 "Photo: Stephen Durda")
Rick Barnes' coaching tree is sprouting another branch.
Texas assistant coach Ken McDonald got the head coaching job at Western Kentucky recently vacated by Darrin Horn, who left for South Carolina.
"I had what I perceive to be an incredible job at Texas, so it was going to take a truly special situation for me to consider leaving," McDonald said. "I truly believe this is a job with no ceiling."
McDonald served as an assistant for the Hilltoppers from 1998 to 2003. After a year at Georgia, he's worked under Barnes with the Longhorns.
The two go back even further than that, though. McDonald worked as an assistant for Barnes at Clemson, and he played for him at Providence.
"We are so happy for Ken and his family," Barnes said in a statement released by Texas Sports. "It is almost like he's grown up before our eyes."
And now he's come into his own as a head coach.
The Hilltoppers got themselves in the spotlight during the NCAA tournament by upsetting Drake with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Ty Rogers at the end of overtime. Then they jumped into the Sweet 16 by defeating San Diego.
The Hilltoppers have been in three consecutive NCAA tournaments, and it was just a matter of time before someone hired Horn away. When the Gamecocks did just that, McDonald got the
opportunity he's been waiting for.
"The thing that I'm most excited about for Ken is that after he spent the five years as an assistant at Western Kentucky, he has always referred to the head coaching position at Western Kentucky as a dream job," Barnes said. "I know what a great passion he has for Western Kentucky. We're excited to see him earn this opportunity, and we all wish him the best." Augustin on his eighth All-American team It seems you can't construct an All-American first team without D.J. Augustin at the point. The National Association of Basketball Coaches released its five-man roster over the weekend, and Augustin's name appeared along with Kansas State's Michael Beasley, Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts, UNC's Tyler Hansbrough and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody.
Augustin is in San Antonio, but not for the reasons he'd like to be. On Monday, hours before Kansas and Memphis tip off for the national championship game, the sophomore will accept the Bob Cousy Award, which goes to the nation's top point guard.
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