Assistant coach Joe Scott going back to the Air Force

Tom Crean’s squad struggled this season to a .500 overall record and a second straight season languishing way too close to the bottom of the conference standings. But there were plenty of impressive wins over top programs, and the development of multiple freshmen into impact players.

One of those impressed must have been the powers that be at the Air Force Academy, as they’ve hired assistant coach Joe Scott to return to their bench as head coach.

Scott has been on the sidelines with Crean both seasons in Athens, but was the head man in Colorado Springs from 2000-04. They won the Mountain West regular season and made the tourney in his last season of 2004 (with an appearance again two years later in 2006 being their last dance invite). He left to return to his alma mater of Princeton for a disappointing three seasons, followed by nine years in charge at the University of Denver.

Scott’s departure makes two consecutive off seasons needing to replace a rising assistant, with Amir Abdur-Rahim one season deep into rebuilding Kennesaw St. With recruiting events closed, in person interviews unlikely, travel restrictions, and the like, there won’t be a rush for Crean to name a replacement.