Long Beach State reach NCAA tournament with lame-duck head coach

A college basketball coach has led his team to its first March Madness appearance in 12 years, just days after he was fired for losing five games in a row. 

Long Beach State and its lame-duck coach Dan Monson will part ways after the 62-year-old wraps up his 17th and final season with the team in April, as both sides agreed to a 'mutual separation' earlier this week. 

Monson guided fourth-seeded LBSU back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012 by defeating second-seeded UC Davis, 74-70, in the Big West title game in Henderson, Nevada, on Saturday.

LBSU (20-14) had reached the Big West championship game with an 83-79 upset of top-seeded UC Irvine on Friday night.

'Being in it is one thing, winning it is another and we're happy,' Monson told the Orange County Register after the win. 'We feel like we deserve it, but we're not done.

Long Beach State head coach Dan Monson will step down from his role after March Madness

The 62-year-old will have won the Big West tournament in his final and 17th season in charge

'We didn't come here to get to the championship game. We came here to go to the NCAA Tournament.'

The Beach closed the regular season with five consecutive losses, prompting the team's athletics department to make a head coaching change before the start of the Big West Championship. LBSU defeated UC Riverside to start its tourney run.

Monson holds the school record with 274 victories.

Monson led Long Beach State to its last NCAA Tournament in 2012. LBSU holds a 20-14 record

Earlier this week, Monson said: 'I am proud of what we have accomplished on and off the court, but it is time for a new voice for the program. 

'I wish nothing but the best for a special university and a tremendous group of student athletes.'

One more victory would make an unusual but very happy ending. LBSU has never won a NCAA Tournament game (0-4 overall).

Overall, Monson is 444-395 in a 27-year coaching career that includes stints at Gonzaga and Minnesota.