Tom Crean reportedly ‘hot name’ for new college basketball opening

Tom Crean is being talked about in connection with a newly open college basketball head coaching job.

The University of Evansville basketball job is open after new athletics director Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried decided to fire Todd Lickliter, who went 15-53 in 2-plus seasons after taking over in January 2020. One college basketball insider is already linking Crean to the open job in the state of Indiana.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium called Crean the “hot name” for the Evansville vacancy. Goodman added that, per a source, Crean was already looking at Evansville as a potential landing spot, knowing that he was on the way out at Georgia.

One hot name for Evansville right now seems to be Thomas Crean.

Source close to situation said that Crean talked quite a bit about the Western Kentucky and Evansville jobs this past year while aware this would be his last go-around at Georgia.

Crean’s SEC mark at UGA: 15-57

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 5, 2022

Crean was Indiana’s head coach from 2008-17, posting a 166-135 record overall, and 71-91 in Big Ten play, while taking the Hoosiers to the Sweet 16 3 times. Most recently, Crean had a rough 4-season tenure at Georgia. The Bulldogs went 47-75 overall, including a 15-57 mark in SEC play, failing to reach the postseason.

Andrew Olson

A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.