Lamar head men’s basketball coach Tic Price completed his staff with the naming of Brian Burton as assistant coach, and Matt Pace as director of basketball operations Friday afternoon. Burton replaces Tony Madlock who resigned last month to take a similar position at Mississippi.

Burton comes to Lamar with a ton of coaching experience at various levels of the game, including the past three seasons at Abilene Christian, where he helped oversee the team’s transition from the NCAA Division II level to Division I status. During that time he assisted ACU head coach Joe Golding produce one the program’s best seasons in 2011 where it quadrupled its conference win total from the previous year.

Burton was named ACU’s recruiting coordinator in his final season in Abilene, where he helped assemble a class that consisted of three top 50 players from the state of Texas. Two of those players would continue their playing careers at the next level.

Prior to his stint in Abilene, Burton spent one season as an assistant for player development under Jim Boylen at the University of Utah. During his time with the Utes, Burton was responsible for earning the commitment from one of the top 10 players from the state of Texas.

Burton had six years of coaching experience from the junior college ranks before making the move to the NCAA. He recorded stops at Richland College, Collin College, Paris Junior College and Midland College before moving to Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Coach Burton a rising star with a high ceiling," said Price. "I believe he has a great future ahead of him. Brian has the ability relate well to players. One of the things I liked about him is that he is a tireless worker on the court and on the recruiting trail. He has a great eye for talent."

Pace returns to his alma mater as the director of operations. A former LU basketball player, Pace has spent the past two seasons in the high school ranks and comes to Lamar after serving as the head coach at Sabine Pass High School last season. Prior to that Pace was an assistant coach, and junior varsity head coach at Northland Christian High School.

Following his playing career, Pace served Lamar as a student director of operations before leaving athletics for a season to take a job in the business arena.

"We are proud to have Matt Pace back in program," said Price. "He is one of our own, and has earned this opportunity through hard work and his dedication to Lamar. I’m thrilled that he wants to be a part of our staff."

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