PHOENIX (AP) — Jack Murphy was not what you would call a star basketball player in high school, playing one game and hitting two free throws.
He had a love for the game, though, and did whatever he could to be a part of it, from handing out towels to studying tape and watching practices at UNLV.
Murphy’s dedication helped him land his own team when he was named the new head coach at Northern Arizona last spring.
He arrives in Flagstaff with a wealth of knowledge gleaned from some of the best minds in basketball after working under Lute Olson at Arizona, George Karl with the Denver Nuggets and Josh Pastner at Memphis.
Murphy takes over a team that lost its coach early last season and ended with a 16-game losing streak.
