North Carolina State’s interest in Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey is ratcheting up. NC State brass is in Chicago Saturday to interview Gainey for its head coaching vacancy, PackPower’s Cory Smith first reported Saturday.
It’s the second of two interviews NC State has conducted Saturday according to Smith. The Wolfpack spent the morning in Saint Louis interviewing Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz. The Billikens signed Schertz to an extension earlier this offseason but he is still one of NC State’s top candidates.
Gainey, who played at NC State from 1996-2000, is another top candidate as the Wolfpack look to quickly replace Will Wade after he bolted for LSU earlier this week. Schertz and Gainey have been at the top of multiple hot boards this week.
Gainey joined Rick Barnes staff ahead of the 2021-22 season and became Tennessee’s associate head coach a year later when Mike Schwartz left for the head coaching job at East Carolina. Over the last four years at Tennessee, Gainey’s served as the Vols’ “defensive coordinator” while the Vols have made four straight trips to the Sweet 16 and three straight trips to the Elite Eight.
The Vols have consistently been great on the defensive end under Barnes but ranked No. 1, No. 3 and No. 1, again, in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency during Gainey’s three years as the “defensive coordinator.” They have taken a step back this year but still rank 11th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.
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It’s the second straight season that the NC State head coaching vacancy has been open. Gainey was viewed as a candidate for his alma mater’s vacancy last season before they hired Wade away from McNeese State.
“Being a graduate and former player there and somebody who worked there, I’ve always kind of kept my eyes on NC State just watching them play and everything. I love NC State. It’s a great place,” Gainey said last season when they job came open.
“As far as me and my involvement, I’m focused on what we’re doing here. … The fact that I’m even mentioned, I’m flattered, and that’s in large part to what we’ve done here. I credit the guys I’ve had the opportunity to coach here. I credit Coach Barnes for giving me this opportunity to be even mentioned in such a great situation like that.”
Gainey started at point guard in 103 of his 128 games played. The 6-foot guard landed on the 1997 All-ACC Tournament Team when he played all 160 minutes of the Wolfpacks’ Cinderella run to the championship game before eventually falling to North Carolina.
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After breaking onto the scene as a freshman, Gainey went on to have a strong college career. His best statistical season came during his junior year when he averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
NC State finished with a winning record in all four seasons Gainey played in Raleigh but failed to make the NCAA Tournament all four years.
Gainey got his coaching start at NC State, spending four years on Sidney Lowe’s staff from 2006-09. He was an administrative assistant his first three seasons before becoming the Director of Basketball Operations in 2009. A Greensboro native who starred in high school at the Greensboro Day School, Gainey’s first assistant coach jobs also came in the state of North Carolina at Elon and Appalachian State.
Tennessee basketball and Gainey are looking for its breakthrough Sunday afternoon when they face one-seed Michigan in the Elite Eight as both look for their first ever Final Four appearance. Michigan is 7.5-point favorites against Tennessee according to the DKSportsbook.
Tipoff between the Vols and Wolverines is at 2:15 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon. Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas and Evan Washburn are on the call for CBS.
