Rice Named Top Assistant in the MWC

PROVO -- BYU associate head coach Dave Rice has been named the top assistant coach in the Mountain West Conference as voted on by other coaches in the league.

Jeff Goodman, senior basketball writer for FOXSports.com, compiled a list of the top assistants in each conference — as voted upon by at least 75 percent of all head and assistant coaches in the league.

Rice came to BYU as an assistant when Dave Rose was named the head coach in 2005 and was elevated to the position of associate head coach in 2008. As the coordinator of the Cougar offense, he has helped BYU become one of the top offensive teams in the nation. In 2009-10, the Cougars ranked among the top 20 nationally in numerous offensive categories, including free throw percentage (1st, 79.0), scoring offense (2nd, 83.1), scoring margin (2nd, 16.7), three-point field goal percentage (2nd), field goal percentage (13th, 48.3), and assist to turnover ratio (15th, 1.36).

With Rice on the staff, BYU has earned five straight 20-win seasons — including 25-plus wins in the last four — and a 127-40 overall record while recording back-to-back outright Mountain West Conference Championships in 2007 and 2008 and sharing the title in 2009. The Cougars have also appeared in the national top-25 polls and reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons — both firsts in program history.

CLICK HERE to view the complete list of top assistant coaches.