After winning the American Conference at USF, former Nate Oats assistant Bryan Hodgson shot to the top of most head coaching candidate lists. He was reportedly in the mix to replace Adrian Autry at Syracuse before Providence pulled ahead and ultimately landed the up-and-coming 38-year-old head coach.
Whether or not he was their top choice, after the Western New York native officially left Tampa for Rhode Island, Syracuse quickly pivoted to former Jim Boeheim assistant and national champion point guard Gerry McNamara, plucking him away from Siena after giving Duke a scare in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.