Canisius names Reggie Witherspoon head coach

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Reggie Witherspoon is returning home to Buffalo to coach the Canisius College basketball team.

The school announced the hiring Saturday and a news conference is scheduled for Tuesday. Witherspoon signed a five-year contract and replaces Jim Baron, who retired May 20.

Witherspoon spent last season as an assistant at Chattanooga. He is from Buffalo and spent more than 13 seasons coaching the University at Buffalo. He had a 198-228 career record and was a two-time Mid-American Conference coach of the year before being fired after the 2012-13 season.

He takes over a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference team that had struggled before becoming competitive during Baron's four years.