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Why was Matt McMahon fired at LSU? Tigers basketball decision explained, buyout
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- Why was Matt McMahon fired at LSU? Tigers basketball decision explained, buyout
Matt McMahon is reportedly out at LSU.
The Tigers, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel , have relieved McMahon of his duties as head coach of the men's basketball program after just four seasons. The firing of McMahon gained steam in the last few days with LSU's decision to bring back former Tigers coach Will Wade, who just finished his first season at North Carolina State and has reportedly signed a seven-year deal with LSU.
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At LSU, McMahon never had the same success he had at Murray State. The Tigers went 60-70 overall over four seasons under McMahon and finished at the bottom of the SEC in three of those seasons.
Here's what to know about why McMahon was fired by LSU:
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Why did LSU fire Matt McMahon?
It ultimately boils down to LSU's performance under McMahon, who was considered an up-and-coming bright mind in men's college basketball when he was hired away from Murray State in 2022.
LSU has not won more than 17 games in a season under McMahon, and never finished better than .500 in SEC play. The Tigers didn't made the Men's NCAA Tournament, and didn't make it out of the first round of the 2024 Men's NIT.
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LSU had just one winning season under McMahon, coming in his second season when the Tigers went 17-16. The Tigers finished 15-17 overall and 3-15 in SEC play this season, a conference mark that put them as the No. 16 seed in the SEC tournament.
The other component is LSU's hiring of McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer as a senior administrator with the Tigers, which will include oversight of the men's basketball program. That hiring was reported to be a key factor in Wade considering a return to LSU. Schroyer also hired Wade at McNeese State ahead of the 2023-24 season, after he did not coach in 2022-23 following his exit from LSU.
In Wade, the Tigers bring back a coach who has a successful track record. He holds a 266-119 overall record as a head coach, with additional stops at Chattanooga and VCU. He led the Tigers to a 105-51 record in five seasons, and just led the Wolfpack to a 20-14 mark this past season.
Matt McMahon buyout
According to McMahon's contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, LSU owes him $8.02 million if he is fired without cause on April 1, as part of his buyout.
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Matt McMahon LSU record
Here's a year-by-year breakdown of how LSU has fared under McMahon:
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2022-23:14-19 overall
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2023-24:17-16 overall
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2024-25:14-18 overall
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2025-26:15-17 overall
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matt McMahon fired: Why did LSU basketball make coaching change?
