That was fast: Cassara the new NEW HC

Mo Cassara, who seemed to be out of a job with the resignation Monday of Tim Welsh, is instead the new NEW head men's basketball coach at Hofstra. Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com first reported, and Hofstra has just issued a press release confirming, that Cassara--who was working as a Welsh assistant even though he had yet to sign a contract--has agreed to a multi-year deal to take over the Flying Dutchmen.

Our man Mike Litos of CAA Hoops reports that Welsh's other assistants, Steve DeMeo and Allen Griffin, will remain on the staff.

I'm surprised by the hire, but only because I thought Hofstra would want to cut ties with the Welsh administration. But hiring Cassara, 36, and retaining the rest of the staff provides some stability to a program desperate for it. It means recruiting can go on as it was a week ago, ensures the eight returning Dutchmen players don't have to get to know another new staff and, perhaps most importantly, also gives Hofstra a good shot at retaining Chaz Williams, who seems to have grown close with Cassara during the latter's brief time at Hofstra.

Also interesting: Hofstra went just 51 hours and 43 minutes between announcing Welsh's resignation and Cassara's hiring. UNC Wilmington takes that much time to decide between Chinese and Italian food for the group think session.

What a week. We'll have more in the coming hours and days.