KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 11: Head coach Tubby Smith of the Texas Tech Red Raiders directs his team against the Texas Longhorns during the first round of the Big 12 basketball tournament at Sprint Center on March 11, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Despite Texas Tech’s efforts to keep him, Tubby Smith is leaving Lubbock to become the next head coach of the Memphis Tigers, according to CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish. Smith led the Red Raiders to one of their 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in the school’s history this past season.

The Tigers are replacing Josh Pastner, who left the program to become the head coach at Georgia Tech just last week.

Bleacher Report’s Jason King reports that the Tigers didn’t want to pay Gregg Marshall or Buzz Williams, so their search stayed limited to Smith and Jeff Capel.

Parrish details the factors that went into the decision for Smith, via CBS Sports:

Smith, 64, was offered the Memphis job Wednesday morning, a source told CBS Sports. But sources said Texas Tech quickly counter-offered with a huge raise and extension, which caused Smith to at least think everything through. Ultimately, though, he realized it’s much easier to win consistently at Memphis than it is at Texas Tech, a source said. So the likely future Hall of Famer agreed to fill the opening previously held by Josh Pastner.

Smith, one of two coaches (alongside Lon Kruger) to lead five schools to the NCAA Tournament, received the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award Friday in Los Angeles.

He notably coached Kentucky from 1997-2007, winning a national title in just his second year at the school in 1998. After resigning in 2007, Smith took over at Minnesota, before being fired in 2013. He then went to Texas Tech, where he has spent the past three seasons.

About Harry Lyles Jr.

Harry Lyles Jr. is an Atlanta-based writer, and a Georgia State University graduate.