2023-24. He also averaged 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

As for a timetable for a decision, the source said that Omoruyi is not rushing the process. Visits will take place after April 12.

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Omoruyi hasn’t left New Jersey yet and hasn’t made any visits. He is completing his coursework at Rutgers.

Sooners use explosive second half run in 72-51 win over Providence

Oklahoma used a massive run in the second half to secure a comfortable 21 point win over the Providence Friars.

Oklahoma may have something special brewing on the hardwood. After Thursday’s  win over the Providence Friars, the Sooners are now 8-0 for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.

Oklahoma came out, firing on all cylinders, and jumped out to an early 12-0 lead. Their first run of the game was spearheaded by the Sooners forcing three turnovers.

After the initial onslaught, the Sooners and Friars exchanged jabs for the remainder of the first half. Oklahoma went into the intermission up by four, led by 13 first-half points from guard Javian McCollum.

McCollum was a menace as he relentlessly attacked the paint and used his mid-range game to terrorize the Providence defense to get into the teeth of the defense. He also showcased his ability to shoot from range when defenders sagged off him or went under ball screens. He finished the game with 19 points, seven boards, four assists, and three steals to complete an excellent two-way effort.

In the first six minutes after halftime. the Friars looked ready to stage an upset as they took their first lead of the game at 40-39. From then on, the Sooners hit the same switch they showed in the Iowa game.

Oklahoma went on a 15-6 run to take an 54-47 lead into the under-eight media timeout. Coming out of the media timeout, the Sooners went on an 11-0 run, putting a dagger in any chance Providence had of upsetting the 22nd-ranked Sooners (No. 19 in AP Poll).

Oklahoma suffocated Providence from beyond the arc, limiting them to just 5-23 shooting from distance. The Sooners also held All-Big East first teamer Bryce Hopkins to just 8 points, forcing him into a team-leading four turnovers.

Milos Uzan finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Sam Godwin added 12 points and four rebounds, Otega Oweh finished with 13 points, and Pitt transfer John Hugley chipped in six points off the bench.

Oklahoma’s next game will be at the BOK Center in Tulsa as they take on future conference opponent Arkansas in a rematch of a game they played last year.

Tip-off between the Sooners and the Razorbacks is slated for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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Rutgers set to face Georgetown in Gavitt Games

Rutgers basketball faces a big game on Wednesday against Georgetown.

On Wednesday night, Rutgers basketball will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games when they welcome Georgetown to Jersey Mike’s Arena. After losing to Princeton on opening night, Rutgers has recorded victories against Boston University and Bryant. However, they will be facing a Georgetown team eager to prove themselves.

Through two games, the Hoyas have posted a 1-1 record and struggled at times defensively. They will be tasked with stopping Rutgers stars Clifford Omuruyi and Aundre Hyatt, who are off to impressive starts. This game also has special meaning as it marks the beginning of the Gavitt Games.

 

Georgetown’s head coach, Ed Cooley, has been part of the Gavitt Game five times during his career and posted a 2-3 record. His only wins came over Wisconsin in 2021 and Illinois in 2015. As Cooley looks to add another Gavitt win to his resume, Georgetown will look to build on their past success against Rutgers.

In the all-time series, Georgetown holds a 29-16 edge. The Hoyas have also won 12 of the last 13 matchups between these two programs. However, this Rutgers team is eager to change the narrative.

So far this season, Rutgers is 2-0 at home and they are favored heading into this matchup. If the Scarlet Knights matchup continues to produce, it could be a long night for Georgetown.

Badgers MBB set to take on Big East foe in Gavitt Tipoff Games

The Big Ten and Big East announced the matchups for the 2023 Gavitt Tipoff Games and the Wisconsin MBB team will participate in the events.

The Big Ten and Big East announced the matchups for the 2023 Gavitt Tipoff Games on Tuesday and the Wisconsin men’s basketball team will participate in the events. In the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs, the Badgers will travel to face Providence on November 14.

To this point, Wisconsin holds a 1-4 record over five games all-time against the Friars, most recently falling to them 63-58 in the 2021 Gavitt Games in November of 2021.

The Badgers will have their entire starting lineup back from the 2022-2023 season as well as their coaching staff, but Providence will be operating under new head coach Kim English this season after Ed Cooley left for Georgetown in March.

