Philadelphia University's Legendary Men's Basketball Coach Herb Magee Poised for 903rd Career Win

Coach Magee could best Bobby Knight's record of  902 NCAA wins on Tuesday, Feb. 23

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Philadelphia University men's basketball coach Herb Magee, renowned as a coach, player and "shot doc" to top NBA stars, could earn his 903rd  NCAA career win and best the record of legendary coach Bobby Knight at a home game Tuesday, Feb. 23.  

Currently tied with Knight at 902 NCAA career wins, Magee could become the top men's basketball coach with all games coached in the NCAA when the PhilaU Rams take on Goldey-Beacom at home Feb. 23, with a game start of 8 p.m.

That game will come just three days after the Rams won a thrilling 70-67 victory on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Post University in Ct.  Freshman Jim Connolly sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game, making it 902 wins for Coach Magee.

A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame nominee and Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Sports Hall of Famer, Magee has had an extraordinary career during his 50 seasons as a player and coach at Philadelphia University.

Magee became the number one all-time Division II men's basketball coach in NCAA history on February 1, 2007, when he earned win 829 in a heart-stopping double-overtime win against Wilmington College to break the mark previously held by Winston-Salem State's Clarence "Big House" Gaines.

Continuing his record-breaking success, last season Magee passed former Kentucky Coach Adolph Rupp's NCAA record of 877 wins and former North Carolina coach Dean Smith's NCAA record of 879 career wins.

In just his third year of coaching, Magee led the Rams to a 1970 NCAA National Championship, and has taken his team to the NCAA Tournament 24 times.

At 68, Magee is still at the top of his game and respected throughout the basketball world as perhaps the greatest shooting coach of all time.  Just ask Charles Barkley, Malik Rose, Sebastian Telfair and Jameer Nelson, among those who have sought the "shot doc" out to improve their jump shots.  Or talk to his friends and colleagues in the tight-knit Philly coaching community, people like Villanova's Jay Wright, Temple's Fran Dunphy and St. Joe's Phil Martelli.

Magee also is a highly respected coaching mentor, and many of his former assistants and players have gone on to top coaching jobs, including Pat Chambers at Boston University, Sean Kearney at Holy Cross and Steve Donohue at Cornell.

Sure, he's had opportunities to move to DI and NBA teams, but Magee has chosen to stay close to his family and hometown of Philadelphia.  Having lost both his parents by age 13, this 5'10" kid from West Philadelphia was a playground legend during the time of Earl Monroe, Wali Jones and Walt Hazzard, and starred at famed West Catholic High along with lifetime friends and future coaches Jim Lynam and Jim Boyle. 

After his playing days, he was drafted by the Celtics, but instead chose to make his mark as a coach, becoming head coach at his alma mater in 1966. Remarkably, Magee has won more than 1,100 games with the Rams, including his years as a player and coach.

A two-time All-America selection at what was then Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science,  Magee ended his college career as the Rams' top scorer and today remains the team's third all-time high scorer with 2,235 career points -- an extraordinary achievement in the era before the three-point shot.

Herb Magee is a Philly legend who exemplifies the tenacity and hometown loyalty of every Philadelphia fan.  Considering Magee's career as a coach and player, his contributions to basketball and his dedication to his student athletes, well, these are remarkable achievements by a man who continues to rewrite basketball history.

Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university with 3,350 students enrolled in more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs.  As the model professional university for the 21st century, the University focuses on professionally oriented programs that prepare students for successful careers, with a strong foundation in the liberal arts and a commitment to engaged, real-world and collaborative learning.  Philadelphia University includes Schools of Architecture, Business Administration, Design and Media, Engineering and Textiles, Liberal Arts, and Science and Health. 

SOURCE Philadelphia University