ASU Hires Randy Bennett as Men's Basketball Coach

Arizona State University has hired Randy Bennett as its new men's basketball coach, bringing the 63-year-old Arizona native home after a 25-year tenure at Saint Mary's College that transformed the program into a national midmajor power.

The move, announced Monday following a team meeting at Saint Mary's in Moraga, California, comes days after the Gaels' first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament. Bennett replaces Bobby Hurley, whose contract was not renewed after 11 seasons with the Sun Devils. Bennett is finalizing a five-year contract worth more than $3 million in his first season, according to reports.

"This was a difficult decision after calling Saint Mary's home for so long and building this program into a national contender each year," Bennett said in a statement. "I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to lead Saint Mary's and for all the special people in this community I've been able to work with over the years. This was truly my home away from home for so long and I will miss this place."

Bennett, a Mesa native who graduated from Westwood High School near Arizona State's Tempe campus, inherits a program seeking stability in the competitive Big 12 Conference. He...