Utah hires Krystkowiak to replace fired Boylen

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The University of Utah hired Nets assistant Larry Krystkowiak as their coach Sunday, picking him to lead the Utes into the Pacific 12 Conference.

The move came three weeks after athletic director Chris Hill fired Jim Boylen following consecutive losing seasons. Krystkowiak will be introduced at a news conference Monday.

The 45-year-old Krystkowiak has been an assistant with the New Jersey the past eight months. He played for the Jazz in 1992-93 as part of nine injury-plagued NBA seasons after being drafted in the second round (28th overall) in 1986 by the Chicago Bulls.

This will be Krystkowiak’s fourth head coaching job.

He was fired in 2008 after going 31-69 in one-plus season coaching the Milwaukee Bucks. He also went 42-20 with a pair of NCAA tournament bids in two seasons at Montana and was 37-16 with the Idaho Stampede in 2003-04, leading them to the CBA title game.

The hire is an important one for Hill, now on his third coach since Rick Majerus departed.

Hill gave Boylen a contract extension after a 2008-09 season that saw the Utes go 24-10 and win a share of the Mountain West Conference regular-season title. Because of that extension Boylen is receiving a $2 million severance package.

Hill also hired Ray Giacoletti, but fired him four years ago after a 54-40 mark.

Neither could match the success of Majerus, a fan favorite and cult figure during 14-plus seasons at Utah. Under Majerus, the Utes qualified for the NCAA tournament 10 times, advancing to the Sweet 16 twice, the Elite Eight once and the title game in 1998.

His overall mark before leaving for health reasons was 323-95.

Under Majerus, Huntsman Arena was full.

Sparse crowds watched Boylen’s team go 3-5 at home in conference play this season.

It will only get tougher with the Utes jumping to the Pac-12, where they’ll see teams that perennially qualify for the NCAAs.

Hill, who was unavailable for comment Sunday, said he wanted to move fast and cast a wide net. Other names Hill reportedly considered included Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett and former Alabama coach Mark Gottfried.

With Krystkowiak, the Utes get a coach with a background not that different from Boylen, who had experience in both college and the NBA.

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