Report: LIU-Brooklyn's Jim Ferry Accepts Head Coaching Job at Duquesne

Former LIU-Brooklyn coach Jim Ferry has accepted the head coaching position at Duquesne, according to a tweet by CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman.

Reportedly, associate head coach Jack Perri will replace Ferry as the Blackbirds' new head coach.

Rumors have been the circulating for the last number of days that Ferry would take the job with the Dukes, but there was a lot of speculation that the deal would fall through after reports broke out after last season that Ferry was hired as the head coach of Manhattan. (Ferry ended up staying with the Blackbirds, and Louisville assistant Steve Masiello ended up getting the gig with the Jaspers.)

Ferry spent 10 years with Long Island, where he built them up from the bottom of the NEC to two consecutive national championships. His overall record with the Blackbirds was 150-149.

The Blackbirds were .500 or worse in seven of their first eight seasons under Ferry, but each of the last two seasons they went 25-plus games and went 16-2 in the NEC. They lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament both years, losing to North Carolina in 2011 and then Michigan State in 2012.

Duquesne struggled this season, going 16-15, 7-9 in the A-10. Former head coach Ron Everhart was fired, and since then many players have announced that they will transfer.

Most notable is sophomore T.J. McConnell, now committed to Arizona. McConnell averaged 11.4 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 5.5 assists per game for the Dukes during the 2011-12 season.

Ferry's Long Island teams were known for being among the best offensive teams in the country, but also among the worst defensively. On kenpom.com, the Blackbirds ranked No. 275 in defense for the 2011-12 season.

Duquesne will be in major rebuilding mode after losing four of their top five scorers from the last season, but Ferry has been in this type of situation before.

The only question is whether or not he will be able to succeed at a higher level of competition.