University of Massachusetts basketball welcomes Matt Figger as an assistant coach, head coach Frank Martin announced Tuesday. Figger spent ten seasons on Martin’s staff at Kansas State and South Carolina before serving as head coach at Austin Peay and UT Rio Grande Valley.
“Like any business, when you are successful, the people within your organization become attractive to others,” said Frank Martin. “Brett Nelson had the opportunity to move to NC State and I was fortunate that Matt Figger, who has been the head coach for the last seven seasons, was available. He was my first hire as a head basketball coach in college and he was with me for 10 years as an assistant coach. “Matt brings an incredible amount of experience and connections and will continue to help us develop our program.”
Figger, who came to Amherst with a wealth of head coaching experience, spent the last three seasons at UT Rio Grande Valley after four seasons at the helm at Austin Peay. Figger, the 2017-18 OVC Coach of the Year, compiled a 76-51 (.598) record, including a 49-25 (.662) mark in OVC play with the Governors. Figger put together two consecutive 20-plus win seasons, recording double-digit conference victories in all four years at the helm in Clarksville, Tennessee.
“One thing about coming to UMass is that it’s a national brand,” Figger said. “You can go anywhere in America and say I represent UMass, it has a name in the world of college basketball.”
By engineering one of the NCAA’s biggest defensive turnarounds, Figger became the first coach in program history to record double-digit conference wins in his first two seasons. Under Figger’s tutelage, several players received All-OVC honors, including two-time OVC Player of the Year and current NBA player Terry Taylor. Taylor recorded an NCAA-best 20 double-doubles in 2020-21 and also led the NCAA in offensive rebounds with 5.15 per game.
Figger, who was on Martin’s staff at both South Carolina and Kansas State, helped Martin take both programs to new heights. As associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, Figger helped Martin lead the Gamecocks to their first NCAA tournament victory since 1973 and the program’s first appearances in the Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four.
“What excites me most about this job is reuniting with Frank Martin,” Figger said. “We’ve known each other since he was a high school coach and I was a junior in the college ranks. I spent ten years as an assistant for him and we finished it off by going to a Final Four. Coach Martin and I think very alike, so coming here gives me a great sense of familiarity. I’m excited to be part of the family, it’s a great moment for me because I’m back with my family. I want to come and continue to help build the family culture with Coach Martin and his staff.”
From 2007 to 2012, Figger worked as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Kansas State as part of Martin’s staff that secured at least 21 wins and finished fifth or better in the Big 12 in all five seasons. Figger, a nationally recognized recruiter, helped recruit two McDonald’s All-Americans at Kansas State, including 2008 national freshman and player of the year Michael Beasley. During his time in Manhattan, Kansas Figger helped develop five All-Americans, including Beasley and Jacob Pullen.
Prior to his time at Kansas State, Figger served a brief stint as director of operations at Arkansas (April-June 2007), followed by five seasons as an assistant coach at South Alabama (2003-07).
Figger also spent 10 years as an assistant coach in the college ranks, including stints at Wabash Valley (1993-94), Vincennes (1994-99) and Odessa College (2000-02). His teams won 20 or more games eight times, captured six regional and four district titles, and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament four times.
https://umassathletics.com/news/2024/5/21/mens-basketball-figger-officially-named-massachusetts-basketball-assistant-coach
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