Nutt officially adds Case to coaching staff

~ The former Kansas player brings championship experience to team.

A young man with national championship experience is Dickey Nutt's first hire as Southeast Missouri State's basketball coach.

Southeast announced Thursday that former University of Kansas player Jeremy Case has joined Nutt's staff as an assistant.

The Southeast Missourian reported last week that Case would become an assistant for the Redhawks.

Case, a reserve guard, played in 94 games in his four-year KU career that ended in 2008, averaging 4.9 minutes and 1.8 points. He averaged 4.9 minutes and 1.6 points on the Jayhawks' 2007-08 national championship team.

The 24-year-old Case was a graduate assistant this past season on Bill Self's KU staff, assisting with day-to-day operations including on-the-floor coaching, scouting and travel.

"I am so excited and so proud to have a talented young coach like Jeremy join my first Southeast staff," Nutt said. "He comes with high recommendations. He played at the highest level, and as a coach last season I was impressed with how organized he was.

"He'll be a great asset for us, not only on the floor but as a recruiter. Being able to step in a young man's home wearing a national championship ring will be very impressive."

In addition to earning four Big 12 Conference regular-season titles, three Big 12 tournament crowns and making three NCAA Elite Eight appearances besides the national crown, Case stood out in the classroom.

Case, a native of McAlester, Okla., was a two-time Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection and earned Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll recognition five times. After graduating with a degree in communications in May 2007, he took graduate courses during his redshirt senior season and while he was on staff this past season.

"Jeremy comes from great, great standards and has tremendous integrity," Nutt said. "Being the outstanding student he was and playing for a national champion, he has the total package."

Case is no stranger to Nutt, who was on the Oklahoma State coaching staff with Win Case -- Jeremy's father -- for a period in the 1980s. Nutt and Win Case, currently an assistant at Middle Tennessee State, both played at Oklahoma State.

"I've known Jeremy's family for many, many years and I've watched his career over the years," Nutt said. "He's a great young man."

Nutt said he hopes to hire his final two assistants in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, Nutt and Case will hit the recruiting trail that Nutt has been on since being hired March 12. The spring signing period begins Wednesday.

"We're hitting the ground running," Nutt said. "The signing period is coming up on us fast. I've started from the moment after the press conference [March 12], and now Jeremy's with me. We've got a lot of holes to fill."