Jackson State Hires Murray State’s Tevester Anderson as Head Men’s Basketball Coach

JACKSON, Miss. – Jackson State will introduce Tevester Anderson as its new basketball coach Wednesday.
The 66-year-old Anderson left Murray State last month after five seasons. He went 103-52 and led Murray State to two Ohio Valley Conference championships and two NCAA tournaments.
Anderson has worked as an assistant at Murray State, Georgia and Auburn.
Jackson State let Andy Stoglin leave after 14 years as coach. His record was 197-216, with two trips to the NCAA tournament.
Anderson says he’s not too old to be Jackson State’s new head coach and to attract the talent needed to produce a winner.
The 66-year-old Anderson was formally named coach Wednesday at a news conference at the Southwestern Athletic Conference school.
Anderson had a 103-52 record at Murray State, leading the Racers to two Ohio Valley Conference championships and two NCAA tournament appearances during his five-year tenure. In his first season at the school in 1998-99, Anderson won OVC co-coach of the year honors for guiding the Racers to a 27-6 record and a league title.
Some alumni question hiring a new coach Anderson’s age despite his strong resume, but Anderson has a response for the critics.
“Age is just a number,” said the Canton native who served as an assistant for 14 seasons in the Southeastern Conference, with stints at Georgia and Auburn before coaching at Murray State.
“I think my mental age, my physical age and my chronological age are perhaps much younger than 66. If I felt like I was a tired guy, someone who couldn’t get around, I wouldn’t be here.”
At Auburn, while coaching under Sonny Smith, Anderson was credited with bringing future NBA stars Charles Barkley, Chuck Person and Chris Morris to the Tiger program.
He also has 19 years of coaching experience at the high school level in Mississippi and Georgia, with four state championships. His composite high school coaching record is 416-98 (.809).
Anderson replaces Andy Stoglin, who was fired after compiling a 217-228 record in 14 seasons and guiding the Tigers to three SWAC championships and two NCAA tournament appearances. The Tigers also played a NCAA play-in game under Stoglin in 1991 and made the NIT in 1993.
Anderson received a three-year contract paying $75,000 per year.
Jackson State athletic director Roy Culberson said Anderson stood out from other candidates because he has experience, marketability and a postseason track record.
“Those were all key ingredients,” Culberson said. “Our goal is to move our program from a low mid-major to a high mid-major and we think coach Anderson can help us do that.”
Jackson State was 19-37 over the past two seasons.
The school was 10-18 this past season, which ended with a loss to SWAC champ Texas Southern in the opening round of the conference tournament.