Rice to be introduced as Rutgers basketball coach

May 4, 2010 - 10:55 PM By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer

NEWARK, N.J.(AP) -- Talk to Mike Rice's coaching buddies and they'll tell you Rutgers made a game-winning shot at the buzzer in picking its next basketball coach.

While refusing to confirm that Rice has been hired, the school announced Tuesday it will hold a news conference Thursday to introduce its new coach.

A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday that the 41-year-old Rice has been chosen to replace Fred Hill.

Rice raised his profile during the NCAA tournament when No. 15 seed Robert Morris of the Northeast Conference pushed second-seeded Villanova of the Big East to overtime in a first-round loss.

"He is the real thing," Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli said in a telephone interview. "People want to say it was at a lower level, fine! Or that he is 41, fine! He has only been a head coach for three years.

"I will be honest with you, I think he is going to excite the whole state," added Martelli, who was Rice's boss for two seasons. "I think that Rutgers will take its place - it will take some building and patience - but he is going to excite that fan base, the RAC and the basketball community that is New Jersey."

Rice faces an uphill battle in replacing Hill, who resigned two weeks ago after agreeing to a settlement. The Scarlet Knights went 47-77 in four seasons under Hill, including a 13-57 record in the Big East.

Rutgers also lost Big East defensive player of the year Hamady Ndiaye after this past season, and leading scorer Mike Rosario decided to transfer to Florida.

Quinnipiac coach Tom Moore, whose team lost to Robert Morris in the NEC tournament title game, said Rice will bring passion to Piscataway.

"It is a great fit for Rutgers because the job is one where it is now requires a great deal of enthusiasm and passion, and he has that in bunches," said Moore, a former assistant under Jim Calhoun at Connecticut.

The fiery Rice also will demand that his teams play defense. Robert Morris was among the NEC's best in field-goal percentage and scoring defense, using a tough man-to-man in his three seasons.

Moore was impressed with the way Rice held his players accountable on defense, noting a defensive error was more likely to get a player pulled out of the game than an offensive mistake.

Robert Morris went 73-31 during Rice's tenure, including a 53-9 mark in the NEC. The Colonials won or shared three consecutive regular-season championships.

"I pay him the ultimate compliment - he is a basketball coach," Martelli said. "He should not be labeled strictly as a recruiter. He should not be labeled strictly as a game coach or strictly as a public relations guy. He is strictly a basketball coach. I would say his style of coaching is that he competes and he demands that his players compete."

Martelli is somewhat amused that people were surprised by how well Robert Morris played against Villanova. He said that's the way the Colonials played every night.

Martelli thinks that the challenge of turning around Rutgers excited Rice.

"I think that is the reason Mike took the job," Martelli said. "I think he is going to get up every day and say, `Let's get better.' He is going to expend every ounce of his energy and efforts and he will expect that from his staff, the players and the administration. It is a requirement for him taking a job that Rutgers be relevant in the Big East."

Rutgers has not made the NCAA tournament since 1991.

"I would almost guarantee that he will not say to himself once next year, 'What did I get myself into?"' Moore said. "You have to be forward thinking and in that league every day is a fight, and that's what he is. He is a fighter."