On March 14, three days after announcing in an email that Joe Scott, the head coach of the DU men’s basketball team, would not be retained as a coach past this upcoming year, Peg Bradley-Doppes, the Vice-Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation, named Rodney Billups as the new basketball head coach.

“Our division’s leadership group feels that the time is right to make a change and a new direction is needed in order for us to achieve our collective goals,” Bradley-Doppes said about Scott’s firing.

Scott was the head coach for nine years with a 130-117 record. DU basketball never made the NCAA tournament under Scott’s leadership, but did reach the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT)  in 2013 after winning the Western Athletic Conference championship. The Pioneers were 15-16 this season, losing in the semi-finals of the Summit League Conference Championship to South Dakota State. Scott has also previously coached at Princeton University and the Air Force Academy.

Billups has been an assistant coach for the University of Colorado-Boulder’s men basketball team under head coach Tad Boyle. He is also an alum of DU’s basketball team, playing from 2002 until 2005 and growing up in the Denver area. His brother is NBA star Chauncey Billups, who played 17 seasons in the NBA from 1997 to 2014. Billups has been with CU for six years, four of which have been as an assistant coach. The Buffaloes made it to the NCAA Big Dance this year, as well.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Rodney back to DU and couldn’t be more excited to have him take over the leadership of our men’s basketball program,” said Bradley-Doppes in a statement.

Billups will be the 32nd head coach of the DU men’s basketball program.