Missouri Head Basketball Coach Frank Haith announced the hiring of former Drake University Head Coach Mark Phelps as an assistant coach on Tuesday. Phelps enjoyed more wins (77) than any Drake head coach in his first five seasons with the program and led the Bulldogs to a pair of postseason berths, including the team’s first postseason win since 1975.

A veteran presence on the bench and on the recruiting trail, Phelps has 17 seasons of experience as both a head coach and assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level and three of his final four recruiting classes at Drake ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference by various national recruiting services.

Phelps, 47, began coaching at the Division I level in 1996 at N.C. State and has been a part of 12 postseason tournament appearances in his career, including five consecutive NCAA Tournament selections with the Wolfpack before becoming the Associate Head Coach under Sendek at Arizona State in 2006.

“We are all so excited to welcome Mark into our basketball family,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “I’ve known Mark for a number of years and have always admired his approach to the game of basketball. He is tireless with his preparation and gets the most out of his players because he is there putting in the work with them. When we had this opening become available Mark was my first call and it speaks well of Mizzou that we were able to recruit him away from some other great programs.”

As mentioned, Phelps won more games in his first five seasons than any coach in Drake history. Owning just one NCAA Tournament appearance since 1971 and two postseason bids of any kind since 1981, Phelps helped the Bulldogs advance to the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) twice in his five years (2009 and 2012), including a win over North Dakota in the opening round in 2012. Drake (18-16 overall, 9-9 MVC in 2012) finished third in the final Missouri Valley Conference standings that season and two of his players, Rayvonte Rice and Ben Simons, earned Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.

“I’m extremely honored to have the opportunity to join Coach Haith’s staff here at Missouri and I want to thank Coach Haith, Mike Alden and the administration for giving me this opportunity to continue my coaching career as a Tiger,” Phelps said. ”It goes without saying, but I have a great deal of respect for Coach Haith and how he runs his program. He has distinguished himself as one of the elite coaches throughout his climb in our profession. We saw the fantastic job he did at Miami when we were at N.C. State and he has brought that same winning pedigree here to Mizzou.”

Phelps spent two years as the Associate Head Coach at Arizona State following his 10 seasons at N.C. State, and the Sun Devils saw remarkable improvement going from 8-22 his first season to 21-13 and a postseason appearance in year two.

“Mark’s experience on the bench and recruiting ties across the country makes this a great hire for us,” Haith said. “He was a highly respected high school coach in Virginia and he has ties throughout basketball from his time in the ACC, Pac-12 and Missouri Valley, three tremendous basketball leagues, so we are excited to get him on campus, get him acclimated to Mizzou and out on the road next month.”

Prior to joining Sendek’s staff in Raleigh, N.C., Phelps was a highly successful high school coach in Virginia. He led Rock Church Academy (1990-94) in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Va., to a 104-41 record and then moved to Atlantic Shores Christian School (1994-96), leading the team to a 44-12 mark.

— MU Sports Information —

Missouri Head Coach Frank Haith announced on Tuesday that Quddus “Deuce” Bello has signed a financial aid agreement to attend the University of Missouri and play for the men’s basketball program.

Bello will sit out the 2013-14 season and will be classified as a redshirt junior for the 2014-15 campaign.

Bello comes to Mizzou after two seasons at Baylor University where he averaged 2.8 points and 10.6 minutes per game and will be the beneficiary of an entire season of work with Haith and his staff before taking the floor in two years. A consensus Top 60 recruit as a high school senior in the Class of 2011, Bello was strong in the classroom at Baylor (Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll) and should add to a Tiger roster that saw three more players graduate this spring and enjoy a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.

“Obviously a key word here with Deuce is his potential,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “First and foremost, Deuce is a high-character young man that fits our program on a number of levels and I think our fans will gravitate towards him because he is such a nice, humble young guy. Secondly he will step on campus ready to work. The precedent of improvement during that year away has already been set by guys like Earnest (Ross), Jabari (Brown), Jordan (Clarkson) and Keion (Bell). Those guys improved tremendously during that year off and Deuce will follow that same model.

“As a player I really like his desire to be the best defender possible,” Haith continued. “He is a tremendous athlete and has that great explosion and length that you just can’t teach. He wants to be great and wants to hang his hat on being a defensive stopper. I really liked his mindset when we spoke and I’m very excited to have him with us at Mizzou.”

The Greensboro, N.C., native played in 66 games overall at Baylor, shooting 46.7 percent from the floor. He reached double figures in scoring twice as a sophomore, including 10 points in a Postseason NIT win over Long Beach State. His career scoring high actually came against Missouri as a freshman when he scored 13 points and grabbed six boards vs. the Tigers in the 2012 Big 12 Championship title game.

