Update: Troy has hired Western Kentucky assistant Phil Cunningham. (h/t ColaPack for the link)
Troy will introduce Western Kentucky assistant Phil Cunningham at a news conference on Tuesday.
Multiple sources told CBSSports.com that Cunningham, who has spent last season with the Hilltoppers after working for Rick Stansbury for a dozen years at Mississippi State, has been chosen over N.C. State assistant Bobby Lutz.
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Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports reported earlier today on Twitter that Bobby Lutz may be in line for the head coaching job at Troy University. The position came open last week when Don Maestri announced his retirement after the team lost to 68-63 in overtime in the Sun Belt Conference tournament to finish their year at 12-20. Maestri has exactly 500 wins — he attained that mark the day before when Troy defeated Florida Atlantic 81-79 in overtime.
Earlier, Troy AD John Hartwell told AL.com
“Things are progressing very rapidly and at a very good pace,” Hartwell said in a telephone interview with AL.com Monday afternoon. “I anticipate within the next 24 or 48 hours we’ll have some clarity. Maybe even quicker than that.”
Hartwell has extensive contacts and knows Lutz well from his time at Charlotte.
Hartwell, a former college player at The Citadel who has maintained close basketball ties across the Southeast and the country, said he would head up the search for Troy’s next coach. That search may be close to the end.
It is possible the school will announce its new head coach as early as Tuesday.
We tend to agree with Goodman – Troy couldn’t make a better choice, and if Bobby Lutz does indeed end up at the school, Mark Gottfried and NC State will miss him on the sidelines and in the practice gym.
