Report: Missouri State, coach Cuonzo Martin working on deal

Cuonzo Martin is expected to return to Missouri State as its head men's basketball coach.

ESPN reported Monday that the school and Martin were negotiating a deal that would put him back on the Bears' bench. Missouri State was the first head-coaching job for Martin.

He held the post from 2008-11 before moving on to Tennessee (2011-14), Cal (2014-17) and Missouri (2017-22).

In Martin's final season at Missouri State, the Bears won the school's first regular season Missouri Valley Conference championship, earning Martin the conference's coach of the year award after a 26-9 season.

Martin, 52, was 61-41 in his stint at Missouri State and has a 264-198 coaching record. He has taken his teams to the NCAA Tournament four times.

In the 2023-24 season, the Bears finished 17-16 (8-12 MVC) under Dana Ford, who was dismissed earlier this month after six seasons and a 106-82 overall record.