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Kentucky basketball staffer Tony Barbee hired as Central Michigan head coach

LEXINGTON - Kentucky basketball staffer Tony Barbee has his chance to be a head coach again.

Central Michigan named Barbee its new head coach Friday, ending the former UTEP and Auburn coach's seven-year stint on John Calipari's Kentucky staff.

Barbee, who previously played for and then coached under John Calipari at UMass, joined Kentucky's staff in 2014 after an unsuccessful stint as Auburn's head coach. Barbee had thrived as head coach at UTEP, compiling an 82-52 record in four seasons with an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010, but posted losing records in each of his four seasons at Auburn.