The second stint for East Carolina coach Joe Dooley ended in the same manner, with a firing after four years. ECU went 15-15 overall and 6-11 in the ACC this season.
Dooley coached at ECU from 1995-99, and then returned in 2018-19. In-between, he had a successful 5-year stint at Florida Gulf Coast and made "Lob City" popular. He also was a crucial assistant under Bill Self and the Kansas machine. Former NC State coach Mark Gottfried had an extended flirtation in trying to get Dooley to be his assistant coach while he was the head coach at FGCU. Dooley turned it down and that job went to Heath Schroyer.
This had been percolating for many weeks. ECU AD Jon Gilbert used to work at Tennessee and popular opinion is that Volunteers coach Rick Barnes will have some sway on the hire. If true, that could help Tennessee assistant coach Justin Gainey, the former NC State point guard.
Dooley coached at ECU from 1995-99, and then returned in 2018-19. In-between, he had a successful 5-year stint at Florida Gulf Coast and made "Lob City" popular. He also was a crucial assistant under Bill Self and the Kansas machine. Former NC State coach Mark Gottfried had an extended flirtation in trying to get Dooley to be his assistant coach while he was the head coach at FGCU. Dooley turned it down and that job went to Heath Schroyer.
This had been percolating for many weeks. ECU AD Jon Gilbert used to work at Tennessee and popular opinion is that Volunteers coach Rick Barnes will have some sway on the hire. If true, that could help Tennessee assistant coach Justin Gainey, the former NC State point guard.
