Less than a week after Shaka Smart’s Texas Longhorns were bounced from the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed, Smart is set to be Marquette’s next head coach, according to multiple reports. College Hoops Today’s Jon Rothstein was the first to report the hiring.
Smart spent the past six years in Austin, where he led the Longhorns to a 109–86 overall record. However, he only posted a 52–56 record in Big 12 play.
Texas was upset by Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after winning its first-ever conference tournament championship.
Smart’s fame skyrocketed in 2011 when he took the 11-seeded VCU Rams to their first Final Four appearance.
Marquette fired head coach Steve Wojciechowski last week. The Golden Eagles finished the season 13–14 and failed to reach the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in his seven-year tenure.
Wojciechowski never won an NCAA Tournament game with Marquette and finished with a 128–95 overall record.
Smart’s name floated as a contender for the Marquette head coaching job in 2014 as Buzz Williams’ replacement.
