BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Louis Orr was hired as the new
basketball coach at Bowling Green on Wednesday, a job the former
Seton Hall coach called "the perfect situation."
Orr, fired last year after five seasons at Seton Hall, takes
over a team that failed to reach the NCAA tournament in 10 seasons
under Dan Dakich.
Orr had an 80-69 record at Seton Hall, and had two years left on
his contract when he was dismissed after the Pirates lost by 20
points in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
He led his teams to the NCAA tournament twice and to the NIT in
2003, when he was selected Big East coach of the year.
The Falcons finished 13-18 this past season, but return 10 of
their top 12 scorers next season.
Bowling Green athletic director Greg Christopher said he was
impressed by Orr's passion for coaching.
"We have attracted an individual to our campus who will mentor
and develop champions both on the court and in life," Christopher
said.
Orr was criticized at Seton Hall for failing to attract top
players from the New York-New Jersey area. The school's athletic
director said Orr was let go over disagreements about recruiting
and management of the program.
Before coaching Seton Hall, Orr led Siena to a 20-11 record and
a tie for first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in
2000-01. He played at Syracuse from 1976-80 and then for eight
years in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. He
grew up in Cincinnati.