Latest news with #RodneyTerry
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Texas regents approve basketball coach Sean Miller's 6-year, $32 million contract
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved Longhorns basketball coach Sean Miller's six-year, $32 million guaranteed contract on Thursday, as the school tries to boost a program that struggled in its first year in the Southeastern Conference. Texas will pay Miller about double that of his predecessor Rodney Terry. Terry still had three years left on a five-year contract that paid him about $3 million per year when he was dismissed in March. Miller's deal starts at $4.8 million for the 2025-26 season and increases by $200,000 every year through the 2030-31 season. He also got a one-time $250,000 relocation payment, and can earn up to $850,000 in bonuses every season depending on conference championships, personal awards and how far Texas advances in the NCAA Tournament. Texas hired Miller from Xavier after the Musketeers beat Texas in the NCAA Tournament in a First Four matchup just a few days earlier. The 56-year-old Miller had two stints at Xavier and also coached at Arizona. He coached the Musketeers from 2004-09 before leaving for Arizona. He then returned to Xavier in 2022 after he was fired at Arizona. Miller's teams have made the NCAA Tournament 13 times with four trips to the Elite Eight. He is 487-196 overall in 20 seasons. He now inherits a Texas program looking to find its footing in the SEC, college basketball's dominant league this season. Texas finished 14th in the 16-team conference and barely scraped its way into the NCAA Tournament before its early exit. Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight as interim coach in 2023, but pressure mounted as he struggled to maintain that success. Texas made quick exits from the tournament the past two seasons, and was just 6-12 in league play in its first season in the SEC. Miller faces a significant rebuild of the Texas roster. Tre Johnson, the SEC freshman of the year and the Longhorns' scoring leader last season, declared for the NBA draft and eight other players either finished their college eligibility or transferred. Texas has signed transfers Simeon Wilcher from St. John's, Lassina Traore and Dailyn Swain from Xavier, Matas Vokietaitis from Florida Atlantic and Camden Heide from Purdue. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After a record-setting men's basketball season, what will the SEC's encore look like?
The SEC's historic 2024-25 men's basketball campaign was arguably the best season a single conference has ever had. The league thrashed the nonconference portion of the schedule, going a staggering 185-23 (a winning percentage of .889); the Big Ten's 159-37 (.811 winning percentage) was a distant second place. The SEC ended up as the highest-rated conference in two and a half decades as college basketball's most popular advanced rankings source, and the league's unprecedented run of success to start the season carried over into the postseason. Advertisement A staggering 14 of the league's 16 teams made it into the NCAA Tournament, easily setting records for most bids by a single conference and for highest percentage of teams to receive a bid. Seven of those 14 teams made it to the Sweet 16, four went to the Elite Eight, two reached the Final Four and Florida captured the national championship to cap off the conference's all-time season. Conventional wisdom would tell us this level of dominance was a one-time thing, a coincidental product of nearly every league member trending up at the same time. But what if it wasn't a fluke? The SEC has handled the shift to an NIL-based world as well as any league in the country, allowing the deep-pocketed member schools to reel in extremely talented rosters. Plus, nearly every head coaching hire that the league has made has been a great one, and one of the two jobs to turn over this offseason — Texas moving on from Rodney Terry and hiring Sean Miller away from Xavier — is almost inarguably a major upgrade. The other, Texas A&M hiring Samford's Bucky McMillan after Buzz Williams took the Maryland job, has plenty of upside, though Williams has been a consistent winner in the sport for almost two decades. Stability on the sidelines is one of the biggest reasons to be optimistic about the SEC's immediate future. Contrast the league's current crop of coaches to the ACC, which has recently seen a flurry of retirements of longtime sideline icons: Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Tony Bennett and Jim Boeheim, with Jim Larranaga and Leonard Hamilton bowing out this season. That 'brain drain' has had a clear negative impact on the conference's basketball strength, and this winter North Carolina and Virginia took a step back while Duke steamrolled the rest of the league in Jon Scheyer's third year. The SEC's old guard, on the other hand, isn't going anywhere. Rick Barnes, Bruce Pearl and John Calipari should all have strong teams once again in 2025-26. Among the younger coaches, Florida's Todd Golden and Alabama's Nate Oats are clear stars, Ole Miss' Chris Beard has won everywhere he's been, and Mark Pope looks like he'll be a fixture at Kentucky for a long time. The Big Ten would also have a strong argument as having the best group of coaches in the country, but the SEC probably has a narrow edge on aggregate. Advertisement Of course, any coach will tell you that it takes talented players to win big, and the SEC was flush with them this past season. Three of the five members of the consensus All-America first team hailed from the SEC, and the league's all-conference squads were loaded with fantastic college players. Whether the conference will have the same kind of elite top-end talent in 2025-26 is not yet certain. Of the 15 all-conference honorees, only two (Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard and Missouri's Mark Mitchell) are definitely returning. Two