In what could be a make-or-break season for Greg Gard and his staff in Madison, they’ll draw a tough non-conference road test early in 2023. Overall, Gard has produced an 8-5 record all-time against the Big East.

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Oklahoma to face Providence in 2023 Big East-Big 12 Battle

Oklahoma and Providence are locked in for a December 5th date to play in Norman as part of the fifth Big 12-Big East Battle.

While the Oklahoma Sooners grapple with how they’ll retool and replenish a now-depleted roster, we know one of their non-conference opponents for the 2023 season.

The Sooners are set to take on the Providence Friars on December 5 in the 2023 Big East-Big 12 Battle. This men’s basketball non-conference scheduling alliance is in its fifth year, with the games being played from November 30 to December 5.

Both conferences have grown in members since the conception of the idea, and with the Big 12 adding Houston, BYU, UCF, and Cincinnati, the format has changed this year with an increase from 10 to 11 matchups for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. In this upcoming 2023-2024 season, the Big 12 will host six games, while the Big East will host six the following season.

The two conferences jointly determine the matchups, with the home team choosing the venue of its game. ESPN and FOX Sports will also have a voice in how the broadcast arrangements play out, considering they are the overarching media entities for the Big 12 and Big East.

Providence will be under the guidance of Kim English, previously the head coach of the George Mason Patriots.

English is a former Big 12 basketball player who was a star at Missouri (before they departed for the SEC). He helped lead the Tigers to 107 wins and four NCAA tournament appearances. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection at Missouri, averaging 11.1 points.

The Friars have made the NCAA Tournament in seven of the last twelve seasons.

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Georgetown gets commitments from a pair of 4-star recruits

Georgetown got a double recruiting bonus this week.

Georgetown got a double recruiting bonus this week, scoring commitments from a pair of four-star recruits who have followed new head coach Ed Cooley from Providence.

On Tuesday afternoon, Southern California Academy (Calif.) center Drew Fielder chose Georgetown after decommitting from Providence.

Fielder (6-foot-9, 215 pounds) is ranked No. 17 among centers in the class of 2023. He had offers from 28 other programs.

Fielder told On3 that he chose Georgetown because of his relationship with Cooley.

“I chose Georgetown because of my relationship with coach (Ed) Cooley, I really trust what he’s saying and I really believe that he believes in me. He believes we can make Georgetown really good together. They have a good history and we want to keep that going. Keep the history of elite bigs coming through. I’m really excited.”

Not an hour later, Georgetown pulled off another recruiting coup – getting Worcester (Mass.) four-star shooting guard Kayvaun Mulready to commit.

Mulready echoed the same sentiment as Fielder, crediting coach Cooley with his decision, per On3.

“Coach Cooley is an outstanding coach and person and someone who I have a lot of trust and faith in… We’ve built a great relationship from last summer and it’s been getting even stronger since. I know thats someone who I want to play for.”

Mulready (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) is ranked No. 22 among shooting guards in the class of 2024, second in the state and No. 98 overall. He had 15 other offers.

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Providence lands George Mason head coach Kim English to replace Ed Cooley

Kim English was announced on Thursday as the next head coach of Providence.

The Providence Friars had a whirlwind of the last week after getting eliminated in the Round of 64 by the Kentucky Wildcats, 61-53.

Reports surfaced that Ed Cooley was the top target for the Georgetown Hoyas opening after the school fired Patrick Ewing. Cooley would accept the job and leave Providence after a 12-year stint as the head basketball coach. The Providence, Rhode Island, native opted to leave for a rival Big East school.

The Friars acted swiftly as they were tasked with finding a replacement for Cooley. On Thursday, the school announced they officially hired Kim English of George Mason to take over the men’s basketball program.

The Baltimore native played for the Missouri Tigers before the Detroit Pistons drafted him in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft. After a brief run as a professional, English turned to coaching in 2015 as an assistant with the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. He also served as an assistant with the Colorado Buffaloes and Tennessee Vols before being named George Mason’s head coach in 2021.

During his short tenure with the Patriots, English led George Mason to a 34-29 overall record and 18-16 in A10 conference play. This past season the team finished 20-13 (11-7) but missed out on postseason play.

English will now have the opportunity to run the Friars program.