Bello played for Pat Khany at Westchester Country Day High School in High Point, N.C., and was a three time all-state honoree. He was selected to the Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game and the 39th Derby Festival Basketball Classic, where he scored a game high 20 points. Twice named his conference’s player of the year, Bello averaged 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds as a junior and 20.0 points and 5.1 rebounds as a sophomore. As a senior Bello led Westchester Country Day to the 2011 NCISAA 2A state championship.

— MU Sports Information —

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network, which will launch in August 2014, it was announced today by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and ESPN President John Skipper. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year.

The network will televise approximately 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming will also include studio shows, original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, signing day and pro days coverage. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively on the digital platform. The network and its digital extensions will connect with each SEC institution and create opportunities for each school to produce and develop content.

“The SEC Network will provide an unparalleled fan experience of top quality SEC content presented across the television network and its accompanying digital platforms,” stated Slive. “We will increase exposure of SEC athletics programs at all 14 member institutions, as we showcase the incredible student-athletes in our league. The agreement for a network streamlines and completes an overall media rights package that will continue the SEC’s leadership for the foreseeable future.”

Each weekend throughout the season, the new network will air multiple top-tier matchups from the strongest conference in college football. Since 2006, the SEC has claimed seven consecutive football national championships.  In 2011-12, SEC teams won eight national championships: football (Alabama), men’s basketball (Kentucky), gymnastics (Alabama), men’s indoor track and field (Florida), women’s tennis (Florida), women’s golf (Alabama), men’s outdoor track and field (Florida), and softball (Alabama). Since 1990, the SEC has won 149 national team championships for an average of more than six per year.

Skipper said, “The SEC is unmatched in its success on the field and its popularity with fans nationwide. The new network’s top-quality SEC matchups across a range of sports will serve all sports enthusiasts including the most passionate, die-hard SEC fans. Also, it will serve the needs of our multichannel distributors and advertisers by providing extremely attractive programming options across all platforms.”

As part of the agreement, ESPN will now oversee the SEC’s official Corporate Sponsor Program. In addition, ESPN and the SEC also agreed to extend their existing media rights agreement through 2034. ESPN has televised the SEC since 1982.  ESPN’s existing networks present more than 1,600 hours of SEC action each year. The new network will focus exclusively on the SEC and add another outlet to deliver sports fans more SEC content than ever.

AT&T U-verse® has been secured as the network’s first national distributor. AT&T U-verse is the fastest growing TV provider in the U.S. and their subscribers will have access to an unprecedented amount of SEC content across all platforms.  Subscribers receiving the live linear network via a multichannel subscription will also have access to the network on PCs, tablets, smartphones and select gaming devices like Xbox. Additional games and coverage will be available through an authenticated digital offering. Fans looking to learn more about how to get the SEC Network can visit GetSECNetwork.com for more information.

“We are pleased to be involved with the SEC and ESPN at the very beginning of this great alliance,” said Jeff Weber, President of Content and Advertising Sales, AT&T. “As the fastest growing and most advanced pay TV service, we want to bring our customers the highest value and most compelling product that we possibly can. Access to the SEC Network, across multiple platforms, will only increase the demand for U-verse.”

ESPN’s Justin Connolly, formerly senior vice president, ESPN affiliate sales and marketing, will oversee the network’s day-to-day operations. The network will originate from ESPN’s Charlotte, N.C., offices with additional staff located at the company’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. Staff announcements and additional details will be made in the coming months.

— SEC Press Release —

Head Coach Frank Haith added a fifth member to his nationally-ranked recruiting class on Monday as Shane Rector, a 6-foot, 175-pound point guard from South Kent School in South Kent, Conn., signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Missouri and play for the Tigers next season.

Considered one of the top players in New York City, Rector averaged a team-leading 17.4 points and 7.1 assists for South Kent as a senior and developed into one of the country’s top distributors during his one season of play in Connecticut.

“We are so excited to be able to add a player of Shane’s caliber to our recruiting class and his ability to attack the rim and create for his teammates fits well with how we like to play,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “Shane is also a capable scorer, but he is similar to Wes (Clark) in that he has a knack for making those around him better and that’s what we want in our point guards.”

Rector began his career at St. Raymond’s High School in Bronx, N.Y., and led the Ravens to their first CHSAA Class AA city championship since 2004. St. Ray’s finished the year 21-10 and Rector averaged 13.7 points and 6.2 assists, while being named to the CHSAA All-Tournament Team. He was also named an all-league pick as a junior.

“With Phil’s departure to the NBA Draft we focused on bringing in a second point guard and the friendship Wes (Clark) and Shane (Rector) have is certainly a bonus, because we like to play two point guards together during the course of a ball game,” Haith said. “When you look at this class as a whole we were able to fill a number of needs and continue to balance out our classes for the future.”

