ARIZONA BASKETBALL

Arizona assistant Lorenzo Romar hired as Pepperdine head coach

Mar 12, 2018, 10:52 AM

Arizona Interim head coach Lorenzo Romar calls to his team during an NCAA college basketball game a...

Arizona Interim head coach Lorenzo Romar calls to his team during an NCAA college basketball game against Oregon Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, in Eugene, Ore. (AP photo/Chris Pietsch)

(AP photo/Chris Pietsch)

Lorenzo Romar will leave his position as the Arizona associate head coach at the end of the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament run and assume the head coaching position for the Pepperdine Waves, Pepperdine announced Monday.

“My comfort level with (Pepperdine Athletic Director) Steve Potts and President (Andrew) Benton played a huge role in my decision to return to Pepperdine,” Romar said in a press release. “I grew up in Southern California, and at this point in my career it was my preference to stay on the West Coast. The Christian mission that Pepperdine stands for, its values, the fact that they are committed to putting forth the resources necessary to allow Pepperdine to get back to the highest level where they once were, all this is very exciting to me.”

Romar joined the Wildcats for the 2017-18 season and led them for one game, an overtime loss to the Oregon Ducks, as head coach Sean Miller stepped away from the team following an ESPN report that linked Miller to the FBI investigation into college basketball corruption.

Arizona cleared Miller of wrongdoing after the ESPN report alleged that he was heard on an FBI wiretap discussing a potential payment of $100,000 to acquire a commitment from then-high school prospect Deandre Ayton.

The school, Miller and Ayton have all denied that report.

Regarded as a successful recruiter, Romar’s departure hurts Arizona, which currently has no player committed to the 2018 recruiting class. The Wildcats have lost several recruits in the wake of the FBI investigation that first led to the firing of former assistant coach Emanuel “Book” Richardson and later led to Miller’s five-day leave from the team as the university investigated his involvement.

After Romar worked as an assistant coach for UCLA from 1992-96, he began his head coaching career with the Waves in 1996-97. He went 6-21 his first season before taking Pepperdine to a 19-13 finish in his third year on the job.

Romar then led the Saint Louis Billikens from 1999-2002 before joining the Washington Huskies, where he went 298-195 over 15 seasons.

Arizona enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed and will play the Buffalo Bulls on Thursday.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Basketball

Keshad Johnson #16 and Pelle Larsson #3 of the Arizona Wildcats speak at a press conference before ...

Damon Allred

Grind of final Pac-12 season prepared Arizona basketball for March

No. 2 Arizona men's basketball will look to make it past the Sweet 16 for the first time in Tommy Lloyd's tenure.

13 hours ago

Caitlin Clark celebrates...

Associated Press

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is inspiring a younger generation of players

Caitlin Clark's deep range has expanded the scope of possibilities for up-and-coming women's basketball players.

14 hours ago

Chase Hunter #1 and PJ Hall #24 of the Clemson Tigers high five during the first half against the B...

Vincent DeAngelis

Clemson basketball looks to continue ‘underdog’ run against Arizona in Sweet 16

No. 6 seed Clemson takes on Arizona on Thursday after upsetting No. 3 seed Baylor in the 2024 NCAA Tournament round of 32

19 hours ago

(L-R) Caleb Love #2, Keshad Johnson #16, Oumar Ballo #11, and Jaden Bradley #0 of the Arizona Wildc...

Vincent DeAngelis

Re-ranking Arizona basketball among Sweet 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament

Multiple publications rank the Arizona Wildcats around the middle of the pack among the Sweet 16 team still in the NCAA Tournament.

3 days ago

Darian DeVries...

Associated Press

West Virginia basketball hires Darian DeVries to be new coach after 6 years at Drake

West Virginia tapped Drake coach Darian DeVries on Sunday to move the Mountaineers past one of the ugliest years in school history.

3 days ago

Tommy Lloyd...

Arizona Sports

How to watch: Arizona vs. Clemson in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

What time and how to watch the No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats take on No. 6 Clemson Tigers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

4 days ago

Arizona assistant Lorenzo Romar hired as Pepperdine head coach