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FILE – This March 20, 2015, file photo shows Buffalo head coach Bobby Hurley signaling to his team during the first half of an NCAA tournament college basketball game against West Virginia in Columbus, Ohio. A person familiar with negotiations has told The Associated Press that Bobby Hurley has agreed to a new contract with the University at Buffalo that will make him the Mid-American Conference’s highest paid men’s basketball coach. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity on Wednesday, March 25, 2015, because the school has not announced the contract restructuring. Hurley will make more than $550,000 a season, the person said. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bobby Hurley has agreed to a new contract with the University at Buffalo that will make him the Mid-American Conference’s highest paid men’s basketball coach, a person familiar with negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the school has not announced the contract restructuring. Hurley will make more than $550,000 a season, the person said.
The deal was reached after the former Duke star point guard led the Bulls to their first NCAA Tournament berth in only his second year on the job. Hurley’s immediate success had made him a potential candidate to be lured away by higher-profile schools this offseason.
Buffalo (23-10) was eliminated with a 68-62 loss to West Virginia in the round of 64 on Friday. With a 42-20 record, Hurley became Buffalo’s first coach to reach 40 wins in two seasons.
Hurley’s splash and playing history made the Bulls a popular upset pick for the opening game. During the game Hurley wore the championship ring he got for leading Duke to consecutive national titles in 1991-92 after digging the memento out of storage earlier this season.
Hurley said it’s tough to be satisfied with a great effort, that he felt his team could win games in the tournament.
Buffalo will return four of five starters next season.
Hurley had to fight the notion when he came to Buffalo that he lacked the coaching experience to lift the team to any glimpse of national prominence.
After his NBA career ended in 1998, Hurley spent a decade away from the game.
He returned to the sport in 2010 as an assistant under his brother Dan Hurley at Staten Island’s Wagner College. The two spent two years at Wagner before spending a season together at Rhode Island.