Mark Adams (basketball, born May 1956)

Mark Adams (born May 14, 1956) is an American college basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach at Ole Miss. He was most recently the coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team.[1]

Mark Adams
Adams (right) with Texas Tech in 2022
Current position
TitleAssistant coach
TeamOle Miss
ConferenceSEC
Biographical details
Born (1956-05-14) May 14, 1956 (age 68)
Brownfield, Texas, U.S.
Alma materTexas Tech ('79)
Playing career
1974–1976South Plains College
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1981–1983Clarendon College (TX)
1983–1987Wayland Baptist
1987–1992West Texas A&M
1992–1997Texas–Pan American
2004–2013Howard College
2015–2016Little Rock (assistant)
2016–2021Texas Tech (assistant)
2021–2023Texas Tech
2023–2024East Carolina (assistant)
2024–presentOle Miss (assistant)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2013–2015Texas Tech (dir. of basketball operations)
Head coaching record
Overall528–248 (.680)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards

Coaching career

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After playing basketball at South Plains College, Adams transferred to Texas Tech, where he served as a student assistant to head coach Gerald Myers.[2][3] After graduating from Texas Tech in 1979, Adams landed his first college coaching job at Clarendon College, where he stayed for two seasons and posted 46 victories.[2] From 1983 to 1987 he served as the head coach at Wayland Baptist, where went 100–39 overall and led the Pioneers to the 1985 NAIA title game.[2][4] Adams would move on to become the head coach at West Texas A&M where he'd guide the Buffaloes to two NCAA Division II tournament appearances and compile an overall record of 108–40.[5] In 1992, Adams accepted the Texas–Pan American job, where in five seasons he recorded a 44–90 record.[6]

After taking time away from coaching to become the owner of the Lubbock Cotton Kings hockey team, Adams would return to basketball coaching in 2004 when he was named the head coach at Howard College.[2] While at Howard, Adams guided the team to 233 victories, as well as a program-record 36 wins in a single season and nine consecutive NJCAA regional tournament appearances highlighted by the 2010 NJCAA Championship and a roster featuring Jae Crowder.[1]

In 2013, Adams joined Texas Tech's staff as the director of basketball operations under Tubby Smith, a position he'd hold for two seasons before joining Chris Beard as an assistant coach at Little Rock.[4] In his one season as an assistant with the Trojans, Adams was part of the team's 2016 regular season and Sun Belt tournament titles, along with the school's upset win over fifth-seeded Purdue in the 2016 NCAA tournament. Adams would follow Beard back to Texas Tech as an assistant coach, and has been part of three NCAA tournament squads including national runner-up in 2019.[1]

After Beard's departure to Texas, Adams was promoted to the Red Raiders head coaching position on April 5, 2021.[7][8]

Adams led Texas Tech to a 27–10 record and the NCAA tournament in his first season at the helm, reaching the Sweet Sixteen where they lost to Duke. In 2022–23, Tech finished the season with a 16–15 record and a ninth-place finish in the Big 12.

On March 5, 2023, Adams was suspended by the university over an alleged "inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment" that he had made to a player the previous week. In an attempt to make the player more receptive to his coaching, Adams "referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters."[9]

On March 8, 2023, Adams resigned from Texas Tech.[10]

On June 18, 2024, Adams joined Ole Miss' staff as an assistant coach, reuniting with Beard, now the Rebels' head coach.[11]

Head coaching record

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NCAA DI

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas–Pan American Broncs (Sun Belt Conference) (1992–1997)
1992–93 Texas–Pan American 2–20 2–16 10th
1993–94 Texas–Pan American 16–12 9–9 T–6th
1994–95 Texas–Pan American 14–14 10–8 4th
1995–96 Texas–Pan American 9–19 6–12 10th
1996–97 Texas–Pan American 3–25 1–17 10th
Texas–Pan American: 44–90 (.328) 28–62 (.311)
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Big 12 Conference) (2021–2023)
2021–22 Texas Tech 27–10 12–6 3rd NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2022–23 Texas Tech 16–15 5–13 9th
Texas Tech: 43–25 (.632) 17–19 (.472)
Total: 87–115 (.431)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA DII

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
West Texas A&M (Lone Star) (1987–1992)
1987–88 West Texas A&M 20–9 7–3
1988–89 West Texas A&M 18–9 10–4
1989–90 West Texas A&M 25–7 9–5 NCAA Division II first round
1990–91 West Texas A&M 25–7 11–3 NCAA Division II first round
1991–92 West Texas A&M 20–8
West Texas A&M: 108–40 (.730) 37–15 (.712)
Total: 108–40 (.730)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NJCAA

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Howard College (WJCAC) (2004–2013)
2004–05 Howard College 25–8
2005–06 Howard College 36–1 NJCAA Division I National tournament
2006–07 Howard College 23–7
2007–08 Howard College 21–9
2008–09 Howard College 20–8
2009–10 Howard College 33–2 NJCAA Division I National champion
2010–11 Howard College 21–5
2011–12 Howard College 23–8
2012–13 Howard College 30–6 NJCAA Division I National tournament
Howard College: 233–54 (.812)
Total: 233–54 (.812)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NAIA

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wayland Baptist (NAIA) (1983–1987)
1983–84 Wayland Baptist 20–12
1984–85 Wayland Baptist 30–10 NAIA Runner-Up
1985–86 Wayland Baptist 28–6 NAIA second round
1988–87 Wayland Baptist 22–11 NAIA first round
Wayland Baptist: 100–39 (.719) 0–0 (–)
Total: 100–39 (.719)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mark Adams - Men's Basketball Coach - Texas Tech Red Raiders". Texas Tech University Athletics.
  2. ^ a b c d "Coach Mark Adams' time at Wayland Baptist among his most fulfilling years". Wayland Baptist University Athletics. 13 September 2017.
  3. ^ Silva Jr., Carlos. "Texas Tech assistant Adams one of nine to be inducted into Wayland Baptist University Hall of Honor". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
  4. ^ a b "Mark Adams - Assistant Coach - Men's Basketball Coaches - Little Rock Trojans". Little Rock Athletics.
  5. ^ "West Texas A&M Men's Basketball 2020-21 Media Guide" (PDF). West Texas A&M Athletics.
  6. ^ "Mark Adams Coaching Record at Sports-Reference.com". Sports-Reference.com.
  7. ^ Christy, Pete (7 April 2021). "Mark Adams confirmed as next TTU Head Basketball coach". KCBD.com.
  8. ^ "Mark Adams Named Texas Tech Head Men's Basketball Coach". Texas Tech University Athletics.
  9. ^ "Tech coach Adams' comment 'racially insensitive'". ESPN.com. 2023-03-05. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  10. ^ "Suspended head coach Mark Adams steps down following Texas Tech's first-round loss to West Virginia".
  11. ^ "Chris Beard to Reunite With Former Assistant Mark Adams at Ole Miss - Report".