Duquesne Coaching Search Update

Last night, Pittsburgh Sports Now reported that our sources were telling us that barring a breakdown in talks that we expected King Rice to get the Duquesne head coaching position.

Well, something must have happened because Joshua Newman, beat writer for Monmouth, tweets that King Rice “is not taking the Duquesne job. Furthermore, he was never involved. He is staying at Monmouth.”

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King Rice is not taking the Duquesne job. Furthermore, he told Gannett New Jersey he was never involved. He is staying at Monmouth.

— Josh Newman (@Joshua_Newman) March 21, 2017

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First of all, I don’t believe for one second that Rice wasn’t involved with Duquesne. Not for a second. Coaches say this to not make a school or themselves look bad. If money is an issue, agents also leak this to writers hoping that the school comes back with a higher offer. As I’ve been told many times by veteran beat writers, don’t believe anyone in a coaching search, normally everyone is lying.

I believe and trust my sources that Duquesne was in serious talks with Rice. Did his contract demands become an issue? Money for assistants? Did his background check come into play? Is the report 100% accurate? As of now, I can’t answer those questions but will obviously work to find out.

If the report is accurate and with UMass hiring Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey, I have no idea which direction Duquesne could be looking.