Jason Taylor has reunited with Jonathan Mattox. Taylor is in his first season as associate head coach at MSU. He was Mattox's head coach when he played at Anderson (S.C.).

A native of Clarkrange, Tenn., Taylor heads to Kentucky after a successful five-year tenure as coach at Newberry. He led the Wolves to a winning overall mark (65-61) and won nearly 60 percent of South Atlantic Conference games. The 2022-23 Wolves' team posted a 19-10 record, including a 12-6 mark in league play, hosted a SAC Tournament first round game and finished second in the SAC Piedmont Division.  The 19 wins were the most for Newberry squad since 2014-15.

Prior to the stint at Newberry, Taylor spent four seasons at fellow Ohio Valley Conference member school Tennessee Tech, lastly serving as associate head coach and acting head coach. With head coach Steve Payne, Taylor helped guide the Golden Eagles to two 19-win seasons. While on staff, Tech posted the third-best conference win total behind only Belmont and Murray State.

Taylor made a lasting impression as head coach at Anderson, where he led the team for nine seasons, including mentoring Mattox.

In his nine seasons at Anderson, Taylor led the Trojans to six winning seasons, four NCAA Tournaments, four 20-win seasons, and compiled an overall record of 157-113. He coached a Division II Men's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year, an NCAA Elite 88 Award winner, four consecutive SAC Scholar-Athletes, a SAC Player of the Year, and 15 all-conference performers. His .763 winning percentage in five years in the SAC is the second-highest in league history behind Lincoln Memorial's Josh Schertz (Indiana State and now Saint Louis head coach).

Anderson won a SAC regular season title in 2011-12 with a 17-1 league record, setting a conference record for wins and winning percentage and becoming the first team in league history to go 9-0 on the road in conference play. The 26 wins set a school record and helped Taylor win SAC and Southeast Region Coach of the Year awards as the Trojans advanced to the Sweet 16.

Taylor served three seasons on staff at Anderson before being elevated to head coach. He was assistant coach and led the JV team. He began his coaching foray at Roane State (Tenn.) Community College where was assistant for two seasons.

Taylor was a standout college basketball player at former OVC member Jacksonville State. He helped the Gamecocks to 17 wins in 1999-00, the first winning Division I season for JSU. 

Taylor earned his education bachelor's degree from JSU in 2001.