others (Kentucky's Otega Oweh, Florida's Alex Condon) could choose to return after testing the NBA Draft process, and Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara is currently in the transfer portal. But the incoming crop of players — via the recruiting class of 2025 and the transfer portal — looks as strong as ever. The league's incredible depth appears intact for 2025-26. Though Calipari's Arkansas is the only team in the top 10 of 247Sports' recruiting class rankings, the SEC occupies spots 11, 12, 14 and 15. Nine SEC teams sit in the top 25, and 13 of the conference's 16 schools are in the top 51. Of the three that are not, two — Texas and Texas A&M — changed coaches this spring, helping explain their lack of incoming rookies. The recruiting site On3 paints an even rosier picture: four SEC classes in the top 10, 15 in the top 50. Clearly, reinforcements are on the way from the high school ranks. Where the SEC has really dominated recently, though, is the all-important transfer portal. Those additions are typically even more ready to contribute immediately than blue-chip freshmen, and even the top SEC teams use the portal to find stars: All three of the aforementioned All-Americans (Auburn's Johni Broome, Alabama's Mark Sears and Florida's Walter Clayton Jr.) started their careers at mid-major schools. Advertisement As of this writing, the SEC has two elite incoming transfer classes, with Kentucky (second) and Tennessee (fourth) right at the top of national rankings. Beyond that, it's all about balance: 15 of the league's schools are in the top 54, with only annual powerhouse Alabama coming in outside that range at 66th. The NIL money is flowing, and players are flocking to the SEC as a result. It's entirely possible that all 16 schools will enter next year with the expectation of making the NCAA Tournament. Bart Torvik has released the earliest version of his rankings at — subject to many changes throughout the offseason, of course — and 15 of the 16 SEC teams are in the top 61, with South Carolina bringing up the rear at 91st. The SEC has clearly reloaded its considerable talent coffers, and the offseason is not yet over. More talent could be on the way. The conference also has a fantastic stable of coaches capable of converting all of that talent into wins on the court. Conference supremacy is often cyclical. In the late '90s and early 2000s, the ACC was the class of the country. For most of the last decade, the Big 12 was college basketball's standard-bearer. Now, though, the SEC may be entering a golden age. Even if it does not quite reach the heights of 2025's all-time campaign, the conference looks set up for multiple years of dominance.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas fires coach Rodney Terry after Longhorns make another quick exit from NCAA Tournament
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry on Sunday after a disappointing first season in the Southeastern Conference and another quick exit from the NCAA Tournament. The move comes two years after Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season when, as an assistant coach, he took over the program at midseason after then-coach Chris Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge and was fired. The charge against Beard was later dismissed. Terry's ability to keep the team together and thrive amid the turmoil saw Texas win the Big 12 Conference Tournament, then make its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament since 2008. He was rewarded with the full-time job and a five-year, $15 million contract. But duplicating anything close to that success was a struggle, and he was fired with three years left on his deal. Terry was 40-29 in his two full seasons as head coach. 'My philosophy has always been to wait until the end of the season and review every facet of our program before making any final decisions, and we've been doing that since our heartbreaking First Four loss in the NCAA Tournament," athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. 'In looking at everything over the past three seasons, our first year in the SEC this past year, and where we're headed in the future, Coach Terry and I have decided it is in the best interest of The University of Texas to move in a different direction.' Texas joined the SEC in 2024 and started this season ranked No. 19. But the Longhorns lost their season opener and were unranked by the following week. Conference play started with a 0-3 skid as Texas played three straight opponents ranked in the Top 10. The Longhorns lost seven of their last nine games in the regular season and went 6-12 in league play despite having the SEC scoring leading Tre Johnson, who was named conference freshman of the year. Texas still earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament behind two strong victories in the conference tournament but only as an 11-seed, forced to win a play-in game to join the final 64 teams playing for the national championship. Texas' season ended when the Longhorns blew a 13-point lead in a 86-80 loss to Xavier and finished 19-16 overall. Texas lost in the second round of the tournament last year. 'It was a dream of mine to be the head coach of the Longhorns, and I've been able to live that dream,' Terry said in a statement released by the school. 'I'll forever be a Longhorn.' Terry struggled to stitch together cohesive rosters in the new era of the open transfer portal and players earning money for their name, image and likeness. While he signed Johnson, who likely will be a high NBA draft pick this summer, other top recruits have not flocked to the Texas campus. Before his first full season, top recruits Ron Holland and A.J. Johnson both turned pro instead of playing for Texas, and Terry had no top high school players set to join the Longhorns next season. ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press
CBS News
