NCAAB · 11 months ago

Ranking the Sweet 16 Coaches in the NCAA Tournament

David Connelly

Host · Writer

16. Kevin Willard - Maryland
After just one NCAA Tournament win in 12 seasons, things had run their course between Kevin Willard and Seton Hall. It was time for a fresh start, and that's when College Park came calling. Willard already has three tournament victories under his belt in as many seasons, and this group of players really seems to rally around his leadership. He has expressed some frustration with the program's leadership, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him somewhere else after this year concludes.
1. Kelvin Sampson - Houston
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No program in college basketball possesses the floor that Houston currently does under Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars should be reserved an automatic spot inside the preseason top ten each year that Sampson is on the sidelines. Six straight trips to the second weekend, including four conference titles and a Final Four over the past six seasons, is as accomplished as it gets, and he may be one of the best coaches the sport has ever seen without a national title to his name. We'll see if that changes in 2025.
2. Tom Izzo - Michigan State
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It's difficult to ignore a man who has brought his program to eight Final Fours and has his highest-ranked KenPom team since the last time he reached the national semifinal in 2019. This is a classic Tom Izzo team that earns its keep through rebounding, defense, and toughness. His principles are still alive and well with his players today, and he can still go toe-to-toe with any coach in the sport.
3. Matt Painter - Purdue
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The level of continuity Matt Painter has achieved with his original recruits is unmatched in today's era of college basketball. Every single player on this roster began their Division I career with the Boilermakers, and many are upperclassmen who have continuously turned down the temptations of the portal to stay and play for this program. That is a testament to what Painter has built in West Lafayette, and we are reaching the stage of the tournament where continuity, chemistry, and philosophy could certainly rear their heads.
4. Nate Oats - Alabama
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Nate Oats has implemented the NBA-esque style of pace and three-point shooting into the game of college basketball, and it has paid dividends early in his career. This is now the third time in four seasons that the Crimson Tide have reached the second weekend under Oats, and he is looking to bring the program to back-to-back Final Fours this year.
5. John Calipari - Arkansas
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We demand an end to the John Calipari disrespect. As if Saturday's upset over St. John's wasn't enough, he became the second NCAA coach to take four different programs to the Sweet 16. He has rallied this team together after a rough start to SEC play, and it's clear that their trust in his coaching principles has never wavered. The Razorbacks may be the only double-digit seed remaining, but they have the right man in their corner to bring them even deeper into the tournament.
6. Bruce Pearl - Auburn
Bruce Pearl has seen and done everything: SEC regular season and tournament titles, Sweet 16 appearances, and a Final Four showing in 2019. A national championship is the one thing that eludes his resumé and keeps him outside of our top five. This feels like his best chance yet with an Auburn team that dominated the sport for three months but looked a bit shaky entering the tournament. We'll see if he can reinvigorate the team in time to make a push for his second Final Four this weekend.
7. Rick Barnes - Tennessee
Similar to Pearl, the biggest shortcoming for Rick Barnes is deep runs in the NCAA Tournament. With just one Final Four appearance in 2003 across nearly four decades at the Division I level, he is well overdue for a trip to a national semifinal. Often, the offense is the shortcoming for the Volunteers, but this team feels efficient enough on that end to make a push for a national title. Can Barnes get over the hump in 2025?
8. Chris Beard - Ole Miss
The turnaround Chris Beard has pulled off at Ole Miss is remarkable and a testament to his coaching ability. The Rebels are into the second weekend for the first time since 2001, and many believe they are a live underdog against Michigan State in the Sweet 16. We trust Beard to come prepared with a game plan and a team fired up to compete on any given night.
9. Jon Scheyer - Duke
Jon Scheyer is a difficult one to rank based on his quick rise to elite status in the sport despite having much to show for it on his resumé. It has felt clear throughout the season that the players love him, and he has clearly made strides over the past three seasons to become a better head coach. A Final Four or beyond in Scheyer's third year would be a dream start to what's expected to be a lengthy tenure in Durham.
10. Dusty May - Michigan
One of the top young coaching talents in college hoops, Dusty May, has been a dream fit at Michigan following his Final Four run at FAU. The 48-year-old has been quickly embraced by the Wolverine faithful, guiding them to a second weekend in his debut season. Michigan has been masterful in finding themselves on the right side of close games this season, a testament to a poised and well-coached group in Ann Arbor.
11. Todd Golden - Florida
It was easy to tell during his time at San Francisco that Todd Golden was a star in the making in college basketball. It took a few years to get the wheels churning in Gainesville, but Golden finally got Florida to be a top contender in the sport. His portal acquisitions, clever offensive philosophy, and overall camaraderie with his players make him a name that could quickly ascend on this list in the next few seasons.
12. Tommy Lloyd - Arizona
Tommy Lloyd has had Arizona dominating the West Coast since he stepped foot on campus in 2021. The Wildcats have been a four-seed or higher for all four seasons, yet all they have is a pair of Sweet 16 appearances to show for it. That has to change this year before whispers turn to shouts about his ability to perform in March. They face a tall task against Duke, but a win could propel the program's confidence in his long-term future in Tucson.
13. Grant McCasland - Texas Tech
Everywhere Grant McCasland goes, he wins. After seeing loads of success outside the Division I level, McCasland helped rebuild the Baylor program as an assistant under Scott Drew. He flipped 20 wins in his first year at Arkansas State and then joined North Texas, where he won the CBI, NIT, and a pair of regular-season titles and an NCAA Tournament. It shouldn't be a surprise to see him flourishing at a Texas Tech program that was desperate for a leader after the abrupt resignation of Mark Adams.
14. Mark Pope - Kentucky
Hiring Mark Pope sparked plenty of controversy from Big Blue Nation about whether he was ready for such a high-profile job. He has answered the call and then some, bringing the program to the second weekend in his debut season. It's now uncharted territory for the former BYU man, who entered this year without an NCAA Tournament win in his career.
15. Kevin Young - BYU
BYU was picked to finish ninth in the preseason Big 12 polls. They ended the season third and are now just one of four teams from the conference remaining in the NCAA Tournament. That's a stellar debut season for head coach Kevin Young, who had zero experience as a head coach at the Division I level before this year. If he can make this a regular occurrence, the Cougars could be a mainstay atop the sport for some time.
16. Kevin Willard - Maryland
After just one NCAA Tournament win in 12 seasons, things had run their course between Kevin Willard and Seton Hall. It was time for a fresh start, and that's when College Park came calling. Willard already has three tournament victories under his belt in as many seasons, and this group of players really seems to rally around his leadership. He has expressed some frustration with the program's leadership, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him somewhere else after this year concludes.
1. Kelvin Sampson - Houston
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No program in college basketball possesses the floor that Houston currently does under Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars should be reserved an automatic spot inside the preseason top ten each year that Sampson is on the sidelines. Six straight trips to the second weekend, including four conference titles and a Final Four over the past six seasons, is as accomplished as it gets, and he may be one of the best coaches the sport has ever seen without a national title to his name. We'll see if that changes in 2025.

Ranking the Sweet 16 Coaches in the NCAA Tournament

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