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Grant McCasland leaving North Texas to coach Texas Tech

One day after leading the North Texas men’s basketball team to the NIT title, Grant McCasland has a new coaching job.

McCasland was hired as Texas Tech’s new coach on Friday, less than 24 hours after the Mean Green completed their 31-7 season with a win over UAB in Las Vegas.

It’s a return to Lubbock for McCasland, who he was the Red Raiders’ director of basketball operations from 1999-2001. This time around, he has the top job and a six-year contract.

In six seasons in Denton, McCasland went 135-65. This season’s 31-win season is the most in the program’s history.

North Texas was 135-65 in six seasons under McCasland, who has a master’s degree from Texas

“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.

Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said that McCasland is the perfect fit to replace Mark Adams. Adams’ Red Raiders posted a 16-16 record in the 2022-23 season. He was suspended for making racially insensitive remarks to his team prior to the Big 12 tournament.

“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,” Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said.

A former walk-on at Baylor, where he played in 47 games from 1995-99, he also served as an assistant coach for Bears from 2011-16 and then served as the head coach at Arkansas State. He started his head coaching career in the junior college ranks at Midland College in 2004 and then went on to NCAA Division II Midwestern State from 2009-11. He found success at both places