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Jeff Goodman, ESPN Insider 6y

UMBC to offer coach Ryan Odom new deal 'within our realm,' AD says

Men's College Basketball, UMBC Retrievers

BALTIMORE -- UMBC athletic director Tim Hall told ESPN he intends to meet with coach Ryan Odom in the next day or two armed with a long-term contract that includes a salary increase that will help keep Odom with the Retrievers a while longer.

Odom will likely become a hot name for bigger schools after taking UMBC to the NCAA tournament and pulling off the biggest upset in tourney history when he beat top-seeded Virginia in the first round as a 16-seed. The Retrievers lost to Kansas State 50-43 on Sunday in the round of 32.

"We need to do within our realm what we can," Hall said Sunday. "We obviously can't do what the Power 5 schools can do, or anything near that. I think at some point Ryan wants to do it on a bigger stage. I'm just hoping it's down the road instead of now."

"We're going to put something on the table that will be really good for where we're at," he added. "We're going to do everything in our power to incentivize him to stay here."

Hall hired Odom two years ago without the aid of a search firm, and signed him to a seven-year deal that pays $230,000 per season in base salary. The school just opened a $90 million arena in February.

"I haven't even thought about it right now," Odom said. "I'm their coach. I'm here. I'm sure they'd like me to be here and I want to still be here."

Odom will lose three key seniors: Leading scorers Jairus Lyles and K.J. Maura along with Jourdan Grant.

"We lose some key seniors, but I think we've got a good squad coming back," Odom said.

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