Spring Break
Former basketball assistant leaves Southern Ill. for Big 10
Painter leaves for Purdue, his alma mater, where he could become next head coach
Matthew Stevens
Issue date: 4/9/04 Section: Sports
A second former Eastern assistant may eventually take over the reins of a Big Ten men's basketball program.
According to the Associated Press, Matt Painter will officially be named to the position at a press conference scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.
Painter has apparently resigned as head coach at Southern Illinois to take an assistant's job at Purdue.
Officials at SIU also scheduled a Friday news conference to announce a new coach.
Saluki athletics director Paul Kowalczyk met with Painter on Monday and tried to sweeten his deal with SIU by offering to more than double his current contract.
"We offered him a substantial increase, but we can't win a bidding war with Purdue," Kowalczyk said. "We appreciated Matt's service. He's done a tremendous job and got more out of our team this year than anyone could have expected."
Painter acknowledged Monday he has been contacted by Purdue University about the possibility of joining Gene Keady's staff for the upcoming season and becoming the successor to the Boilermakers' legendary head coach in 2005-06.
"If it were a scenario where it was just a school offering me a lot of money, I wouldn't have taken the job at this point in my career," Painter said. "But Purdue wasn't just another school. I have a passion for Purdue. It's my alma mater. And then there's Gene Keady."
The first Big Ten coaching job to be given to an Eastern assistant was Ricky Birdsong, who led Northwestern to a 34-78 record in his four seasons in Evanston between 1993-97.
Painter said Purdue athletics director Morgan Burke has discussed the scenario with him but no decision has been made. Painter was recruited by Keady and played for him at Purdue from 1989-93.
Painter posted a 25-5 record in his first year as head coach this past season at SIU which included being ranked in the Top 25 for six weeks and received an eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament before eventually losing to Alabama, who eventually lost in the Elite Eight.
According to the Associated Press, Matt Painter will officially be named to the position at a press conference scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.
Painter has apparently resigned as head coach at Southern Illinois to take an assistant's job at Purdue.
Officials at SIU also scheduled a Friday news conference to announce a new coach.
Saluki athletics director Paul Kowalczyk met with Painter on Monday and tried to sweeten his deal with SIU by offering to more than double his current contract.
"We offered him a substantial increase, but we can't win a bidding war with Purdue," Kowalczyk said. "We appreciated Matt's service. He's done a tremendous job and got more out of our team this year than anyone could have expected."
Painter acknowledged Monday he has been contacted by Purdue University about the possibility of joining Gene Keady's staff for the upcoming season and becoming the successor to the Boilermakers' legendary head coach in 2005-06.
"If it were a scenario where it was just a school offering me a lot of money, I wouldn't have taken the job at this point in my career," Painter said. "But Purdue wasn't just another school. I have a passion for Purdue. It's my alma mater. And then there's Gene Keady."
The first Big Ten coaching job to be given to an Eastern assistant was Ricky Birdsong, who led Northwestern to a 34-78 record in his four seasons in Evanston between 1993-97.
Painter said Purdue athletics director Morgan Burke has discussed the scenario with him but no decision has been made. Painter was recruited by Keady and played for him at Purdue from 1989-93.
Painter posted a 25-5 record in his first year as head coach this past season at SIU which included being ranked in the Top 25 for six weeks and received an eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament before eventually losing to Alabama, who eventually lost in the Elite Eight.
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