The Sports Brewery

Dana Altman: Next coach of your Oregon Ducks?

Posted on 24. Apr, 2010 at 11:31 am by El Rey in NCAA Basketball, Oregon Ducks Basketball

By John Hunt, The Oregonian

April 24, 2010, 10:26AM

Oregon’s 37-day old search for a basketball coach may be nearing an end.

Creighton coach Dana Altman is in serious discussions with former Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny in Indianapolis and could be announced as the Ducks’ next coach this weekend.

Dana Altman“As you know, he’s traveled a lot, and the one name that continues to come up as one of the best coaches in America is Dana Altman,” senior associate athletic director Joe Giansante said.

Kilkenny did not immediately return phone calls, and he does have an interview with another coach scheduled today in Indianapolis.

Altman, 51, has led Creighton to the postseason 13 times in 16 seasons (7 NCAA, 5 NIT, 1 CIT) and resurrected the Nebraska school from bottom dwellars to conference champions.

Kilkenny turned to Altman this week after his name was brought up several times in discussions with other coaches and consultants, Giansante said.

Many of those coaches, such as Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Pitt’s Jamie Dixon, Butler’s Brad Stevens, Missouri’s Mike Anderson and others, decided not to take the Oregon job. Thus, the coaching search that has stretched beyond a month.

But in Altman, the Ducks would get a coach who is considered one of the better bench coaches in the business.

Altman guided the Bluejays to an 18-16 record in 2009-10, winning five of their last six games to ensure a 13th consecutive winning season. It was the first time in 12 years Creighton failed to win 20 games.

Unless Kyle Korver comes along as some sort of a ‘package deal’, I’m guessing this isn’t the sexy hire that Nike U wanted.

Tags: Creighton Blue Jays, Dana Altman, Oregon Ducks basketball