Tennessee’s in-state rival in hoops has its new basketball coach, according to multiple reports, in Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew.
Source close to Valparaiso basketball program confirms "100 percent" that Bryce Drew is heading to Vanderbilt.
— Paul Oren (@TVBOren) April 4, 2016
Drew will replace Kevin Stallings, who left Vanderbilt for the Pitt job in late March after 17 years in Nashville. Drew, perhaps best known for his buzzer-beater in the 1998 NCAA tournament that helped Valparaiso knock off Ole Miss, has been a successful coach at his alma mater since 2011. He’s guided the Crusaders to five postseason appearances in his five years, including two NCAA tournament appearances (2013, 15) during that span.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Valpo under his father, Homer Drew, in 2005 before taking on head coaching responsibilities in 2011. Bryce Drew also had a seven-year professional career prior to returning to his alma mater.
Stallings was 15-20 against the Vols during his tenure, with his final matchup, a second-round SEC tournament loss to an undermanned Tennessee squad becoming largely symbolic of the struggle to get over the hump under his leadership. The Commodores will hope for more consistent success against both the Vols and the rest of the league with this what has to be considered impressive hire.
