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Texas Tech hires North Texas coach Grant McCasland after Mean Green win NIT championship

Grant McCasland will replace Mark Adams at Texas Tech after a five-year run at North Texas

Ryan Young
Staff writer
·2 min read
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Grant McCasland’s win in Las Vegas on Thursday night may have solidified his new gig.

Texas Tech officially hired McCasland as its next head coach, the school announced on Friday afternoon. Talks between Texas Tech and McCasland have reportedly been ongoing for weeks.

"The commitment and vision for Texas Tech has no limits and we look forward to loving our team everyday with a greater purpose," McCasland said in a statement. "We will strive daily for excellence in every aspect of our program, do things the right way, winning championships that values relationships throughout. Our family looks forward to joining the Red Raider nation and can't wait to get started in Lubbock."

The move comes just hours after McCasland led North Texas to a 68-61 win over UAB to win the NIT championship. The Mean Green went 31-7 this season in Conference-USA.

Grant McCasland
Grant McCasland and North Texas beat UAB on Thursday night to win the NIT championship. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

McCasland has been at North Texas for six seasons. He was hired in 2017 after one year leading Arkansas State in the Sun Belt. He compiled a 135-65 overall record at North Texas, won two CUSA regular season titles and reached the NCAA tournament once. The Mean Green upset then-No. 4 seed Purdue in the first round of that tournament. McCasland has also worked as an assistant at Baylor under longtime coach Scott Drew.

North Texas will reportedly promote associate head coach Ross Hodge to replace McCasland.

McCasland will replace Mark Adams in Lubbock. Adams stepped down earlier this month, just before the Big 12 tournament was set to start, after he was suspended for a verbal exchange with a player. Adams reportedly tried to encourage the player in question to be more receptive to coaching by quoting a bible verse to him. The verse had to do with workers, teachers, parents and slaves serving their masters. Adams said he did not apologize, and that he was just quoting scripture. The school was also investigating allegations that Adams spit on a player during a game this season, something Adams denied.

"This position received tremendous interest nationally as we firmly believe this program is one of the best jobs in college basketball," athletic director Kirby Hocutt said in a statement. "Our search committee was immediately impressed not only by coach McCasland and his ability to win at every level of college basketball, all while creating a positive culture built upon toughness, but also his passion for Texas Tech and his vision for our basketball program. We are pleased to welcome coach McCasland, his wife, Cece, and their entire family back home to Texas Tech."