NDSU's Phillips Named Finalist for Award

BOSTON – The fifteen finalists for the 2014 Hugh Durham Award presented to the top Division I mid-major men’s basketball coach were announced Wednesday by CollegeInsider.com. North Dakota State’s Saul Phillips is among the finalists.

The list of finalists includes Mike Brennan (American), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Tim Clues (Iona), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Bob Hoffman (Mercer), Ron Hunter (Georgia State), Tony Jasick (IPFW), Tod Kowalczyk (Toledo), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central), Jeff Neubauer (Eastern Kentucky), Saul Phillips (North Dakota State), Monte Ross (Delaware), Brad Underwood (Stephen F. Austin) and Will Wade (Chattanooga).

Phillips won his second Summit League Coach of the Year award this season, directing the Bison to a school record-tying 26 wins and an 80-75 overtime win over fifth-seeded Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. NDSU swept The Summit League’s regular season and tournament titles for the second time in six years.

The Hugh Durham Award is given annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach. The award is named in honor of Hugh Durham who retired at the end of the 2004-05 season. Durham is one of just twelve coaches to have led two different programs to the NCAA Final Four (Florida State in 1972 and Georgia in 1983). He is the only coach among that group to have led both schools to their lone Final Four appearance.

The winner of the 2014 Hugh Durham Award will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet on April 4 in Dallas, site of the 2014 Final Four.