LSU hires Jones as coach

LSU has hired North Texas coach Johnny Jones for the same position with the Tigers.

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva made the announcement on Friday night. He says he is pleased to welcome Jones back to Baton Rouge, where he played and was an assistant coach for the Tigers.

Jones played in the 1981 Final Four for then-LSU coach Dale Brown, then was one of Brown's assistants with LSU's 1986 Final Four squad. Jones will replace Trent Johnson, who left LSU after four seasons to become TCU's head coach.

The 51-year-old Jones says returning to LSU is "a dream come true.''

Jones has coached North Texas for the past 11 seasons, going 190-146 and winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament title twice.