The University of Memphis athletic department released a statement on Tigers’ basketball coach Josh Pastner’s job status, saying he will be reevaluated at the end of the season Tuesday afternoon.
“We continue to receive inquiries concerning the future of Tiger basketball. Tom Bowen, U of M athletic director, the athletic senior leadership team, and the office of the president will conduct a postseason review of the men’s basketball program, as is customary with all U of M sports teams,” said in the press release. “We urge Tiger nation to support this team through the end of the basketball season with special attention given to the final three home games at FedExForum.”
After qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive seasons between 2010-11 and 2013-14, Pastner has gone just 32-25 over the past two seasons. The Tigers, which are 14-11 (5-7 American Atheltic Conference) this season, are in serious danger of missing the postseason for the second consecutive year.
As a result, his job security has been called into question. The seventh-year coach has four years remaining on a contract extension he signed in 2013, one that pays him $2.65 million annually.
Pastner first joined then coach John Calipari’s Tigers’ staff in 2008 and replaced him after the 2008-09 season, when Calipari left Memphis for the University of Kentucky coaching job.
“Nobody likes to be criticized,” said Pastner, when asked about the team’s recent struggles, at his press conference Tuesday. “I take losses hard. I know the negativity. I know what people are saying. I could be at another school when I was 30 years old and got a head (coaching) job and no one would care if we won 30 in a row. I understood what I was getting into when I followed coach Calipari.”
Nevertheless, in six-and-a-half-seasons, Pastner, 38, has accumulated a record of 162-69; only University of Texas coach Shaka Smart (179) has more coaching victories under the age of 40 of active coaches.
Memphis will try to end its recent two-game skid when it hosts UCF (11-12, 5-7 AAC) 6 p.m. Wednesday at FedExForum. The game will also be shown on ESPNU.
University of Memphis men’s basketball coach Josh Pastner has come under immense pressure as of late. The Tigers have lost six of its past eight games, and have fallen to 14-11 on the season.
