CINCINNATI - Sean Miller was promoted to head men's basketball coach at Xavier University Thursday, replacing Thad Matta.

Miller, Matta's top assistant at Xavier since 2001, has been an assistant coach for 12 years at five schools. The 35-year-old Miller replaces Matta, who left Wednesday to coach Ohio State.

After starring at Blackhawk High School in Beaver County, Miller was a point guard at Pittsburgh, where he was the Big East Conference's freshman of the year in 1988 and an all-conference player his senior season.

Before arriving at Xavier, Miller spent five years at North Carolina State under Herb Sendek. He also was an assistant at Pittsburgh, Miami of Ohio and Wisconsin.