BALTIMORE -- Jim Phelan remembers the last time Mount St. Mary's went looking for a new basketball coach, back in 1954.

Phelan was 25 and working as an assistant coach at La Salle University. His boss offered to recommend him for the job.

He told Phelan: "You'll love it. You'll win a lot of games, you'll stay forever, and no one will ever hear of you."

Forty-nine years later, the prediction has come true -- except for the part about people hearing of him.

The bow tie-wearing Phelan will coach his final home game at The Mount today. Coaches across the country will wear bow ties on the court to honor the man who's coached more college basketball games than anyone else in the history of the sport.

Coaches at Texas, Cincinnati, South Florida, Saint Joseph's, Rider, San Diego, Tennessee, Rice, Oklahoma and Kansas already have committed to wearing bow ties for their Saturday games.

Some of the coaches contacted by collegeinsider.com, the organizer of the tribute, weren't yet born when Phelan, 73, began his coaching career.

"I'm not sure a lot of the coaches who are wearing the bow ties ever met him. It's just a thing of respect more than anything else," said Tennessee assistant coach Kerry Keating, who said he'll wear a bow tie at the Volunteers' home game Saturday.

Some of those digging bow ties out of their closets include big names in college basketball such as Kansas coach Roy Williams, who said he's long admired Phelan.

"To accomplish what he's accomplished and to last in this business today as long as he has is mind-boggling to me," he said. "He never lost his enthusiasm, and he never lost his own integrity. He didn't sacrifice anything to try to jump to what some people might call a bigger or better place."

Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins called Phelan's 49-year tenure "unbelievable."

Phelan is known for his modesty about his unprecedented run at the small seminary and college in the mountains of Western Maryland. He even jokes about his legacy, saying he may have more losses than anyone in college basketball. Phelan's record is 829-522.

Only Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp won more games.

"I think everyone will remember him for how humble he is and how non-attention seeking he was," said Phelan's assistant coach, Milan Brown, who will take over as coach next season. "When he says he doesn't care about getting in the Hall of Fame, he truly means that."

Phelan has taken the Mountaineers to the NCAA tournament 16 times.

Since Mount St. Mary's announced Phelan's retirement on Jan. 16, the coach has been honored at ceremonies before each road game. After Saturday's game against Central Connecticut State, Gov. Robert Ehrlich is set to speak as part of a 45-minute ceremony for Phelan.

"I just certainly never dreamt it would get like this," the soft-spoken coach said.

Saturday's contest could be Phelan's last; it's the final scheduled game of the regular season. The Mount needed wins Thursday night and Saturday for a chance for a bid in the Northeast Conference Tournament.

Phelan's modesty is genuine, according to Brown, who has worked under him for four years.

"By him being that way, I think it puts everyone's mind at ease, especially the players, because they know he's in it for them," he said. "He's not into chasing the record."

Brown said he's honored to have worked under a "Hall of Fame coach" who hasn't yet made it into the Hall of Fame.

"He's in that category, as far as coaches go. No question," he said. "I feel like Roy Williams coaching under Dean Smith."

Forward Jamion Christian said Mount players feel the same way.

"Each day, you come into practice knowing your coach has more knowledge than any other coach on the sidelines," he said.

Phelan never planned to stay in so long. He came to Mount St. Mary's with a one-year contract, not sure that his new wife, Dottie, could live in a town with no sidewalks or streetlights.

Phelan said he's lucky to have found a place "where you love where you live, and you love your job and you get some love in return."

Asked why he wants to retire, Phelan has said he wants to quit while he's still healthy. He had a bout with prostate cancer in 2000 but says that wasn't part of his decision to leave.

"I could continue, but now is the time," Phelan said. "Because if somebody tells you you've got a 75-year-old basketball coach out there, they say, 'What?!"'

Phelan said he appreciates the show of support on Bow Tie Day. He started wearing the ties at his first game at Mount St. Mary's in 1954, and his players won. He wore the tie at the next game and they won again.

That year, sporting bow ties, Phelan led the team to the conference championship. Mount won conference titles the next two years.

"It's become part of my persona. It has become essential, and it's like I just don't know how it happened. I don't particularly care for them," he said, joking.

As for the future, Phelan is looking forward to watching Mount St. Mary's games from the stands next season -- wearing a sweater, without a tie.