Today’s news and notes from around the college basketball coaching world…
- Liberty basketball coach Ritchie McKay has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and will miss this week’s games at Lipscomb. He received the positive test result earlier this week and has experienced some mild symptoms. Since learning of the positive test result, McKay has self-isolated and continues to follow all guidelines set forth by the Liberty University medical staff and local health officials. More HERE.
- Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman will be back on the bench leading his basketball team when the Razorbacks open SEC play at Auburn on Wednesday night. Musselman confirmed in a text message to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he was medically cleared Monday night to return to team activities. Musselman missed the Razorbacks’ previous game — an 85-72 victory over Abilene Christian last Tuesday — because he was quarantining in accordance with contact-tracing protocols after a staff member tested positive for covid-19. More HERE.
- Former Depaul, UIC, and Chicago State assistant Donnie Kirksey passed away due to complications related to COVID-19, which he had been battling for a few weeks. He was most recently the dean of students and head basketball coach at his alma mater Chicago Vocational Career Academy. The Chicago basketball legend was only 57. More HERE.
- Kudos to Stockton University (NJ) head coach Scott Bittner who helped save a drowning man from icy waters earlier this week. The coach saw a man had fallen into the freezing water about 50 yards from his Chelsea Court home and was stuck between a boat and the dock. Bittner said the man was tangled in the propeller of the boat and it took him about 15 minutes, with the help of his neighbor’s friend, to untangle the drowning man, who was unconscious at that point, and get him out of the water. More HERE.
- Former Evansville head coach Walter McCarty has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Court documents show McCarty submitted his filing earlier this month in Massachusetts, where he resides in the Boston area. He claims to have roughly $2.5 million in assets and under $2 million in liabilities. He also stated he has no income from employment, but he collects $1,800 monthly from his NBA pension and “is pursuing several avenues of employment which hopefully will reach fruition in early 2021.” McCarty also found himself the target of lawsuits with a pair of banks, Old National Bank and First Federal Savings, after allegedly defaulting on loans totaling more than $125,000 combined. More HERE.
- Scary stuff here, as the Capital Gazette details the stroke suffered by Navy head coach Ed DeChellis back in September. More HERE.
- Great piece penned by SI’s Kevin Sweeney on the critical role that DBO’s have played during this crazy season. Sweeney correctly points out that DBO’s “are the glue that keeps programs functioning on a day-to-day basis.” More HERE.
- The HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Week 5 COW winners were announced on Monday. Full list of winners can be found HERE. To nominate a coach for the week 6 award, email your selection to [email protected] by Sunday night at 5pm.
