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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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    Seems like he'd be a good guy to have on the bench....but not as good of a recruiter as Smith.  

     

    I'm still waiting for Kenya Hunter to deliver on the recruiting front.  We're paying him $230,000.  He needs to start brining in some players.  

     

    Agreed 100 percent. I know I'm not being the most patient fan here, but he's been here a year and we haven't heard much from him in the way of recruiting.

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    Seems like he'd be a good guy to have on the bench....but not as good of a recruiter as Smith.

    I'm still waiting for Kenya Hunter to deliver on the recruiting front. We're paying him $230,000. He needs to start brining in some players.

    Well to be fair college bball recruiting is usually 2 years out with relationships due to fall signing. Also outside of Chins aau day for the spring game the two highest rated players to show interest in Nebraska were Hunters. Robinson had NU in his final 3 and Crawford planned an unofficial but Miles wasn't here. Give him time.

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    We wanted the "bang" hire when we were looking for a head coach. We wanted the "bang" hire when it came to coaching staff. We wanted the "bang" hire when it came to finding a replacement assistant coach. It's always good to step back a bit... we haven't arrived yet. We're starting to get flair, but a lot of people are looking for some sort of stability or upward mobility... hopefully we can get there in the next 5 years!

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    I'd take Molinari and say "thanks" to the hoops gods. Jacks up the coaching experience on the staff immensely. Knows the B1G territory really well and is well known by other coaches. If this pans out, it's a good grab by Miles.

    Best rumor of the week by far.

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    I'll try here. Molinari would be without any doubt, a "bang" hire. Maybe not in sense in which everybody is thinking, but definitely a great hire if all this is true. Why? Experience. That's it. Everybody wants a "bang" hire. Who are these guys? They are the up and comers, the popular names, the hot names to throw around, they are the supposed bigtime recruiters sitting on the benches of prolific programs, and they supposedly have big connections. But while having a talked about name, what have they done to earn this? Maybe had a part in getting some high profile recruits to a name program? But wasn't that name program going to end up with some good recruits even without that hot name assistant on the bench? Most likely.

    So if this turns out to be true, we get a well-respected, well connected coach with 30+ years of experience in the business. 30+ years of networking with everybody surrounding the college game. He's made multiple stops in the 30+ years. He's been to the final 4. He's seen everything. He knows what he's doing. But he's not a hot name that has landed on the bench of a known program within the last couple years.

    This is eerily similar to when we didn't get Groce and his hot name and had to settle for some guy named Miles.

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    As far as why he'd leave, I'd guess being an assistant at NU is worth 50% to 75% more in salary versus being a head coach at WIU. And he may want to join a program that is going to make a deep NCAA run sometime soon.  :) Or he loves the Husker Power chant. Either way is good.

     

    Mo is making about 115k at W. Illinois so this would definitely be a bump in pay as well as everything else.

    I absolutely love this hire if we make it...gives Miles that Smith replacement  in terms of basketball IQ and if someone needs add more effort into recruiting it can be National Coach of the year Tim Miles.

     

    If you want to hear something funny, this is almost like Fred Hoiberg hiring Doc Sadler.

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    I think Molinari would definitely be a "bang" hire as an assistant.

     

    Not being snarky, but why do you say that?

     

     

    Pretty much was ajb said.   Smith's primary value was as the #2 man on the bench during games - and as a coach in practice.  That is what we needed to replace and Molinari fits that to an extent I would not have thought possible.  Smith might have been more valuable because he has been with Miles for so long - but Molinari would bring a wealth of experience that our staff was lacking.

     

    People tend to think the only job of assistant coaches is to recruit.  That is not true.  That is what Danny Nee tried at the end and it got him fired.  In the earlier years he had some high quality coaching assistants.  When they left he went out and got nothing but pure recruiters and it backfired with a vengeance.   No question we got some valuable transfers in Pettaway and Pitchford - but Miles has turned this program around primarily by coaching not by recruiting.

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    He (Molinari) was an NBA scout for the raptors and miami heat a decade ago.

     

    Also, was Ryan Miller our first choice for the assistant coaching job?

     

    Was Miller in the running with us at all or was he simply the biggest name out there at the moment?

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    I would expect that the new assistant will be someone most of us have never heard of before.

    If Miles names someone who has been brought up on this board before 3/31/2014 I will be completely shocked.

     

    Looks like I was completely wrong!

    Also Miles mentioned him by name in that Feb USA Today interview - http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2014/02/20/coachs-corner-nebraskas-tim-miles/5642657/

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    I would expect that the new assistant will be someone most of us have never heard of before.

