UMass is pursuing Frank Martin as its next men’s basketball head coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Per Thamel, the former South Carolina head coach met with UMass representatives Tuesday, and they’re scheduled to reconvene Thursday.
Source: Former South Carolina coach Frank Martin has emerged as the target of the UMass basketball search. Martin met with UMass officials Tuesday and the sides are expected to meet again in person on Thursday.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 23, 2022
Martin steered the Gamecocks to the Final Four in 2017. However, that was their only NCAA tournament appearance in 10 seasons.
Despite bouncing back from a 6-15 campaign to go 18-13 last season, it wasn’t enough to save Martin’s job. South Carolina fired him after the season, sending off the 56-year-old with a 171-147 record.
“I’m at peace with everything,” Martin told WFNZ of his time at South Carolina, per The State’s Michael Lananna. “I gave the job everything I had. The job compensated me and my family in an incredible way … I’ve got no complaints. I live the dream every day. I’m lucky as heck. I learned a lot about the business. I learned a lot about life.”
UMass, meanwhile, has reached the NCAA tournament once this century. The Minutemen haven’t returned to the Big Dance since a one-and-done appearance as a No. 6 seed in 2014.
They went 15-17 last season, prompting the program to dismiss Matt McCall after filing a 61-82 record through five seasons.
Before joining South Carolina, Martin led Kansas to four March Madness bids — and one Elite Eight appearance — in five seasons. As noted by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Martin’s wife attended UMass, and a timely hiring could serve as a nice birthday present for the veteran coach.
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