Tag: Matt McMahon

BREAKING: LSU hires Matt McMahon as next men’s basketball coach

McMahon led the Murray State to a 31-3 finish and second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament this year.

Just three days after LSU’s season came to an end in the NCAA Tournament, the program has a new basketball coach.

According to multiple reports, the school has agreed to terms to make Murray State’s Matt McMahon the next head coach for the men’s basketball team. McMahon has been the head coach for the Racers since 2015 and has a 154-67 record.

Over the last 24 hours, the search quickly centered around McMahon. Several reports indicated that he was among the finalists, alongside North Texas’ Grant McCasland. McMahon’s 2021-22 team finished with a 31-3 record, his best with the program. It bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round against No. 15-seeded Saint Peter’s after taking down San Francisco in the opening round.

This is a hire that makes a ton of sense for the Tigers. McMahon is young at just 43, and he’s an innovative offensive mind who has proven he can develop NBA talent in the mid-majors, namely Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant. His ceiling at a program with LSU’s resources is certainly significantly higher.

In his seven seasons with Murray State, he took the team to three NCAA Tournaments — it likely would have been four if the 2020 tournament hadn’t been canceled — though he never made it beyond the first weekend.

LSU reportedly also looked into Virginia coach Tony Bennett (who denied interest) and San Francisco’s Todd Golden (who was ultimately hired by Florida).

McMahon was an assistant with the Racers from 2011-15 before taking over as head coach. He also served as an assistant at UNC Wilmington (2010-11), Appalachian State (1999-00 as a student assistant, 2002-10 as a full-time assistant) and Tennessee (2000-02).

[listicle id=49574]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

LSU basketball coaching search rumors: Tigers reportedly targeting 2 candidates

The Tigers’ search reportedly centers around Murray State’s Matt McMahon and North Texas’ Grant McCasland.

LSU’s season is now over after the team’s disappointing loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in a No. 6 vs. No. 11 upset against Iowa State.

That means that the focus can now shift entirely to replacing Will Wade, who was fired on March 13 ahead of the Tigers’ postseason. It’s well known that athletics director Scott Woodward likes to make big, splashy hires, but that may not be so easy this time around.

The basketball program doesn’t carry the same level of prestige that football does, and that’s before you take into account potential impending NCAA sanctions. It seems unlikely that LSU will be able to sway a proven head coach from a power conference team, and it makes sense that per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, the search is now centering around two mid-major prospects.

LSU is the biggest job left on the board, although potential NCAA sanctions have likely dissuaded some of the big-name options from getting involved. One seemingly far-fetched rumor that won’t go away is Tony Bennett going to Baton Rouge, but sources close to Bennett have maintained all week there is nothing of substance to it. Two names that have emerged as potential options for athletic director Scott Woodward are Murray State’s Matt McMahon and North Texas’ Grant McCasland. As the clear-cut best job still available, LSU can afford to take its time and still have a free run at its preferred candidates.

Given the fact that Bennett is in a great situation in Charlottesville, it’s not exactly surprising that the long-time Virginia coach isn’t looking to jump ship for a job that could come with NCAA limitations.

McMahon and McCasland both make a lot of sense. The former has three NCAA Tournament appearances with the Racers (which would have likely been four, had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic) while the latter made it to the second round of March Madness last year and led his team to the NIT this year. The Mean Green fell in the second round to Bennett’s Cavaliers.

On Sunday, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman also reported that McMahon was “in the mix” for the Tigers gig.

With several jobs around the country beginning to fill, Woodward may be feeling a greater sense of urgency to get things done. Still, as Borzello mentions, LSU is the best job still available and should be able to dictate the terms in the coaching market, even with the ongoing NCAA situation.

[listicle id=49157]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Report: Murray State’s Matt McMahon in the mix for LSU job

McMahon led the Racers to a 31-3 season in 2021-22.

LSU is less than 48 hours removed from the end of its 2021-22 season at the hands of the Iowa State Cyclones in what was a No. 6 vs. No. 11 seed upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.

But the search to replace Will Wade, who was fired on March 13, is more than a week old. And it seems that LSU athletics director Scott Woodward could be narrowing the list of potential candidates.

According to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman, Murray State coach Matt McMahon is in the mix for the opening in Baton Rouge. Per Goodman, the Tigers also looked at San Francisco’s Todd Golden before he was named the head coach at Florida on Friday.

McMahon, 43, is considered one of the rising stars in the sport. He’s been at Murray State since 2015 and touts a 154-67 record. He’s perhaps best known for developing Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant.

His Racers made the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a No. 7-seed but were eliminated in the second round by No. 15-seed Cinderella Saint Peter’s after beating Golden’s Dons in overtime in the first round. This was his best season with Murray State, finishing 31-3 with an 18-0 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.

McMahon has made the NCAA Tournament three times and would likely have a fourth if the 2020 event was not canceled due to COVID-19. He has never advanced beyond the round of 32, however.

He may not be the most proven candidate the Tigers could target, but he has a great track record of mid-major success and runs an exciting brand of offense that would certainly appeal to the LSU faithful.

[listicle id=49157]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno