Blaney plans to stay on as assistant at UConn

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — George Blaney, who has served as Jim Calhoun's top assistant at Connecticut for the past 11 seasons, says he plans to stay on as the team's associate head coach.

The 72-year-old Blaney, a former head coach at Seton Hall and Holy Cross, would assist Kevin Ollie, who is expected to be named the team's new head coach Thursday afternoon, following a 2 p.m. news conference to announce Calhoun's retirement.

Blaney says he is not surprised by Calhoun's decision to step down, saying his friend had been weighing the decision all summer and had vacillated several times.

Blaney has served as acting head coach at UConn on numerous occasions, most recently when Calhoun missed eight games late last season with back problems.