Calbert Cheaney leaves Indiana to join Saint Louis staff
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Calbert Cheaney, one of Indiana’s all-time greats as a player, is leaving his post as director of basketball operations to join Saint Louis as an assistant coach. Hoosiers coach Tom Crean confirmed late Tuesday night that Cheaney had stepped down from the role in which he served for the past 26 months.
“Calbert played an invaluable role in the success we enjoyed the last two years,” Crean said in a statement released by Indiana. “He has come to have a strong desire to return to the floor coaching and can do so with someone he trusts and respects in Jim Crews.”
Cheaney spent the 2010-11 season as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, working under Keith Smart, who made the jump shot that delivered the Hoosiers their fifth national championship in 1987. Crews was hired as the Billikens’ coach in April after working last season in an interim capacity. Like Cheaney and Smart, he also played for Bob Knight at Indiana. Crews was a member of the undefeated 1976 team.
Crews is 382-355 in 25 seasons as a college head coach, most spent at Evansville and Army. Cheaney is a native of Evansville, Ind. Last season, following the death of Rick Majerus, Crews guided Atlantic 10 champion Saint Louis to a 28-7 record and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. He received a lot of attention nationally for leading the Billikens to one of the best seasons in school history under tragic circumstances.
Cheaney has never coached at the collegiate level but Crean said he is excited for Cheaney’s career to take flight.
“He brought a great deal to us,” Crean said. “In turn I think he gained valuable insight into the profession. He will do an outstanding job. There is no doubt in my mind he has a tremendous future coaching at any level.”
In four seasons at Indiana, Cheaney scored 2,613 points — a Big Ten record. A three-time All-American, he averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 rebounds as a senior and was named national player of the year. The Hoosiers went 105-27 during Cheaney’s time on campus, which included a Final Four appearance in 1992.
Cheaney spent 13 seasons as a player in the NBA, averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists during stops in Washington, Denver, Boston, Golden State and Utah.
