STARKVILLE — In less than a week, Bryce Drew went from beginning discussions with Mississippi State University about its opening for a men’s basketball coach to taking his name out of consideration for that position.
After talking with MSU officials Monday in Atlanta, Drew has decided to remain men’s basketball coach at Valparaiso University.
“I have pulled my name from consideration for Mississippi State,” Drew told the Northwest Indiana Times on Wednesday evening.
Less than an hour after Drew’s proclamation he would remain head coach at his alma mater, Valparaiso Director of Athletics Mark LaBarbera announced Drew had agreed to a contract extension. Financial details of that deal weren’t released.
“Valparaiso University is committed to building a high-quality, competitive basketball program,” VU President Mark Heckler said in the statement. “Bryce Drew has proven himself to be a leader of character and integrity, dedicated to upholding the university’s values while striving for success, both on and off the basketball court.”
Drew is best known for hitting the game-winning shot in an upset of the University of Mississippi in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament. At the time, Bryce’s dad, Homer, coached the Crusaders, who went on to play in the Sweet 16 that year.
“I am very appreciative and thankful for the opportunity to continue coaching at Valparaiso University,” Drew said. “We are blessed at Valpo to have outstanding vision and leadership from President Heckler and Mark LaBarbera. I am very excited to get back on the court with our team and starting to prepare for next season.”
ESPN.com college basketball reporter Jason King first broke the news Drew had met with MSU. He also reported Drew backed out of an interview Tuesday with the University of Tulsa.
Blue Ribbon Illustrated Editor in Chief Chris Dortch went to his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon to announce Drew going to MSU was a “done deal,” but sources involved with MSU’s search to replace the retired Rick Stansbury responded to The Dispatch minutes later, saying the deal was “not nearly” done.
Bryce Drew is the older brother of Scott Drew, the coach at Baylor University. He took over as head coach in May 2011 after serving six season on the coaching staff, including five years as an associate head coach. Drew led the Crusaders (22-12) to their first Horizon League regular-season championship. Valparaiso lost to Detroit in the conference tournament title game.
Drew, who was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year, and Valparaiso lost to the University of Miami in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. He spent six seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, and Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, and played one year professionally overseas.
Bryce Drew’s wife, Tara, also has connections to the state of Mississippi. Her parents run a ballet studio in Jackson.
The Dispatch also learned University of Kansas men’s basketball assistant coach Joe Dooley, who was named the top assistant in the country by Hoop Scoop magazine, is no longer a candidate for the MSU job.
According to multiple reports, Ohio University men’s basketball coach John Groce, another MSU candidate, will be named today the next men’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois.
Sources inside the MSU coaching search have told The Dispatch a new MSU coach likely won’t be named and introduced before the end of this week.
Moultrie expected to turn pro
The next MSU coach likely will have to put together a roster without standout forward Arnett Moultrie.
The 6-foot-11 junior announced Wednesday morning he will skip his senior season and enter the 2012 NBA draft.
“I have enjoyed my time at Mississippi State University, and I will never forget the people I met and got to know,” Moultrie said in a statement. “Nor will I ever forget my coaches and teammates. Keep me in your prayers and I will keep Bulldog Nation in mine.”
MSU spokesperson Gregg Ellis confirmed Moultrie hasn’t sign the paperwork to declare for the draft and hasn’t signed with an agent, but that he plans to do so in the next few weeks. Moultrie met Wednesday morning with MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin to discuss his future.
Moultrie averaged 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season. NBADraft.net has the transfer from the University of Texas at El Paso projected to go seventh overall.
According to NCAA rules, since Moultrie declared and then pulled out of the 2010 NBA Draft process while at UTEP, he is prohibited from signing declaration papers and returning to college again.
Moultrie joins forward Renardo Sidney and guard DeVille Smith in leaving the program in the past week.
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