Louis Orr
Encyclopedia
Louis M. Orr is an American
men's college basketball
coach. Orr became the 15th men's basketball
head coach at Bowling Green State University
on April 4, 2007, replacing Dan Dakich whose contract ran out following the 2006-2007 season. Orr was the head coach at Seton Hall University
from April 4, 2001 until his firing on March 24, 2006. He was formerly an assistant at Xavier University
, Providence College
and his alma mater Syracuse University
, before getting his first head coaching job at Siena College
.
, selected by the Indiana Pacers
. He played two seasons with the Pacers, which included one playoff appearance. After that, he moved on to the New York Knicks
, and played for six years, with three playoff berths. Orr averaged career highs rebounds and points for the Knicks with 12.7 and 4.9, respectively, in the 1984–85 season. He scored over 5,500 career points as a pro.
in Cincinnati, Ohio, the town where Orr was from. Then, in 1994, he began serving under Pete Gillen
at Providence
and soon he was an assistant under Jim Boeheim
and the Syracuse Orange. During his tenure there, he rose to become a noted assistant, and helped them to a 92–40 record in that time. Syracuse reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament twice in during Orr's time there.
, Orr received his first head coaching job, accepting the position as head coach of the men's basketball team
at Siena College
. In his lone year at Siena, Orr led the Saints to a three-way tie for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
and a 20–11 record, the best ever for a first-year Siena coach. Siena broke many attendance records that year as well.
by Seton Hall
after Tommy Amaker
left to become the head coach at Michigan
. In his first year in the Big East Conference
, Orr went 12–18, but was noted for playing Duke
very close in the Maui Invitational
.
By his fifth season at Seton Hall, Orr had led the Pirates to two NCAA Tournaments in three years. In the 2004 NCAA Tournament
, Seton Hall defeated the 9th seed Arizona
in the first round before falling to 1st seed Duke in the second round. During the 2005–06 season
, Orr led Seton Hall to a 9–7 record in the Big East and an 18–12 record overall. Seton Hall received was seeded 10th in the 2006 NCAA Tournament
and played the 7th seed Wichita State
, falling 86–66. Although Orr had made the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT
once in his five seasons at Seton Hall, he was fired following the 2005–06 season with a record of 80–69.
at Bowling Green State University
, replacing former head coach Dan Dakich
who had resigned from Bowling Green after ten seasons. In his first season at Bowling Green
, Orr posted a 13–17 overall record and 7–9 record in the MAC, finishing 5th in the East Division. The following season
, Orr led Bowling Green to their 10th MAC regular season title after the Falcons posted an 11–5 conference record. Although the top seed in the conference tournament
, Bowling Green would fall in the tournament semifinals to eventual champion Akron
. As the MAC regular season champion, Bowling Green received an automatic bid to the 2009 National Invitation Tournament
. Bowling Green was the 8th seed in bracket 3 and played at the bracket's top seed Creighton
. Bowling Green made a strong comeback, but fell short, losing to Creighton 73–71 in their first round game. Orr was named the MAC Coach of the Year for Bowling Green's performance during the 2008–09 season.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
men's college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. Orr became the 15th men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
head coach at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
on April 4, 2007, replacing Dan Dakich whose contract ran out following the 2006-2007 season. Orr was the head coach at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
from April 4, 2001 until his firing on March 24, 2006. He was formerly an assistant at Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
, Providence College
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
and his alma mater Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, before getting his first head coaching job at Siena College
Siena College
Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
.
Playing career
Orr attended Withrow High School where he was coached by Charles Cadle. Orr played at Syracuse from 1976 to 1980 and was part of the famed "Bouie & Louie Show". After graduating from Syracuse in 1980, he was the 28th pick in the 1980 NBA Draft1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
, selected by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. He played two seasons with the Pacers, which included one playoff appearance. After that, he moved on to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and played for six years, with three playoff berths. Orr averaged career highs rebounds and points for the Knicks with 12.7 and 4.9, respectively, in the 1984–85 season. He scored over 5,500 career points as a pro.
