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    Molinari is N as assistant

      Jim Molinari

    Release from the University

    Lincoln – Nebraska men’s basketball coach Tim Miles announced Friday the hiring of Jim Molinari

    (pronounced Mole-in-AIR-ee) as an assistant coach with the Husker basketball program.

    One of the most well-respected teachers in college basketball, Molinari bring over three decades of Division I coaching experience to Nebraska, including 20 years of head coaching experience. He is a three-time conference coach of the year during his career, while he has guided nine teams to postseason play. In addition, he has been a member of 10 NCAA Tournament staffs during his 12 season as a Division I assistant coach.

    Today is a great day for Husker Hoops,” Nebraska Coach Tim Miles said. “Adding Coach Molinari to our staff can help elevate us to the next level. He's a great coach and a better person. We are very fortunate he's joining us. He brings a wealth of coaching and recruiting experience. He’s coached in the Final Four as an assistant. He's taken his own team to the NCAA Tournament at two different universities, and he’s recruited NBA players. Jim has had every conceivable experience a coach can have, and he will have a major impact on our program.”

    Molinari said it was tough leaving a program he had built over the last six seasons, but is excited for the challenge of helping the Husker program reach unprecedented heights in the near future with Miles. The Huskers made their first NCAA appearance in 16 seasons in 2014.

    “It was difficult decision because I love my players and Western Illinois University,” Molinari said. “I am extremely excited and blessed that the Lord has opened this door to partner with Tim and his staff to continue to build on their success at a very special place - Nebraska.”

    “What drew me to Nebraska is that you pick a person as much as you do a place,” Molinari said. “I think the challenge of trying to do something special on a national stage, and I obviously have a love and admiration for the Big Ten having been a part of it for three years at Minnesota.”

    Molinari spent the past six seasons at Western Illinois, leading the Leathernecks to their first-ever postseason appearances at the Division I level. In 2012-13, he guided WIU to a 22-9 record and a share of the Summit League regular-season title with a 13-3 mark. The 22 wins were the program’s highest total since moving to Division I while he was named the Summit League Coach of the Year and the NABC District 12 Coach of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award (CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Coach of the Year). WIU led the nation in fewest fouls committed and was second in scoring defense at 52.6 points per game, while ranking in the top 75 in six categories. Molinari coached Terell Parks who was tabbed second-team NABC all-district and also named first-team All-Summit League and the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13.

    In 2011-12, WIU broke through with an 18-15 record and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational, the program’s first-ever postseason appearance at the Division I level. The Leathernecks reached the Summit League title game for the first time since 1997, while the 18 wins were the most since 1996-97. Ceola Clark led the team earning Summit League Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, becoming the first player in conference history to be a two-time winner of the award. Clark was also a three-time All-Summit League performer, including a two-time first-team winner.

    In 2007-08, Molinari served as an assistant coach at Ball State, following a three-year stint at Minnesota in which he was the interim head coach for most of the 2006-07 season. In his first season as an assistant at Minnesota, his defensive emphasis helped the Gophers rank third in Big Ten scoring defense (62.7 points per game). They led the league in field goal percentage defense (.424) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.274) in conference play, and allowed 62.9 points per league game, the fewest since the 1981-82 season. In 2005, Street & Smith’s named Molinari the “best assistant in the Big Ten Conference.”

    For 11 seasons, from 1991-2002, Molinari was the head coach at Bradley University, where he amassed a 174-152 (.534) record and guided the Braves to the postseason six times - five National Invitation Tournament appearances and the 1996 NCAA Tournament. He led Bradley to a trio of 20-win seasons, including a 22-8 record in 1995-96 when he was chosen as Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He left Bradley with more league wins than any other active coach in the Missouri Valley.

    From 1989-91, he was the head coach at Northern Illinois, where he posted a record of 42-17 (.712). The Huskies won the 1991 Mid-Continent Conference title, going 25-6 and setting a school record for wins. At Northern, Molinari inherited a program that had not won as many as 17 games in a season since 1981, but made a quick turnaround with a 17-win season followed by a 25-win campaign in just his second year at the school.

    At DePaul from 1979-89, Molinari helped both Ray and Joey Meyer lead the Blue Demons to national prominence. Over 10 seasons at DePaul, Molinari helped recruit college and professional stars such as Mark Aguirre, Dallas Comegys, Tyrone Corbin, Terry Cummings and Rod Strickland -- players who led DePaul to nine NCAA Tournaments and a runner-up finish in the NIT.

    In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Molinari is a veteran of national selection committees for international competition. He led the 1997 USA Basketball men’s team to a gold medal at the World University Games played in Trapani, Italy. For two years in-between collegiate coaching positions, Molinari was an NBA scout for the Toronto Raptors (2002-03) and Miami Heat (2003-04).

    His college playing career began at Kansas State, where he teamed with current Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger for two seasons. After transferring to Illinois Wesleyan, where he teamed with former NBA center Jack Sikma, Molinari helped the Titans win consecutive league titles, before entering the coaching ranks in 1978 as a part-time assistant with DePaul.