    If Miles names someone who has been brought up on this board before 3/31/2014 I will be completely shocked.

    Looks like I was completely wrong!

    I wouldn't completely say you were wrong. I would bet no one of here would've guessed a fellow D1 head coach would step in to be an assistant.

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    Did he get let go? Why would he go from a head coach to assistant like that? Is being an assistant at a power conf. school better for his career than being a head coach at a mid-major?

     

    He definitely didn't get let go.  Also, his son just graduated from Western Illinois.

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    Do Miles & Molinari have a history together?

    He's referred to Molinari as a "long time friend" on several occasions.

    He mentioned him by name in this USA Today article in February

    Hmmmm..... Maybe Larry Shyatt and Mike Dunlap will be assistants here some day.

    Funny you say that, the first thing I did when the Smith to USD news hit was Google to see what Dunlap was up to. The guy is a basketball genius. He was obviously never coming to Nebraska this go around but if things don't work out for him he's always a good name to have on your shortlist for Asst. Coaches.

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    Not sure or sold on this guy. Hope it works out.

     

    Not sure why you wouldn't.

     

    We are most likely getting an assistant coach who:

    -Has been a Division 1 head basketball coach for 19 years

    -Has won a conference title at all three of his stops - Northern Illinois, Bradley, and Western Illinois

    -Has NCAA tourney experience as both a HC (two appearances) and as an assistant  (six appearances and one F4 with Depaul)

    -Has served as a NBA Scout for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

    -Is good friends with our Head basketball coach and is said to be on the same wave length in terms of philosophies

    -Is widely respected in the game, do some research and you will see positive quotes from some of the best coaches in the game regarding Molinari

    -Has deep recruiting ties to the B1G conference, specifically in talent rich Chicago area

    -Regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the college game.  

     

    Anybody who doesn't think this would be an amazing hire needs to get their head examined.  There are very few programs in the country that have a guy with this pedigree on their bench not as the head coach, but as an assistant.  

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    Not sure or sold on this guy. Hope it works out.

    Not sure why you wouldn't.

    We are most likely getting an assistant coach who:

    -Has been a Division 1 head basketball coach for 19 years

    -Has won a conference title at all three of his stops - Northern Illinois, Bradley, and Western Illinois

    -Has NCAA tourney experience as both a HC (two appearances) and as an assistant (six appearances and one F4 with Depaul)

    -Has served as a NBA Scout for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

    -Is good friends with our Head basketball coach and is said to be on the same wave length in terms of philosophies

    -Is widely respected in the game, do some research and you will see positive quotes from some of the best coaches in the game regarding Molinari

    -Has deep recruiting ties to the B1G conference, specifically in talent rich Chicago area

    -Regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the college game.

    Anybody who doesn't think this would be an amazing hire needs to get their head examined. There are very few programs in the country that have a guy with this pedigree on their bench not as the head coach, but as an assistant.

    Add to this that the last time he was an assistant in the B1G he was ranked by some publications as the best assistant in the conference.

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    Not sure or sold on this guy. Hope it works out.

    Not sure why you wouldn't.

    We are most likely getting an assistant coach who:

    -Has been a Division 1 head basketball coach for 19 years

    -Has won a conference title at all three of his stops - Northern Illinois, Bradley, and Western Illinois

    -Has NCAA tourney experience as both a HC (two appearances) and as an assistant (six appearances and one F4 with Depaul)

    -Has served as a NBA Scout for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

    -Is good friends with our Head basketball coach and is said to be on the same wave length in terms of philosophies

    -Is widely respected in the game, do some research and you will see positive quotes from some of the best coaches in the game regarding Molinari

    -Has deep recruiting ties to the B1G conference, specifically in talent rich Chicago area

    -Regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the college game.

    Anybody who doesn't think this would be an amazing hire needs to get their head examined. There are very few programs in the country that have a guy with this pedigree on their bench not as the head coach, but as an assistant.

    Add to this that the last time he was an assistant in the B1G he was ranked by some publications as the best assistant in the conference.

    Coach Mo would be a great get for the Huskers. Still very well thought of around the Gopher program from when he was an assistant and fill in head coach. Great defensive coach, A ton of experience and a great guy.

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    I like this hire.   This is similar to what happened with Kevin McKenna when he was coach @ Indiana State.  He left a head coaching job there to go back to being an assistant to Dana Altman at Oregon because of the chemistry between the two and the pay differential.  The nice thing is that Miles is not taking a chance on a young inexperienced assistant just because he has had a personal friendship with someone or because he came from Nebraska.  He is taking a coach with a wealth of experience and success - who, oh by the way, has a lot of the same basketball philosophies as Miles it appears.

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