Bowling Green, Ky. ? Texas assistant Ken McDonald was hired by Western Kentucky Sunday to replace Darrin Horn, who left the Hilltoppers for South Carolina last week.

McDonald, 38, said he knew he could have left the Longhorns sooner to become a head coach, but stayed until the right opportunity came along. He takes over a program vastly different from the one he came to as a young assistant in 1998.

Western Kentucky went 29-7 this season, won the Sun Belt Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA regional semifinals.