    Molinari earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1977 and earned a Juris Doctor from DePaul in 1980.

    Lon Kruger, University of Oklahoma Basketball Coach

    “I have known Jim since we were teammates at Kansas State. He is very highly respected among coaches. Jim relates well and gets the most from his players. He has great integrity and high character and is interested in development of players, both on and off court. Jim has one of the best defensive minds in college basketball.”




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    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire. Craig Smith was the lead recruiter for Hammond and Smith, so you can't say Kenya and Chris are our recruiters. I hope they can do so, long term. Molinari has been at WIU for 6 years and has a losing record. People at one time said some of these same types of statements to feel good about hiring Kevin Cosgrove. I can't deny he is a very good defensive mind, which is great, but I don't like coaching staffs who hire friends, that's it. Oh, and I wish we knew about more of what he brings to recruiting. Time will tell, it may be a home run, just skeptical.

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    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire. Craig Smith was the lead recruiter for Hammond and Smith, so you can't say Kenya and Chris are our recruiters.

    Harriman pretty much single handidly got Tai and Pinder

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    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire. Craig Smith was the lead recruiter for Hammond and Smith, so you can't say Kenya and Chris are our recruiters. I hope they can do so, long term. Molinari has been at WIU for 6 years and has a losing record. People at one time said some of these same types of statements to feel good about hiring Kevin Cosgrove. I can't deny he is a very good defensive mind, which is great, but I don't like coaching staffs who hire friends, that's it. Oh, and I wish we knew about more of what he brings to recruiting. Time will tell, it may be a home run, just skeptical.

    Admittedly, I was one of the first ones here skeptical of the possible hire, but his background and the more information posters have added to the conversation have swung me in favor of Coach Mo.

    Unfortunately for him, he was at WIU, so he never was going to land big-time recruits, but being from the state of Illinois, obviously he will have ties and in-roads with coaches in one of the top recruiting hotbeds in the nation.

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    Molinari has been at WIU for 6 years and has a losing record.

     

    WIU has had 7 seasons since 2000 where they've had double digit wins.  Molinari has 4 of those seasons.

     

     

    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire.

     

    I'd agree with that. While Smith has done some pretty good things on the recruiting front I was a lot more concerned about the removal of a ton of coaching experience.  That's why I'm a lot more excited about this potential hire than the "up and coming assistants" we've been hiring in the past.

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    I want Covvington too!

    Is it even legal for a head coach to take a job somewhere else and take a player with him?

     

     

    Seemed to work for the Alfords and the McDermotts

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    I want Covvington too!

    Is it even legal for a head coach to take a job somewhere else and take a player with him?

    The player is well within his rights to transfer on his own and will have the penalty of having to sit a year.

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    Yes better than Strickland or and assistant Doc had like Anwar, etc. He is a wealth of basketball knowledge and can coach D. I don't think the choice has to be 60 year old with lots of experience or Strick.

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    I want Covvington too!

    Is it even legal for a head coach to take a job somewhere else and take a player with him?

     

     

    Seemed to work for the Alfords and the McDermotts

     

    Not familiar with the Alfords, but McDermott never played for Northern Iowa. He switched over only after signing his LOI. Also, Pappa McD didn't come from the school that Doug signed with. He came from ISU. Slightly different, perhaps.  And it's not like Covington is Moliari's kid (that we know of...).

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    I want Covvington too!

    Is it even legal for a head coach to take a job somewhere else and take a player with him?

     

     

    Seemed to work for the Alfords and the McDermotts

     

    Not familiar with the Alfords, but McDermott never played for Northern Iowa. He switched over only after signing his LOI. Also, Pappa McD didn't come from the school that Doug signed with. He came from ISU. Slightly different, perhaps.  And it's not like Covington is Moliari's kid (that we know of...).

     

     

    Bryce Alford, Steve's son came with him from Albuquerque to UCLA.

     

    http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=208600771

     

    He's a source of some debate among Bruin fans, apparently.

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    Doesn't matter what you want to call this philosophy.  It is designed to not give up easy 2 pointers and easy 3 pointers.  Whatever defense is being played needs to do those two things.  Denying the wing pass without being in control is a great way to lead to those two things not happening. 

    I understand your point and from the general fan perspective it doesn't matter. To me they are all pickups but some people get worked up about the difference between a Ford and Chevy. The point to me was announcers lock onto a phrase and work it to death even if they are using it incorrectly. I remember when Tubbs won the title at UK everyone was talking about the ball-line defense he was running  in connection to lots of other teams even though Tubbs was the only one really doing it. Both ball-line and pack-line are sagging m4m's but there are some serious principle differences that make them different defenses. If you are not fronting the post when the ball is at the point and in the corner, and if you aren't 3/4ing the post when it is on the wing - you are not running a pack-line defense. 

