CANDIDATE NO. 2; BRUCE WEBER: LONGTIME ASSISTANT PLAYS ROLE IN PURDUE'S SUCCESS

Bruce Weber has been part of one of the nation's winningest college basketball programs the past 17 seasons.

The Purdue assistant said Tuesday he would bring many of those same ideas and beliefs that have worked so well with the Boilermakers to Cape Girardeau if he is hired as Southeast Missouri State University's head men's basketball coach.

The longtime aid to Purdue coach Gene Keady was the second of four finalists to visit the Southeast campus this week, following Fort Hays (Kan.) head coach Gary Garner, who visited Monday.

Iowa State assistant Sam Weaver will be on the Southeast campus today, with Missouri assistant Kim Anderson scheduled to visit Friday.

"I've had the pleasure to work with what I feel is one of the best college coaches in history in coach Keady," said Weber during a press conference at the Show Me Center. "I would bring a lot of what has gone on at Purdue to Southeast's program."

Weber, 40, said his coaching philosophy -- and what has helped make Purdue so successful -- revolves around four basic factors.

"One is having quality kids. That means kids that have ambition, not only to do well in the classroom but on the court.

"Two is having a family atmosphere, a team togetherness, a camaraderie with the players. When you go to Murray State or Morehead State and the game is tight, in the last two minutes, you want everybody pulling for each other.

"Three is having a positive attitude. Kids have changed. I'm not that old, but I know how kids have changed over 20 years. Kids do not want to hear negative, they want to hear positive.

"Four is having a flexible basketball system. I mean changing with the times, changing with personnel. You have to be smart with the talent you have. And you have to have an aggressive style. That's what kids want, pushing the ball and pressure defense."

Weber's entire full-time college coaching career has been spent with the ultra-successful Keady. Weber hooked on with Keady as a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky during the 1979-80 season, then joined Keady when he was hired at Purdue the following season.

Since 1980, Purdue has won six Big Ten Conference championships, made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and compiled an overall record of 366-160 to rank second in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers also have a graduation rate of better than 90 percent.

Weber has helped bring some of the nation's top recruiting classes to Purdue, including the 1991 group that featured current NBA star Glenn Robinson and the current class that is ranked in the top 10 nationally.

As for what he can bring to Southeast's program, Weber said, "The first thing is instant credibility, not only in the college basketball world but also in the recruiting world. I have developed the contacts to help bring quality players into the program.

"The second thing is I can bring a positive, winning attitude. I played a part in building Purdue's program and I understand what it takes to win."

Weber, who said he feels it's time for him to finally become a head coach after all those years as an assistant, believes Southeast can become one of the Ohio Valley Conference's premier basketball programs.

"I believe the administration really wants a winner and the facilities are great," he said. "I believe you have a great opportunity to maybe be the premier program in the OVC."

As for the possibility of probation because of an ongoing NCAA investigation that led to the dismissal of former coach Ron Shumate, Weber said he is concerned.

"I'm definitely worried about it. It's a factor you have to consider. Hopefully it won't be a major sanction, but I don't know," he said. "But every day in college basketball you have to deal with problems. It's an obstacle you have to deal with."