VCU is in negotiations with Utah State head basketball coach Ryan Odom, Stadium basketball analyst Jeff Goodman wrote in a Wednesday tweet.
“Deal is expected to be done today as AD Ed McLaughlin moved quickly once Mike Rhoades began discussions with Penn State,” wrote Goodman.
Odom coached for one year with the Charlotte 49ers and four with the UMBC Retrievers before he was named the head coach of Utah State in 2021. He led the Aggies to an 18-16 record in his first year since he took the place of Craig Smith, who was hired on to become the head coach of the Utah Utes after leading Utah State to a 20-9 record and an appearance in the NCAA tournament the year before, according to Sports Reference.
Ryan Odom helped guide the UMBC Retrievers to a 74-54 victory in the America East tournament and the No. 1-seeded Virginia Cavaliers in March Madness, becoming the first-ever 16-seed to upset a one-seed in the tournament's history. Guard Jairus Lyles led the team with 28 points, hitting nine of his 11 shot attempts against the 31-3 Cavaliers.
“I always let him play,” Odom said, via the Associated Press. “I never hold him back. When he gets going like that it breeds confidence in other guys.”
After the historic win, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry gave UMBC some of his unreleased Under Armour shoes. The Retrievers wore the shoes during a 50-43 loss to ninth-seeded Kansas State in the next round.
Odom will replace former VCU coach Mike Rhoades, who agreed to a deal with Penn State on Wednesday after meeting with the Nittany Lions on Sunday. Rhoades was hired to become the team's 12th head coach in 2017 after spending three years as an associate head coach for VCU from 2011-14, leading the team to a 129-61 record in his six seasons with the Rams.
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