Coaching career
He got his first assistant coaching job in 1990 with XavierXavier Musketeers men's basketball
The Xavier Musketeers team is the basketball team that represents Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference...
in Cincinnati, Ohio, the town where Orr was from. Then, in 1994, he began serving under Pete Gillen
Pete Gillen
Pete Gillen is an American former college basketball head coach of the Division I Xavier Musketeers, Providence Friars and Virginia Cavaliers and is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame...
at Providence
Providence Friars men's basketball
The Providence Friars men's basketball team represents Providence College in NCAA Division I competition, in which they are a founding member of the Big East Conference. They play their home games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island...
and soon he was an assistant under Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
and the Syracuse Orange. During his tenure there, he rose to become a noted assistant, and helped them to a 92–40 record in that time. Syracuse reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament twice in during Orr's time there.
Siena
In 20002000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 8, 2000, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2001 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in...
, Orr received his first head coaching job, accepting the position as head coach of the men's basketball team
Siena Saints men's basketball
The Siena Saints men's basketball team represents Siena College in Loudonville, New York, United States. The Division I program competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints are coached by Mitch Buonaguro who just completed his first season as head coach at Siena after serving as...
at Siena College
Siena College
Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
. In his lone year at Siena, Orr led the Saints to a three-way tie for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
and a 20–11 record, the best ever for a first-year Siena coach. Siena broke many attendance records that year as well.
Seton Hall
Orr became the first former Big East player to become a head coach in the conference after he was hired in 20012001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2001, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 1, 2002 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
by Seton Hall
Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey...
after Tommy Amaker
Tommy Amaker
Harold Tommy Amaker is the current head coach of the Harvard University men's basketball team. He has also served as head basketball coach for the University of Michigan men's basketball team and at Seton Hall University. He played point guard and later served as an assistant coach at Duke...
left to become the head coach at Michigan
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
. In his first year in the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
, Orr went 12–18, but was noted for playing Duke
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
very close in the Maui Invitational
Maui Invitational Tournament
The Maui Invitational Tournament is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving Week in Lahaina, Hawaii at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. It is hosted by Chaminade University of Honolulu, which participates yearly along with a field of seven...
.
By his fifth season at Seton Hall, Orr had led the Pirates to two NCAA Tournaments in three years. In the 2004 NCAA Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
, Seton Hall defeated the 9th seed Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
in the first round before falling to 1st seed Duke in the second round. During the 2005–06 season
2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Orr led Seton Hall to a 9–7 record in the Big East and an 18–12 record overall. Seton Hall received was seeded 10th in the 2006 NCAA Tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
and played the 7th seed Wichita State
Wichita State Shockers men's basketball
The Wichita State Shockers basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
, falling 86–66. Although Orr had made the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
once in his five seasons at Seton Hall, he was fired following the 2005–06 season with a record of 80–69.
Bowling Green
After sitting out from coaching for a season, Orr was hired to become the men's basketball coachBowling Green Falcons men's basketball
The Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball team is the basketball team that represent Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1968...
at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, replacing former head coach Dan Dakich
Dan Dakich
Dan Dakich is an American college basketball coach, most recently serving as the interim head coach at Indiana University, following Kelvin Sampson's resignation due to NCAA recruiting violations...
who had resigned from Bowling Green after ten seasons. In his first season at Bowling Green
2007–08 Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball team
The 2007-08 Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Mid-American Conference.-Preseason:...
, Orr posted a 13–17 overall record and 7–9 record in the MAC, finishing 5th in the East Division. The following season
2008–09 Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball team
The 2008-2009 Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball team was the 93rd collegiate basketball team fielded by Bowling Green State University and played their home games at Anderson Arena on the BGSU campus...
, Orr led Bowling Green to their 10th MAC regular season title after the Falcons posted an 11–5 conference record. Although the top seed in the conference tournament
2009 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2009 Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament is the post-season basketball tournament for the Mid-American Conference 2008–2009 season...
, Bowling Green would fall in the tournament semifinals to eventual champion Akron
Akron Zips men's basketball
The Akron Zips Men's Basketball team represents the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference East division. The team first played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1986 when Bob Huggins was their coach. The Zips are currently...
. As the MAC regular season champion, Bowling Green received an automatic bid to the 2009 National Invitation Tournament
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
. Bowling Green was the 8th seed in bracket 3 and played at the bracket's top seed Creighton
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
The Creighton Bluejays basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007...
. Bowling Green made a strong comeback, but fell short, losing to Creighton 73–71 in their first round game. Orr was named the MAC Coach of the Year for Bowling Green's performance during the 2008–09 season.