Originally Posted by
tommy
Just taking a look at the distribution of the top tournament coaches by region. I definitely think that tournament coaching experience is a big factor in succeeding in this thing. Not more important than talent on the court, of course, but it matters a lot too. In order to qualify for what I'm thinking about, I'm talking about coaches that have either gotten to a Final Four, or had multiple deep tournament runs in their careers, not just one good run a couple of years ago. Guys who have proven they know how to lead a team far, preferably more than once. Of course I could be forgetting a coach here or there or a run that was made some years ago, but here's how it shakes out:
East:
(6) Calipari
(7) Izzo
West:
(1) Self
(2) Cronin
(3) Few
(13) Pitino
South:
(3) Drew
(4) Bennett
(9) Huggins
Midwest:
(1) Sampson
(3) Sean Miller
(5) Larranaga
(9) Pearl
Not sure what it means, or maybe I'm just bored and ready for the games to start, but it does look like some coaches relatively new to the scene are going to get on this list for next year. A lot of top teams are coached by guys who have never been there, or if they have been to the tournament, haven't made much of a lasting mark. Alabama, Purdue, Marquette, Texas, Arizona, Kansas State, UConn, Indiana, Duke . . .
Can see arguments to include or exclude a name here or there, but . . .
Good list, but I'd argue that Marquette's Shaka Smart should be added. He underperformed in his last 2 appearances with Texas, but he did win the NIT in between those trips and he won the Big 12 tourney his last year. He does know how to succeed in the post season.
Marquette is poised to make a run this year, undoubtedly. Time will tell of course, but for now I'd put Smart in there in the East.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."