Image Couresty: TheSpun.Com
The teams that do not or even some that do make the NCAA Tournament fire their coaches. Here are the notable hirings and firings in college basketball over the last week and other recent college basketball news of note.
LSU fired head coach Will Wade after accusations of five level one NCAA Violations. Wade’s Tigers went 22-12 and 9-9 in the SEC this season. The Tigers have not hired a new coach yet. Update: LSU has named Murray State’s Matt McMahon as their next head man.
Following the firing of head coach Tom Crean, Georgia hired Florida head coach Mike White. White appeared in an NCAA Tournament every season but in 2022 during his tenure in Gainesville since 2015. Florida is now on the search for a new head man.
Missouri fired experienced head coach Cuonzo Martin. The Tigers are expected to hire Cleveland State coach Dennis Gates, as the move is pending approval from Missouri’s Board of Curators.
Mississippi State is expected to hire New Mexico State head coach Chris Jans. The Aggies coach led them to multiple winning seasons, including a 2022 opening round upset of five seed Connecticut before falling just short against four seed Arkansas in the Round of 32. Jans replaces Ben Howland in Starkville.
Louisville fired then head coach Chris Mack a few months back. Outside of the shortened 2019-2020 season due to COVID-19, Mack never got the Cardinals to where they once were in Rick Pitino as head coach. The Cardinals have hired Kenny Payne, the former Kentucky and Oregon associate head coach. Payne brings a winning culture to the KFC Yum Center.
As we stand right now, here is a look at the 2022 college basketball recruiting rankings (the top ten teams per 247sports) entering the last month of the cycle:
For the teams still playing, the Sweet 16 field is set and it looks like this:
West (San Francisco)
March 24
1.Gonzaga
4.Arkansas
2.Duke
3.Texas Tech
East (Philadelphia)
March 25
4.UCLA
8.North Carolina
3.Purdue
15.Saint Peter’s
South (San Antonio)
March 24
1.Arizona
5.Houston
2.Villanova
11.Michigan
Midwest (Chicago)
March 25
1.Kansas
4.Providence
2.Auburn
3.Wisconsin
1.Duke
Top signee: 1.Dereck Lively II, Center, Westtown School
2.Arkansas
Top signee: 6.Nick Smith, Guard, North Little Rock
3.Alabama
Top signee: 11.Brandon Miller, Forward, Cane Ridge
4.Kansas
Top signee: 24.Gradey Dick, Forward, Sunrise Christian Academy
5.Ohio State
Top signee: 59.Roddy Gayle Jr., Guard, Wasatch Academy
6.USC
Top signee: 26.Vince Iwuchukwu, Center, Southern California Academy
7.Michigan
Top signee: 35.Tarris Reed, Center, Link Academy
8.UCLA
Top signee: 2.Amari Bailey, Guard, Sierra Canyon
9.Virginia
Top signee: 48.Isaac Traudt, Forward, Grand Island Senior School
10.Texas
Top signee: 14.Dillon Mitchell, Forward, Montverde Academy
