McMillan replaces Buzz Williams, who bolted for Maryland after six frequently contentious years at A&M. Williams’ teams were known for a slow, plodding and frequently inept offensive style, while McMillan’s teams at Samford have been aggressive, up-tempo and high scoring.
McMillan, 41, has had significant success during his four full seasons as Samford’s coach. After a 6-13 start to the 2020 season that was wiped out by Covid, his Bulldogs won no fewer than 21 games per season and won the Southern Conference twice. His team won 29 games and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament last season, and won 22 more and took part in the NIT this season.
During his four full seasons at Samford, McMillan was named the Southern League’s Coach of the Year three times.
The 2024-25 Bulldogs were highly aggressive at both ends of the court. Offensively, they were 13th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 82.9 points per game. They shot 36.4% from 3-point range, good enough for 52nd nationally, and were 28th in offensive rebounding. They were also 19th in fastbreak points, while the Aggies were an anemic 223rd.
Defensively, Samford was third in the nation in steals, averaging 9.9 a game. They were fourth overall in turnovers forced at more than 16 a game.
