DETROIT - Michigan State lead assistant Jim Boylan is expected to be named head basketball coach at the University of Utah in a press conference this afternoon.
Boylan, a native of East Grand Rapids, MI., served as coach Tom Izzo's lead assistant for the past two seasons has NBA and collegiate experience and was a front runner for the opening almost immediately.
In his second stint on the MSU coaching staff, Boylan is given credit for the advancement of point guard Travis Walton's game as well as several of MSU's young forwards. Boylan served as an assistant under former MSU coach Jud Heathcote before going to the NBA with Houston, Golden State, Chicago and Milwaukee before returning to East Lansing in 2005.
Mark Montgomery is likely to be moved up to MSU lead assistant, a move which could open up a spot on the staff for former Michigan State forward Antonio Smith, who Izzo praised for his work with some of MSU's forwards in general and Marquise Gray in particular.
There is some school of thought that former Arkansas head coach Stan Heath, a former Izzo assistant who was surprisingly fired by athletic director Frank Broyles, could return to East Lansing as Izzo's lead assistant if he isn't hired by for one of the remaining vacancies in college basketball.
Izzo is currently on a recruiting trip and is expected to leave on vacation. He is considered one of the top candidates for the vacant Kentucky job, but is unlikely to take it.