“I am beyond excited to be named head men’s basketball coach at Providence College,” English said in a release from Providence. “I want to thank Father Sicard and Steve Napolillo for this incredible opportunity. I want to be clear to everyone in Friartown, we are going to do great things at Providence College for a long time. I know that this is a special place with amazing fans, a great tradition and support throughout the community. We look forward to establishing new relationships with the players, the alums and the fans. The work begins now!”

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Men’s College Basketball: Coaching carousel news and notes

Latest updates as the men’s basketball coaching carousel begins to pick up speed.

The coaching carousel for men’s college basketball is in a full spin at the moment.

It was announced on Monday that Iona head coach Rick Pitino would leave the program after three seasons to return to the Big East as the St. John’s head coach. Pitino was linked to multiple programs but ultimately chose to head up the Red Storm’s program.

Another major shakeup happened between Big East rivals, the Providence Friars and Georgetown Hoyas. Providence head coach Ed Cooley opted to take over the Hoyas program after 12 seasons with the Friars.

These two moves have opened up head coaching jobs with Iona and Providence. Recently Georgia Tech filled its men’s basketball coach vacancy with Boston Celtics‘ assistant Damon Stoudamire and Ole Miss hired former Texas and Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard to lead their program.

The breakdown of coaching movement among major programs around the country.

School Previous Coach New Coach
Georgetown Patrick Ewing Ed Cooley
Georgia Tech Josh Pastner Damon Stoudamire
Ole Miss Kermit Davis Chris Beard
Providence Ed Cooley Open
St. John’s Mike Anderson Rick Pitino
Syracuse Jim Boeheim Adrian Autry
Texas Chris Beard Rodney Terry (interim)
Texas Tech Mark Adams Open

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Report: Georgetown set to hire Providence’s Ed Cooley as head coach

Georgetown could be closing in on their hire to replace Patrick Ewing.

The Georgetown Hoyas’ search for their next head coach following the dismissal of Patrick Ewing appears to be near the finish line. According to multiple reports, the university has pegged Providence head coach Ed Cooley to lead the program going forward.

According to Fox broadcaster and reporter John Fanta, a Big East insider, Georgetown is expected to be offering the long-time head coach upwards of $6 million to take over the program.

Cooley, 53, will leave Providence after 12 seasons with the program, leading the Friars to a 242-153 record over his time with the program. He also led the program to one Big East Regular Season title in 2022 and one Big East Tournament title in 2014.

Cooley was named the Big East Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year for the Friars 2021-2022 season in which they went 27-6 including 14-3 in conference play. The Friars made it to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 before being knocked out by the eventual national champions, the Kansas Jayhawks. During his 12 seasons, the Friars made seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

Prior to his time with Providence, the Rhode Island native also spent five seasons with the Fairfield Stags of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, leading the Stags to a 92-69 record including 58-32 in MAAC play.

Georgetown will hope Cooley will be able to turn around the historic program that has fallen on hard times over the last decade. Under Ewing, the Hoyas were 75-109 including 28-81 in Big East conference games. This past season, they went 7-25 including 2-18 in conference play, a second straight season in which they won less than 10 games after going 6-25 in the 2021-2022 season.

Since the 2012-2013 season, the Hoyas have only made the NCAA Tournament twice. Despite their struggles over the past decade, the program still is top-25 all-time in tournament appearances with 31.

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Texas basketball might need to act fast for one transfer portal center

Texas may have to contend with Providence and Memphis to land one transfer portal big man.

College basketball free agency is underway just before the NCAA Tournament. It appears two Tournament participants are targeting TCU transfer center Eddie Lampkin for next season.

It would appear Providence head coach Ed Cooley and Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway are working to bring Lampkin to their respective teams. Albeit, it’s fair to question to which team Ed Cooley is recruiting Lampkin.

Cooley has been rumored as a possibility to fill the head coaching vacancy for the legendary basketball program at Georgetown. Regardless of where he coaches, Cooley has a strong pitch that will be difficult to beat.

It’s apparent that Texas will need bigs next season. The Longhorns could bring back Dylan Mitchell to pair with elite Duncanville talent Ron Holland. Even so, neither would give the team the defensive post presence it needs.

With Dylan Disu’s return uncertain and Christian Bishop departing, Texas could use a taller player or two through the transfer portal. Whether or not Lampkin is a priority, that position is a pressing need.

Texas’ search for post players will be worth monitoring over the summer.

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