Arizona State tabs Bobby Hurley as next men’s basketball coach

Apr 9, 2015, 9:47 PM | Updated: 9:58 pm

The search is over.

A little more than two weeks after firing Herb Sendek, Arizona State vice president for university athletics Ray Anderson has found his man, hiring Bobby Hurley to head up the men’s basketball program in Tempe.

This was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.

Bobby Hurley is the new coach at Arizona State, multiple industry sources told ESPN.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 9, 2015

“We conducted an exhaustive search and after numerous discussions with many of basketball’s most knowledgeable and respected individuals, one thing became clear: Bobby is the right person to lead this program to new heights,” Arizona State vice president for University Athletics Ray Anderson said in a statement. “We have a leader who, along with our university and our community, is committed to helping Sun Devil Basketball thrive. With Bobby at the helm, we will provide the necessary resources to compete within our state, our conference and across the nation. We are intent on becoming an elite men’s basketball program.”

Hurley, 43, comes to ASU after two years as the head coach at Buffalo, where he led the Bulls to a MAC Tournament championship this past season. In the NCAA Tournament, Buffalo played fifth-seeded West Virginia close, ultimately falling 68-62 in a second round Midwest Region game in Columbus, Ohio.

It was Buffalo’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

“Bobby is energetic, passionate and tough, and his contagious competitive fire will bring unmatched vigor to our men’s basketball program,” Anderson added. “A teacher, first and foremost, he is a proven winner as both a player and a coach, and understands the steps it takes to be a champion.”

The former Duke point guard, who helped lead the Blue Devils to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992, is new to the coaching profession. Before his short stint at Buffalo, Hurley served as an assistant under his brother Danny at Wagner College (2010-11) and Rhode Island (2012-13).

He does have coaching in his blood, though. His father, Bob Hurley, Sr., is a legendary prep coach and has led St. Anthony’s to 27 New Jersey state championships since taking over the program in 1972.

Hurley becomes ASU’s ninth head coach in the Pac-10/Pac-12 era, which began in 1978. In that span, the Sun Devils have played in the NCAA Tournament only seven times, winning a total of six games.