23-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Texas fires coach Rodney Terry after Longhorns' early exit from NCAA Tournament
The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry on Sunday after a disappointing first season in the Southeastern Conference and another quick exit from the NCAA Tournament. The move comes two years after Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season when, as an assistant coach, he took over the program at midseason after then-coach Chris Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge and was fired. The charge against Beard was later dismissed. Terry's ability to keep the team together and thrive amid the turmoil saw Texas win the Big 12 Conference Tournament, and make its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament since 2008. He was rewarded with the full-time job and a five-year, $15 million contract. But duplicating anything close to that success was a struggle, and he was fired with three years left on his deal. Terry was 40-29 in his two full seasons as head coach. "My philosophy has always been to wait until the end of the season and review every facet of our program before making any final decisions, and we've been doing that since our heartbreaking First Four loss in the NCAA Tournament," athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. "In looking at everything over the past three seasons, our first year in the SEC this past year, and where we're headed in the future, Coach Terry and I have decided it is in the best interest of The University of Texas to move in a different direction." Texas joined the SEC in 2024 and started this season ranked No. 19. But the Longhorns lost their season opener and were unranked by the following week. Conference play started with a 0-3 skid as Texas played three straight opponents ranked in the Top 10. The Longhorns lost seven of their last nine games in the regular season and went 6-12 in league play despite having the SEC scoring leading Tre Johnson, who was named conference freshman of the year. Texas still earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament behind two strong victories in the conference tournament but only as an 11-seed, forced to win a play-in game to join the final 64 teams playing for the national championship. Texas' season ended when the Longhorns blew a 13-point lead in an 86-80 loss to Xavier and finished 19-16 overall. Texas lost in the second round of the tournament last year. Terry struggled to stitch together cohesive rosters in the new era of the open transfer portal and players earning money for their name, image and likeness. While he signed Johnson, who likely will be a high NBA draft pick this summer, other top recruits have not flocked to the Texas campus. Before his first full season, top recruits Ron Holland and A.J. Johnson both turned pro instead of playing for Texas, and Terry had no top high school players set to join the Longhorns next season.
Fox Sports
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Texas fires coach Rodney Terry after Longhorns make another quick exit from NCAA Tournament
Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry on Sunday after a disappointing first season in the Southeastern Conference and another quick exit from the NCAA Tournament. The move comes two years after Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season when, as an assistant coach, he took over the program at midseason after then-coach Chris Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge and was fired. The charge against Beard was later dismissed. Terry's ability to keep the team together and thrive amid the turmoil saw Texas win the Big 12 Conference Tournament, then make its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament since 2008. He was rewarded with the full-time job and a five-year, $15 million contract. But duplicating anything close to that success was a struggle, and he was fired with three years left on his deal. Terry was 40-29 in his two full seasons as head coach. 'My philosophy has always been to wait until the end of the season and review every facet of our program before making any final decisions, and we've been doing that since our heartbreaking First Four loss in the NCAA Tournament," athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. 'In looking at everything over the past three seasons, our first year in the SEC this past year, and where we're headed in the future, Coach Terry and I have decided it is in the best interest of The University of Texas to move in a different direction.' Texas joined the SEC in 2024 and started this season ranked No. 19. But the Longhorns lost their season opener and were unranked by the following week. Conference play started with a 0-3 skid as Texas played three straight opponents ranked in the Top 10. The Longhorns lost seven of their last nine games in the regular season and went 6-12 in league play despite having the SEC scoring leading Tre Johnson, who was named conference freshman of the year. Texas still earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament behind two strong victories in the conference tournament but only as an 11-seed, forced to win a play-in game to join the final 64 teams playing for the national championship. Texas' season ended when the Longhorns blew a 13-point lead in a 86-80 loss to Xavier and finished 19-16 overall. Texas lost in the second round of the tournament last year. Terry struggled to stitch together cohesive rosters in the new era of the open transfer portal and players earning money for their name, image and likeness. While he signed Johnson, who likely will be a high NBA draft pick this summer, other top recruits have not flocked to the Texas campus. Before his first full season, top recruits Ron Holland and A.J. Johnson both turned pro instead of playing for Texas, and Terry had no top high school players set to join the Longhorns next season. ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. recommended in this topic
