Martin takes S.C. job

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Frank Martin has agreed to become South Carolina’s next men’s basketball coach, said people familiar with the decision say

The people spoke to The Associated Press Monday on condition of anonymity because the school had not announced the hiring. The university’s board of trustees is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning to discuss a contract matter.

Martin will replace Darrin Horn, who was fired two weeks ago after going 60-63 over four seasons. The Gamecocks finished last in the Southeastern Conference last year.

Martin is leaving Kansas State, which he led to the NCAA tournament four of the last five seasons. The Wildcats reached the regional finals in 2010. His overall record as a head coach is 117-54 and he is 6-4 in the NCAA tourney.

The Gamecocks have been to the NCAA tournament just once since 1998. They finished this season 10-21 and 2-14 in the SEC.

Martin is the son of Cuban immigrants who coached high school basketball in Miami for 15 years and was an assistant at Northeastern for four seasons before Bob Huggins brought him on to his staff at Cincinnati. Martin credits Huggins with jump starting his career, saying the current coach at West Virginia helped him get into college coaching.

The team’s record got progressively worse during Horn’s four years. Their top player, point guard and two-sport high school star Bruce Ellington, originally promised to only play basketball next season, but after Horn was fired, he started hanging around the football field during spring practice.

Tags: sports, basketball, ncaa