Georgia hired Tom Crean as its next men's basketball coach, making the splash it hopes will take the program to another level.
It is the biggest name coaching hire for Georgia since the Bulldogs brought in Jim Harrick — who won a national championship with UCLA — in 1999. Since the end of Harrick's tenure a few years later, Georgia went the midmajor route, hiring Dennis Felton from Western Kentucky and then Mark Fox from Nevada. This time, with the SEC strong enough that eight teams made the NCAA tournament, Georgia's administration decided to target an experienced, proven coach.
In Crean, Georgia is getting a coach with 356-231 record, a Final Four trip with Marquette in 2003 and three Sweet 16 appearances with Indiana from 2012 to '16. He was fired last year after nine years as the coach of one of the most high-profile coaching jobs in basketball.
During his 18-year coaching career, Crean has more NCAA tournament victories (11) than Georgia does in its entire history. Bulldogs athletic director Greg McGarity described Crean as "one of the most successful coaches in college basketball over the past two decades."
Fox guided the Bulldogs to five consecutive winning seasons. But after not reaching the NCAA tournament for the seventh time in his nine years, Georgia moved on Saturday.
Crean was hired one day after former Ohio State coach Thad Matta withdrew from consideration.
Davis to Ole Miss
Kermit Davis turned Middle Tennessee into one of the best midmajor programs in the country during his 16 seasons at the school. Mississippi believes he can have the same kind of success in the Southeastern Conference.
University officials announced Davis, 58, will be hired as the next Rebels coach. He will continue to lead Middle Tennessee this month during the NIT.
