New Orleans tabs Pasternack to lead men’s hoops

Pasternack will become the 11th head coach in New Orleans history and replaces Buzz Williams, who resigned last Friday after just one season to pursue other career interests.

The 30-year-old Pasternack is a native of the New Orleans area and spent the past eight years at the University of California. After his time as a student manager for Bob Knight at Indiana, Pasternack went to California as a video coordinator in 1999 and was promoted to assistant coach under Ben Braun in 2001.

"I am very thankful for the opportunity to rebuild the tradition of UNO basketball," said Pasternack. "It will be our goal to get this program back to where it rightfully belongs — in postseason play. I am very fortunate that coach Braun gave me the responsibilities at a young age that he did to prepare me for this job."

Pasternack will inherit a team that was 14-17 overall and 9-9 in the Sun Belt Conference last season. However, four starters from the 2006-07 squad will return, including Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Bo McCalebb.