WICHITA, Kan. — When Grant McCasland started assembling his maiden coaching staff with the Texas Tech basketball team in the spring of 2023, Ben McCollum was rumored to be among the candidates for a lead assistant position.
McCollum had a number of similar opportunities during his nearly two-decade run of dominance at Division II Northwest Missouri State. His track record of success — four-time national champion and 21 wins in 13 of his 15 seasons at the helm — made him a highly sought after basketball mind.
So when McCasland, who McCollum called "one of my really close friends," tried to get him to Lubbock, he was more than willing to consider.