Win No. 903 for Herb Magee

Herb Magee has long been one of the NCAA's most respected men's basketball coaches. Now, he is the winningest, too.

Magee earned career win No. 903 last night when his Philadelphia University team defeated Goldey-Beacom College, 76-65, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game. The victory at the Gallagher Athletic Center enabled the 68-year-old to break the record he shared with Bob Knight.

A standing-room crowd of 1,300, including Villanova coach Jay Wright and Temple coach Fran Dunphy, was on hand to witness Magee's milestone.

The Rams (23-6, 15-1 league) extended their winning streak to 14 games. Philadelphia also avenged a 68-55 setback to Goldey-Beacom (17-7, 11-4) on Dec. 8, the Rams' lone conference loss.

When the milestone win ended, the Herb Magee Court was flooded with balloons and confetti. A banner was unveiled that read: 903 WINS MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH HERB MAGEE 1967-2010. Then the coach addressed the crowd from a podium near midcourt.

But in true Magee fashion, he downplayed the significance of the record.

"The players will tell you that we don't talk about it," he said. "That was a game where the other team had beaten us earlier in the year. That was for first place in the conference. We will now get a number-one seed in the conference tournament coming up Monday. . . . So that's what it means."

Already the winningest Division II coach, Magee is 903-352 in 43 seasons as the head coach at Philadelphia. Knight compiled a 902-371 record during 42 seasons at Division I programs Army, Indiana, and Texas Tech.

Soon-to-retire Northern State coach Don Meyer (922 wins) has more victories than Magee. However, some of his wins came on the NAIA level.

Magee is only men's coach to have won more NCAA games than Knight and former North Carolina coach Dean Smith (879).

"If someone mentions my name along with those guys, that makes me proud that I won more games than those guys," Magee said.

"I always tell people, though, that Dean Smith did it in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Bobby Knight did it in the Big Ten and the Big Twelve."

Magee wasn't trying to diminish the Division II level, which plays what he called tough and great basketball.

"But I know how hard it is win games," he said. "And I always had a lot of respect for both of those guys, because I think they are two best coaches that ever lived."

Having won at least 20 games in season 30 times, Magee is also a great coach. He has had only three losing seasons, with the last one coming in 1996-97.

Winners of the 1969-70 Division II title, the Rams have made 24 NCAA tourney appearances.

Although Magee has nothing else to prove, he is in no hurry to retire. That does not bode well for anyone hoping to pass him on the wins list.

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is second among active NCAA coaches with 856 wins.

Magee plans to coach "as long as I'm healthy," he said, "and I'm a healthy man."

Rams point guard Russell Frederick led the way to Magee's latest victory with 24 points, seven assists, and four blocks.

The Rams scored the contest's first 14 points and led for the entire game. With 1 minute, 21 seconds remaining, the student section began chanting, "This is Herb's House" and "903! 903!"

"When the game started, you could see the enthusiasm," Magee said. "And I'm sure these guys felt it when you've got every student in the school here, along with the faculty, administration, etc., etc. And it was just amazing."