Jay Harris, a former Valparaiso guard, is headed to Wagner to play for new coach Bashir Mason.

“I chose Wagner because they were the best fit academically and athletically,” the 6-foot-2, 160-pound guard told SNY.tv.

“Their style of basketball fits my game perfectly. I also like that their philosophy is family.”

An Aurora, IL native, Harris averaged 9.0 points and 2.6 assists last season at Valpo.

“I can shoot the ball and pass it pretty well,” he said.

He must sit out a year per transfer rules and will then have two years of eligibility remaining.

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Marquis Webb, the former Paterson Catholic and Rutgers star, has been named an assistant coach on Bashir Mason’s staff at Wagner.

“We are extremely happy to have Marquis join our Wagner Basketball family,” Mason said. “He is a rising star in the coaching profession, but above that he is an outstanding person.”

At George Mason, Webb worked under head coach Paul Hewitt in helping the Patriots to (more…)

Dan Hurley has his first commit since taking over as head coach at Rhode Island.

And it happens to be a player who had previously committed to the Rams.

Jordan Hare, a 6-foot-9, 198-pound power forward from Saginaw, Mich., reaffirmed his commitment after meeting Thursday with Hurley and Rhody assistant Preston Murphy.

“Coach Hurley and Preston just stopped by for a home visit and I’m just reaffirming my commitment to Rhode Island,” Hare told SNY.tv during an exclusive interview Thursday. (more…)

Bashir Mason has assisted Dan Hurley at St. Benedict’s Prep and Wagner College.

Now he gets his chance to follow Hurley and be his own head man.

Mason on Sunday was named the new head coach at Wagner, replacing Hurley who agreed last week to a six-year, $4 million deal with Rhode Island.

“We’re very excited that Bashir Mason will be the next head men’s basketball coach here at Wagner College,” Wagner AD Walt Hameline said Monday in a statement. (more…)

BOSTON — Wagner assistant Bashir Mason is the favorite to replace his former boss Dan Hurley and could land the job soon.

“Bashir is meeting with [AD] Walt [Hameline] tonight for final interview,” a source close to the situation told SNY.tv. “I’m 99 percent sure it’s his. He is the player’s choice.”

Mason came to Wagner from Marist College, where he spent two seasons as an assistant where his responsibilities included recruiting and guard development.

Mason began his coaching career at St. Benedict’s during the 2007-2008 season as coach of the school’s prep team, which won the New Jersey State Prep A Title by virture of a victory over Blair Academy.

A native of Jersey City, NJ, Mason played collegiately for Drexel from 2003-2007 after playing scholastically at St. Benedict’s for Hurley at St. Benedict’s.

Photo: Wagner

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Bobby Hurley wants to be a Division I head coach eventually, but for now he has chosen to bypass the offer to take over at Wagner College and follow his younger brother to Rhode Island instead.

“I was offered the job [at Wagner],” Hurley told SNY.tv in his first interview since his brother, Dan, accepted the Rhode Island job Tuesday.

“It was obviously a very difficult decision,” added Hurley, the No. 7 pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. “I believe in the players that are in the program [at Wagner] and the kids that we have in the program. The people who I’ve worked with have been great over the last two years. It’s been a great two years for me.” (more…)

Dan Hurley has agreed to become the new head coach at Rhode Island and will part ways with Wagner College after just two years at the Staten Island school, as first reported by SNY.tv and CBSSports.com Tuesday morning.

After visiting Rhode Island Saturday, Hurley made the decision Monday night upon talking it over with his wife, Andrea, and their two sons, Danny (12) and Andrew (10).

Hurley, 39, will sign a six-year deal worth approximately $4 million. He will be officially introduced at a press conference Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to name Dan Hurley as our new head men’s basketball coach,” Rhode Island athletic director Thorr Bjorn said.  “Dan is a proven winner at every level and I am looking forward to partnering with him to build on the solid foundation we have in place.  Our goals are to compete for  – and win  – Atlantic 10 Championships and advance to play in NCAA Tournaments.” (more…)

LOUISVILLE,  Ky. — Rhode Island has targeted Wagner’s Dan Hurley to be its new basketball coach, but an online story suggesting Hurley has accepted the job is false, industry sources with direct knowledge told SNY.tv.

Hurley met with Rhode Island officials this past week at an off-campus location, but no deal has been struck.

The school is reportedly offering a multi-year deal worth more than $700,000 annually, significantly more than Wagner would seem to be able to match.

Should Hurley opt to leave the Staten Island program, the school could offer the job to his older brother, Bobby, a current Wagner assistant. (more…)

LOUISVILLE,  Ky. – Rhode Island officials met this week with Wagner head coach Dan Hurley and athletic director Thorr Bjorn is looking to end the search by the Final Four, industry sources told SNY.tv.

Hurley, 39, just completed his second season at the Staten Island school, turning around a program that went 5-26 two years ago and leading it to a 25-6 campaign.

Wagner lost in the Northeast Conference semifinals to Robert Morris and was not extended an NIT bid. The school declined opportunities to play in other postseason events. (more…)

Two years ago, Dan Hurley was coaching in high school at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark.

Now he’s coaching a 25-win college team that is one victory from playing for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“Now it’s just let it rip, man, go for it,” Hurley told SNY.tv after the No. 2-seeded Seahawks beat No. 7 Central Connecticut, 87-77, to move into the Northeast Conference semifinals against Robert Morris on Sunday at noon. “We’ve had an unbelievable year. We’re one game away from playing to be a part of March Madness so go out and let it rip.” (more…)