     

    I'm sure there are plumbers that get tired of people talking about that do-hicky. There is a correct name and announcers are just being lazy when they are using a name for something when its not. I don't know if they think it makes them sound smart to use the phrase, but to anyone that actually knows the principles behind the pack-line it makes them sound dumb.

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    Tampering with another school's players is a Level 1 compliance violation. But if Molinari is technically still employed by WIU, he has every right to nudge a player a certain direction ;)

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    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire. Craig Smith was the lead recruiter for Hammond and Smith, so you can't say Kenya and Chris are our recruiters. I hope they can do so, long term. Molinari has been at WIU for 6 years and has a losing record. People at one time said some of these same types of statements to feel good about hiring Kevin Cosgrove. I can't deny he is a very good defensive mind, which is great, but I don't like coaching staffs who hire friends, that's it. Oh, and I wish we knew about more of what he brings to recruiting. Time will tell, it may be a home run, just skeptical.

    Were Miles and Smith friends when Miles hired Smith? I don't think many would say that Smith was a bad hire.

    I can't say that this is the big-name hire that I was initially looking for, but there has been a few times that I have been skeptical of decisions that this staff has made, but this staff continues to hit home run after home runs, so I will trust them.

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    I think some people would say great things about anyone Miles would hire. Craig Smith was the lead recruiter for Hammond and Smith, so you can't say Kenya and Chris are our recruiters. I hope they can do so, long term. Molinari has been at WIU for 6 years and has a losing record. People at one time said some of these same types of statements to feel good about hiring Kevin Cosgrove. I can't deny he is a very good defensive mind, which is great, but I don't like coaching staffs who hire friends, that's it. Oh, and I wish we knew about more of what he brings to recruiting. Time will tell, it may be a home run, just skeptical.

    Were Miles and Smith friends when Miles hired Smith?

     

     

    Which time? He's hired Smith 5 times I think.

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    What's with the gnashing-of-teeth about Molinari in this thread? A quick look at the article Dimes posted above (from a Leathernecks homer) should knock such thinking in the head. For example, note the following blurbs from the article:

    So if indeed Molinari is taking his defensive schemes to the Big Ten — for a second time — Western fans may be hurt, disappointed or flat out angry that the mastermind behind the Leathernecks‘ return to relevance is no longer going to be on the sidelines at Western Hall. The passion, fire and shutdown defense that Molinari brought year in and year out would potential be missed throughout Macomb.

    To be blunt, after everything the man has done for the Western program, it‘s almost surprising that no one swooped him up a year ago. He deserves to be recognized, and at this stage in his life — Molinari will turn 60 soon — when a golden opportunity like this arises, how could anyone expect him to turn it down?

    But while the move is great on the Molinari front, it‘s hard to not think about the predicament Western faces.

    Molinari not only made the Leathernecks good — as showcased by the 2012-2013 season, where Western set a program record for most wins in a season — he also made fans interested.

    In the season finale two seasons ago, Western Hall drew the second largest crowd in its history with 5,089 screaming fans as the Leathernecks clinched the Summit League regular season title. Western also made its first Division I postseason appearance — two consecutive CBI bids — under Molinari‘s tenure.

    He was also able to land two very talented recruits in Garret Covington and Jabari Sandifer that, quite frankly, probably never come to Western if not for Mo. The bigger question is if they will stay with the program if Molinari is no longer apart of it.

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    Good post, Swan.  Yeah, I don't get it either.  It's one thing to pine for a "big name hire" when you're looking at potential head coaches.  But assistants?   If such a thing exists and Molinari doesn't qualify as one, then what the hell even is a "big name" assistant hire?

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    I will let your minds go wild with where this quote came from....

     

     

     

    Sounds like UNL has hired Jim Molanari as its latest assistant (they lost some dude who took the South Dakota gig - I think it is the third member of Miles' staff to leave in only 2 years...he must be pretty hard to work with...)


    Yes, the same Molanari that was fired at our former MVC colleague, Bradley, for having an offense that truly would make Sadler's teams look like baseline-to-baseline scoring explosions.

    You don't have to make up jokes when discussing UNL hoops. The comedy writes itself!

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    I will let your minds go wild with where this quote came from....

     

     

     

    Sounds like UNL has hired Jim Molanari as its latest assistant (they lost some dude who took the South Dakota gig - I think it is the third member of Miles' staff to leave in only 2 years...he must be pretty hard to work with...)

    Yes, the same Molanari that was fired at our former MVC colleague, Bradley, for having an offense that truly would make Sadler's teams look like baseline-to-baseline scoring explosions.

    You don't have to make up jokes when discussing UNL hoops. The comedy writes itself!

    I'll confess it matters a very small amount to me what "they" think, but I didn't think you cared.  At least I think it was you who said that.

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    I like to pass the time reading "their" board sometimes.

     

    Sometimes they say some funny things.  Thought I'd share, but I'll delete it if you think I should.

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