On the Road, Again and Again

"They didn't even have a plan!" he said.

Nibert, 50, always has a plan. He envisions Presbyterian becoming the first No. 16 seed to win an NCAA tournament game in 2012, the first year Presbyterian will be eligible for the tournament after its five-year transition period ends. He arrived at Presbyterian 19 years ago, certain he would take the Blue Hose to the NAIA tournament. After he did, they moved to Division II and became a fixture in the top 25. He created a basketball camp for extra income, and it's now the largest in South Carolina. His wife stopped working years ago.

Once he sets his plan, Nibert enacts it with obsession. His son, Sean, plays tennis, so this summer they're flying to New York for the U.S. Open. He didn't test drive his 2006 Grand Cherokee before he bought it; he didn't have to. Last summer, he decided he wanted a pool. Construction began five days later. "Everything he does, he dives right in," Sean said. "Sometimes, he dives right in without thinking."

Nibert pushed Presbyterian to join Division I for years, ever since the administration first considered it in the late 1990s. Academically, President John Griffith felt Presbyterian offered a richer experience than regional competitors and thought of Presbyterian as a Colgate or Bucknell for the South. But Presbyterian still lost students to southern liberal arts schools such as Furman, Wofford or Davidson, and many in the administration reasoned the exposure and opportunity of Division I athletics facilitated that.

"It would be a mistake to focus on the guarantees as what's essential to the transition," Griffith said. "I think people are watching very carefully. It requires that we be ever more vigilant and affirming in our mission. You have to know that our internal core focuses on exactly what we're here for."

So in April 2006, after Athletic Director William Carlton sent the Division I application to the NCAA along with the $15,000 fee, Nibert pounced. One by one, the teams lined up. Georgia Tech called late and wanted to play on Jan. 6, even though Presbyterian was already playing at North Carolina State the day before.

"We couldn't turn down $50,000 and a chance to play an ACC team," Nibert said.

When Kiscaden saw the final schedule this summer, it shocked him. It showed games in 12 states against teams from 15 conferences that would require 13,000 miles of travel. He thought, "Man, this is crazy. We might not win a game." Carlton worried Presbyterian would be embarrassed.

Well, he had a plan. Last season, the Presbyterian basketball team generated roughly $3,000. This year, opponents paid the Blue Hose between $20,000 and $80,000 per game, totaling $650,000. Once Presbyterian enters the Big South Conference next season, Nibert will be able to afford the 13 scholarships he needs. He can remodel the basketball offices and weight room, turning them into relative shrines.

And despite the odds against him, Nibert said, "This is the most fun I've ever had coaching." The Blue Hose led North Carolina State by three at halftime. The next night at Georgia Tech, they trailed by two with less than four minutes remaining. They've won all three home games, against Radford, Army and Allen (S.C.); they sold out the 2,500-seat Furman Pinson Arena for the first time against Army. Some of the most recognizable coaches -- Paul Hewitt, Thad Matta, Oliver Purnell -- called time out to quell Presbyterian rallies.

Nibert smiled as he walked out to the gym for practice. His team waited for him, eager to learn how they could upset Auburn. And, like always, Nibert had a plan.

"If we're down by 10 points with five minutes left," he said, "we can win."