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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rutgers is now targeting Iona head coach Tim Cluess to fill its men’s basketball vacancy, sources told SNY.tv.
Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs hired both Seton Hall AD Pat Lyons and Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard from Iona during Hobbs’ tenure at Seton Hall, and they all remain close.
Montverde (FL) Academy coach Kevin Boyle and Stony Brook coach Steve PIkiell remain in the mix, sources said.
Cluess, 57, is a highly regarded coach who led the Gaels to the MAAC Tournament championship where they took out No. 1 Monmouth.
The Gaels on Thursday fell to Iowa State, 94-78, in a first-round Midwest Region game in Denver.
Cluess has an overall record of 238-87, including a 141-65 mark at Iona,. In six years at Iona, the Long Island native has had six 20-win seasons and been to three NCAA Tournaments and two NITs.
Meantime, Boyle remains in the hunt. Ben Simmons, a projected top-2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, endorsed his former coach on Thursday to SNY.tv, as did several college and high school coaches.
Stony Brook’s PIkiell was set to face Kentucky later Thursday.
Rutgers fired Eddie Jordan last Thursday, and the school’s No. 1 target, Dan Hurley, then decided on Tuesday against taking the job in order to remain at Rhode Island.
Cluess would likely be looking for a contract similar to Hurley’s, which sources said was six years and $1.5 million annually.
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