Source: Rice to lead Rutgers
NEWARK, N.J. — Mike Rice, whose Robert Morris men's basketball team lost in overtime to Villanova in the first round of the NCAA tournament, has agreed to become the coach at Rutgers.
The school plans to introduce Rice at a news conference later this week, a person familiar with the hiring told The Associated Press Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made.
Rice replaces Fred Hill, who resigned two weeks ago. The Scarlet Knights were 47-77 under Hill in four seasons, including a 13-57 record in the Big East.
Rice, the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year the last two seasons, agreed to a contract extension last month that would have kept him at RMU through the 2016-17 season.
Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti did not immediately return a telephone message left by the AP seeking comment.
Rice led Robert Morris to the last two NCAA tournaments and the Colonials scared ninth-ranked Villanova in this season's opening round before losing 73-70 in overtime.
