NC State Men’s Basketball Head Coaching Search: A Few Developing Thoughts

There’s no breaking news regarding the next NC State Men’s Basketball Head Coach—just a few thoughts and observations.

It seems clear that McNeese St.’s Will Wade is the most desired candidate among Wolfpack fans on Twitter, and he might also top NC State’s wish list. The Cowboys defeated Lamar 63-54 today to win the Southland Conference Championship for the second consecutive year, securing a ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Here’s what Wade had to say after leading McNeese St. to the title today:

While Wade was clear that he hasn’t spent any time on “auxiliary stuff” in the past two or three days, he did say he may have to “deal with some of that stuff tomorrow or Friday, or whenever we’re off.” Could Wade be having significant conversations with potential suitors tomorrow?

Rodney Terry is on the hot seat at Texas, but the Longhorns defeated Vanderbilt 79-72 in the first round of the SEC Tournament today, setting up a game against #14 Texas A&M tomorrow at 3:30 PM. The Longhorns were ranked #42 in the NET Rankings prior to the victory. Terry has led Texas to four NCAA Tournament wins over the past two seasons, which is tied for the total number of Longhorn wins in the Big Dance in the 12 years before his arrival. Could a win over the Aggies turn the temperature down on Terry’s seat? The reason this is relevant is because Wade’s name has been floated as a potential candidate in Texas if the job were to open.

Indiana is looking for a new head coach, and Clemson’s Brad Brownell is one of the names being floated as a candidate. When asked about his name being mentioned in connection with the Indiana job opening, Brownell had this to say in a press conference today:

Brad Brownell on his name being mentioned for Indiana’s opening:

“I’m not gonna talk about potential jobs. I have a great job. And I’m 100% focused on this team… I’ve been here 15 years. I think this place is a really special place.”pic.twitter.com/bsOmj3o1x1

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 12, 2025

I’ll let you interpret whether you find his response convincing. Brownell has been at Clemson for 15 years, but he was born in Evansville, Indiana, and played college ball at DePauw. If the Clemson job were to open up, Will Wade would definitely be interested in coaching at his alma mater.

Joe Giglio of the OG Podcast doubled down on his intel today, sharing that the names he’s hearing from other athletic directors, coaches, and agents regarding the NC State opening are Georgia’s Mike White, former Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey, VCU’s Ryan Odom, and Tennessee Assistant Coach Justin Gainey (former NC State point guard)—not Will Wade.

The best I can tell, from my sources inside and outside State, the list is:

– Mike White
– Ryan Odom
– Mike Brey
– Justin Gainey

— Joe Giglio (@giglio_OG) March 12, 2025

Villanova Head Coach Kyle Neptune is on the hot seat at Villanova, but the Wildcats defeated Seton Hall 67-55 today in the first round of the Big East Tournament. This victory is not particularly noteworthy since the Pirates have an overall record of 7-25. Villanova will play UConn tomorrow night in the quarterfinals. This is relevant because VCU Head Coach Ryan Odom has been linked to a possible future head coaching position at Villanova if the job were to open up.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello names VCU coach Ryan Odom as a potential suitor for the Villanova head coaching job if it should become available.

— Dylan Johnson (@bydylanjohnson) March 5, 2025

Odom is also believed to be at the top of UVA’s wish list.

Mike White’s Georgia just lost 75-81 to Oklahoma in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs were a 3.5-point favorite entering the contest. This morning, Georgia was ranked 31st in the NET Rankings. Can the Bulldogs still snag an at-large bid for the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Before today’s game, ESPN had Georgia slotted as a #9 seed in their Bracketology projections. The reality is, with Selection Sunday approaching, White now has his schedule open for conversations.

Ryan Odom’s #1 seeded VCU team will play the winner of the #8 seed St. Bonaventure and #9 seed Duquesne in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Friday. Heading into the contest, the Rams are ranked 32nd in the NET Rankings. Currently, ESPN has VCU as a #11 seed in their Bracketology projections.

Patience is required in a coaching search. Wade and Odom still have postseason play on the schedule, and White is waiting for Selection Sunday. Don’t expect any news to break regarding any of them until their seasons are officially over.