Vanderbilt expected to hire Bryce Drew as new basketball coach

HOUSTON – Vanderbilt is expected to hire Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew, with a source close to the situation saying a deal will likely be in place in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Drew has gone 125-49 in the past five years at Valparaiso, including two NCAA Tournament appearances. This season Drew coached the Crusaders to a 30-7 record and an appearance in the NIT championship game, where they fell to George Washington.

He’ll replace Kevin Stallings, who left the program for Pittsburgh late last month.

• GARDNER: Three things to watch for in the national title game

Drew is the son of former Valparaiso coach Homer Drew and the brother of Baylor coach Scott Drew. He’s best remembered in NCAA tournament lore for hitting a buzzer-beating shot against Mississippi in 1998. He’s received significant interest for high-profile jobs the past few years, including Iowa State, Saint Louis and Georgia Tech.

What separates Bryce Drew is his professional basketball experience, as he was a first-round pick by the Houston Rockets in 1998 and played six seasons in the NBA.

Add us as a preferred source on Google