The three-star point guard (Rivals.com) finished his senior season by being selected to play in the 2013 Jordan Brand Classic’s Regional Game. He scored 12 points and dished eight assists in 22 minutes, leading his club to a 114-102 win at Barclays Center on April 13.

Rector joins the four-member signing class of Wes Clark, Torren Jones, Jonathan Williams, III and Keanau Post and has Missouri’s recruiting class ranked among the Top 20 nationally.

— MU Sports Information —

Head Coach Frank Haith added to his nationally-ranked recruiting class on Wednesday as Southwestern Illinois College big man Keanau Post signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Missouri and play for the Tigers next season.

The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Post was a Second Team Junior College All-American last season as a sophomore and will provide the Tigers with great size in the paint after ranking among the NJCAA’s leaders in rebounding and blocked shots a year ago.

“We are excited to be adding Keanau to the program,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “Obviously he fills a big need for us inside and gives us depth at the center position. There’s no question that Keanau’s best basketball is ahead of him. He has really matured as a player over the last few seasons and he has the potential to be a significant contributor as his career progresses. I am really excited about his potential here at Mizzou.”

A native of Victoria, British Columbia, Post averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for Head Coach Jay Harrington’s SWIC program, helping lead the team to a 22-11 overall record. Post was named the Great Rivers Athletic Conference MVP in 2013 and was a First Team All-Regional 24 selection.

Ranked the No. 3 junior college performer by Rivals.com, Post scored a career high 25 points vs. Vincennes on Feb. 23 and had seven games with 18+ points on the year. He also saw his scoring numbers improve as the season progressed, averaging 13.2 points during league action, including a career high 15.2 points during the month of February. He recorded a season high 17 rebounds and added 20 points in a Nov. 3 win over Moraine Valley and finished the year with 10 double-doubles.

Overall Post was efficient from the floor shooting 54.4 percent and recorded 1.9 blocks per game, ranking No. 27 nationally.

Post joins the three-person November signing class of Wes Clark, Torren Jones and Jonathan Williams, III. All three high school players are currently ranked among the Top 150 players nationally by Rivals.com. Williams is ranked No. 42 and Clark is ranked No. 72. Both players are coming off state championship wins for their respective high schools. Jones is ranked No. 123 nationally by Rivals.com and was recently selected to participate in the West Coast All-Star Game on May 11 in Kent, Wash.

— MU Sports Information —

Phil Pressey, Missouri’s career leader in assists (580) and steals (196), will forgo his final collegiate season and make himself eligible for the 2013 NBA Draft. Pressey made the announcement on Wednesday as he has signed with the agency CAA Sports (Creative Artists Agency).

“Many college basketball players dream of this day, but when I had to finally make this decision it was difficult because it means I am leaving a place I love so much,” Pressey said. “I love my teammates, my coaches, Mike Alden and all of our fans, and I’m so glad I had the chance to play for Coach Haith these last two years. He had such a big impact on my career and because of that relationship I will help Missouri Basketball anyway I can going forward.

“I wish we could have brought home a national championship banner, but coming to Mizzou was the best decision of my life. This is a special place and I will always be a Tiger.”

“It’s a bittersweet day because we all care so much about Phil, but I know how much research he and his family have done and I support that 100 percent,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “I was fortunate in that I had the opportunity to coach Phil for two seasons and he helped us win a lot of games, but more importantly, he was a great ambassador for our program both on and off the court. I wish Phil and his family all the best as he turns to a new chapter in his basketball career.”

Pressey finishes his college career as Missouri’s all-time leader in assists (580). He initially set the school’s single-season assist mark in 2011-12 with 223 assists and broke that mark this season with 240. The 240 assists were fourth all-time in Southeastern Conference history, just one behind John Wall (Kentucky) and Terry Coner (Alabama) for second and 20 behind the SEC single-season record of 260 held by Ole Miss’ Sean Tuohy.

Pressey averaged career highs in scoring (11.9) and assists (7.0) this year, finishing No. 13 nationally in assists per game. He also enjoyed one of the more remarkable single-game efforts in a Dec. 28 loss at UCLA, scoring 19 points and tying an SEC record with 19 assists. The 19 assists were the most in college basketball this season.

Pressey finished his career averaging 9.7 points per game in three seasons and was just 41 points shy of 1,000 for his career.

The 5-foot-11 guard also earned preseason and postseason All-SEC accolades and was named First Team All-SEC by the league coaches last month.

The Dallas native had six games with 10+ assists this year, including 13 assists in the SEC-opener against Alabama and 12 points and 11 dimes in the Bud Light Braggin’ Rights victory over Illinois. For his career Pressey had six career point-assists double-doubles, also a school record.

Pressey finished his career tied with Anthony Peeler for career steals. Both players had 196 thefts.

— MU Sports Information —