NEW YORK (AP) – Stuck in the bottom half of the Big East, four teams decided it was time for turnover.
Three of the new coaching faces in the power conference will battle in the same fertile tri-state area recruiting ground. Steve Lavin put down the headset at ESPN and took over at St. John’s. Mike Rice is in at Rutgers and Kevin Willard takes over Seton Hall. Oliver Purnell makes a new-look foursome after leaving his job at Clemson to try and resuscitate DePaul.
Years of losing or prickly personalities – or in some cases, a combination of both – forced the changes. All four coaches know what a tough challenge awaits, as they try to shape their programs into the next Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh or Louisville.
The four already have one trait in common. They don’t claim to be patient and insist they build a winner.
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