LUBBOCK, Texas – After a three-week search, Texas Tech is expected to name Grant McCasland the 19th men’s basketball head coach in program history as early as Friday, according to multiple sources.
Updated story: It’s official: Grant McCasland is new TTU men’s basketball coach
McCasland just completed his sixth season at North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to a school-record 31 wins and the program’s first NIT Championship with Thursday’s 68-61 win over UAB in Las Vegas.
During McCasland’s tenure, North Texas won three Conference USA titles and registered five 20 or more-win seasons.
Texas Tech used a coaching search committee consisting of athletic director Kirby Hocutt, Board of Regents member Dusty Womble, head football coach Joey McGuire, and former player Norense Odiase along with TurnkeyZRG to assist in the search.
Texas Tech president Lawrence Schovanec ultimately approved the selection of McCasland.
McCasland returns to Texas Tech, where he was Director of Basketball Operations from 1999 to 2001 under head coach James Dickey.
His first head coaching job came at Midland College. He spent five seasons with the Chaparrals from 2004-2009 and led the program to the NJCAA National Championship in 2007.
McCasland then spent two seasons at Midwestern State University, where he led the Mustangs to back-to-back Divison II Elite Eight appearances.
He would return to his alma mater, Baylor, to serve as an assistant under Scott Drew from 2011-16 before being named Arkansas State’s head coach before the 2016-17 season.
He spent just one season with the Red Wolves before returning to the Lone Star state to take over at North Texas.
Texas Tech (16-16) concluded its season with a 78-62 loss to West Virginia in the first round of the Big 12 Championships on March 8 in Kansas City. Shortly after the loss, Texas Tech announced that suspended head coach Mark Adams had stepped down after two seasons in the position.
