The UMass Amherst men's basketball team played their final regular season home game Wednesday night — beating Fordham — with the knowledge that head coach Matt McCall will not be around next year.
UMass announced earlier this week that after five years, it was firing McCall at the end of the season.
Athletic Director Ryan Bamford said the decision to do so came only recently. There were wins, he said, they just weren't consistent.
"Everything that Coach McCall has done in his five years off the court, the work in academics, the work in recruiting the work and the citizenry of our young men, all of those things are very positive,” Bamford said. “But ultimately, we're in the business of winning."
McCall's Minutemen did win Wednesday. They defeated Fordham 81-73 in Amherst. The team has one more regular season game, on Saturday against George Mason. The Atlantic 10 tournament begins Wednesday.
Due to a contract extension granted in 2018, McCall has one more year left on his contract. Bamford said depending on the date of McCall’s last day, the coach will either receive 100% or 75% of his annual salary, which is $850,000.
