North Texas announces Grant McCasland as new head coach

North Texas quickly moved on from Tony Benford, hiring Arkansas State head coach Grant McCasland as the next head basketball coach. This is a homecoming for McCasland, who grew up just 35 miles sound of the UNT campus in Irving, Texas.

The Mean Green have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Finding a head coach with Texas roots and experience recruiting the state was important, and McCasland checks those boxes. Prior to his one-year tenure as Arkansas State head coach, McCasland spent five seasons recruiting for Scott Drew at his alma mater, Baylor.

McCasland spent seven years as a head coach at Midland College (2004-09) and Midwestern State (2009-11), both in Texas. He won the NJCAA National Championship in 2007 with Midland.

North Texas is in a good position, headed into the NCAA Tournament with their coaching vacancy filled and coach ready to go out and recruit. The Mean Green roster is relatively young, lead last year in scoring by freshman guard A.J. Lawson.