Bayno hired to coach again
Former UNLV basketball coach Bill Bayno will be named Loyola Marymount's coach today, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The hiring, first reported by the Los Angeles Times on its Web site, was confirmed to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Los Angeles school had not made a formal announcement. The hiring will be announced today, and a news conference is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Oregonian reported on its Web site that the contract is for five years and a little more than $2 million. Bayno was offered the job after Mike Montgomery, the former Stanford and Golden State Warriors coach, turned it down, the newspaper reported.
Bayno, 45, is currently an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers. He could not be reached for comment.
Bayno coached UNLV from 1995 to 2000, finishing with a 94-64 record and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 2000. He also led the Rebels to the National Invitation Tournament in 1997 and 1999.
Known as an excellent recruiter, Bayno coached current NBA star Shawn Marion and former NBA players Tyrone Nesby and Keon Clark while at UNLV.
He was fired seven games into the 2000-2001 season after allegations that he had broken rules in the recruiting of Lamar Odom in 1996 and 1997. But the NCAA cleared Bayno of wrongdoing, and he filed a wrongful termination lawsuit and received a settlement from UNLV.
Bayno, who earlier spent seven years on John Calipari's staff at Massachusetts, will replace Rodney Tention as Lions coach. Tention resigned after Loyola Marymount went 30-61 over three seasons.
The Lions had a 5-26 record and were 2-12 in West Coast Conference play this season.
