 Mike HlasHi, I'm Gazette/TheGazette.com sports columnist Mike Hlas. This is the Hlog. We will meet here, discuss things, and then go [...] |
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This is the state of Big Ten basketball these days: A head coach leaves to join the Navy
Navy basketball hasn’t been noteworthy since David Robinson played for the Midshipmen.
That was a quarter-century ago.
Robinson was nicknamed “The Admiral.” He never actually reached the rank of admiral. He left the Navy as a lieutenant, junior grade. Not bad, that. And he was a heck of a player.
Ed DeChellis (AP photo)
But while Navy won three Patriot League conference tourneys to get into the NCAAs in the 1990s, it’s been lost at sea in the sport for the most part. Two weeks ago, Billy Lange resigned after seven seasons as head coach to become associate head coach at Villanova. Lange’s record was 92-115.
So who has Navy hired to replace Lange? Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis.
That’s right, a Big Ten head coach is leaving to coach Navy.
DeChellis finally got Penn State to the NCAA tourney in March, in his eighth season as coach there. The Nittany Lions got to the tourney for the first time in 10 years, albeit with an 19-14 record. They then lost a “second-round” (first-round, actually) game against Temple. They got to the NCAAs because they won their way to the Big Ten tournament final, including a 36-33 classic over Wisconsin in the quarterfinals, and a 51-48 thriller over Michigan State in the semis.
Penn State did go 27-11 (10-8 in the Big Ten) and won the NIT in 2009, which would have looked really good to Iowa anytime in the last five years.
But DeChellis’ Big Ten record was 41-95. He was 4-8 against Iowa.
One reason I think Iowa can get into the first-division of the Big Ten sooner than later: The rest of the league.
Penn State-Nebraska may make for some good football games, but they won’t stir much imagination when they meet in basketball.
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How low can we sink? What’s next, Thad Matta off to coach Morningside College? How about Weber coming to City High? Lord have MERCY!
This is more reflective on how Penn State treats its basketball program than it does the state of the Big 10.
Penn State has made the conscious decision to be a football school. It is only recently that Penn State has decided to put some emphasis on their wrestling program as they hired Cael Sanderson and managed to win a NCAA wrestling championship by the skin of their teeth.
The basketball program at PSU has become an afterthought.
I think Mike was just being funny but it was kind of interesting that you brought the whole conference into the story Mike. It might be a reflection on Penn State’s lack of emphasis on basketball but I would bet it has a lot more to do with their lack of willingness to offer DeChellis any extension on his current contract. Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue, and Wisconsin have all had sustained national success lately and the Big Ten has been widely recognized as having one of the toughest conference schedules in the country last year. They also lead the nation in basketball attendance last year. Doesn’t really sound like Big Ten basketball is headed to sea to me.
Your comment about Iowa moving into the first division because of the downward trend of the rest of the league is interesting. I’m not sure the B1G will have as many teams as experienced and highly rated as last year but there will certainly be tough teams and very good players. The Big Ten from top to bottom will be one of the toughest conferences in the country as they usually are.