FWTCT's Short-List: Gregg Marshall

With Rick Stansbury stepping down as Mississippi State's head basketball coach today, the focus now turns to who will replace him. If I were Scott Stricklin, I'd include this guy on my short-list:

Greg Marshall – Head Coach – Wichita St.

Career record: 303-142 (Winthrop and Wichita St.)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

5-time Big South Coach of the Year

2012 MVC Coach of the Year

Why Marshall: Marshall’s track record speaks for itself. The guy took Winthrop to 7 NCAAs in 9 years. WINTHROP, PEOPLE! Since arriving at Wichita State in 2007, he has taken the Shockers to the post-season four times, including an NIT championship last season and an NCAA tournament berth as 5-seed this season. Marshall is known for being a hard-nosed coach and a solid recruiter.

Style of Play: Marshall is known for developing efficient half-court offensive sets, and a "bend but don’t break" defensive philosophy known as 50 Gap Defense.

Can State land him? : Much like Shaka Smart, Marshall will be a hot commodity on the coaching carousel in the coming weeks. South Carolina will be one of those teams, as Marshall is a SC native, but MSU is a better job than USC. Will that be enough to keep him from going home? Last year he got a seven-year extension at Wichita St. that pays him $900,000 a year, and I don’t think MSU would have a problem doubling that figure.