Ranking The Coaches Of the 2017 Sweet Sixteen

The Sweet 16 gets underway Thursday night and the lack of big-time upsets has put a ton of elite coaches into the regional semifinals. There are some amazing coaching clashes slated for this week’s games and it should be thrilling to watch these teams and their leaders attempt to outduel one another.

With that in mind, we ranked the coaches remaining in the tournament. This was an incredibly difficult exercise because there are so many good coaches left. We leaned heavily on track record and tournament performance in making this list, because in the end the goal of every coach is to win a national championship. You can’t do that without winning on the biggest stage.

16. Mike White, Florida

Again, this isn’t a knock on White, who has done a fine job at Florida in his first two seasons. But this is his first trip to the NCAA Tournament, while the rest of these guys have track records. So while I like what White has shown so far, he’s here because of his lack of experience.

White is in his second season with the Gators after four years at Louisiana Tech. He had a stellar 101-40 record (.716 winning percentage) with the Bulldogs, and is 47-23 at Florida (.671). The 40-year-old is certainly an up-and-comer in the coaching world and could jump halfway up this list depending on how the Gators do this weekend.

15. Matt Painter, Purdue

Painter’s tenure at Purdue has been wildly up and down, but he seems to have dialed in the right number this year. The Boilers won the Big Ten title outright, and are in the Sweet 16 for the first time in seven years. That’s where the problem comes in.

Painter has never taken a team past the Sweet 16, and in his 12 years at Purdue, he’s overseen four second round exits, and the Boilers were out in the first round in each of the past two seasons. His coaching decisions in key situations have often left a lot to be desired and he almost authored a crazy meltdown against Iowa State Saturday night. Overall he boasts a record of 10-9 in the NCAA Tournament.

Painter is a solid coach and has had plenty of regular season success. Now he needs to prove it in the tournament.

14. Steve Alford, UCLA

In 22 years of coaching at the Division I level, Alford has been in the NCAA Tournament just 10 times and is only in his fourth Sweet 16. His teams have never gone beyond this point. Yes, he has UCLA in its third Sweet 16 during his four years in Westwood, but given the talent he’s had to work with, anything less would have been a massive failure. Last year the Bruins failed to even make any postseason tournament with a ton of high-level players. There’s a reason UCLA fans wanted him fired after the season. Overall he has an NCAA Tournament record of 11-10.

This year, Alford has leaned heavily on the freshman duo of Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf to lead the Bruins. It’s worked, but it’s still hard for me to laud Alford as a coach. In 12 years of major conference basketball (at Iowa and UCLA) he has never won a conference title and he’s missed the tournament six times.

He might finally get past the Sweet 16 this year, but anything less than a Final Four appearance with his current squad would be a disappointment.

13. Greg Gard, Wisconsin

Putting Gard this high has a lot to do with the fact that he’s been at Wisconsin since 2008 and was a huge part of Bo Ryan’s success, while acting as his top assistant. Since taking over from Ryan in the middle of last season Gard has a 42-17 record (.712) and is in his second Sweet 16.

The Badgers took out No. 1 overall seed Villanova over the weekend despite being the eighth seed in the East Region. What makes them so difficult to face is that they never get rattled and play the same way no matter their opponent. Gard’s cool sideline demeanor and wealth of experience watching Ryan work has clearly informed the way he coaches. Wisconsin is a dangerous team at any time, and Gard’s coaching has a lot to do with that.

12. Chris Holtmann, Butler

Holtmann has done wonders at Butler in his three seasons there. He’s posted a 70-30 record (.700) and has reached the NCAA Tournament each year. This year’s squad is the first that truly seems to have taken on his personality, and it has gone 25-8, beat Villanova twice and managed to reach the Sweet 16.

While Holtmann also doesn’t have the tournament experience of others on this list, his coaching style sets things up to win in March. The Bulldogs play defense (43rd in defensive efficiency on Ken Pom) and are efficient offensively (21st), while slowing the tempo (289th).

Putting Holtmann this high is a reflection of what he’s done considering what he’s working with at Butler.

11. Dana Altman, Oregon

Altman is in his seventh season at Oregon and has produced back-to-back Pac-12 titles, and led the Ducks to a 31-7 record and the Elite Eight last season. This year, he has them at 31-5 and back in the Sweet 16. He has steadily built Oregon into a power, and this is his fifth straight year in the tournament and third time in the Sweet 16. His overall record with the Ducks is 185-69 (.728), which is outstanding. He’s also 9-4 in the NCAA Tournament since arriving in Eugene.

Before taking the Oregon job, Altman spent 16 years at Creighton and built the Bluejays into a solid mid-major. They were a perennial contender in the Missouri Valley Conference and reached the NCAA Tournament seven times in his final 11 years in Omaha. He has been continuously employed as a head coach since 1989, with stops at Marshall and Kansas State before Creighton.

Altman has taken non-traditional powers to impressive heights by building slowly. He’s won five regular season conference titles and eight conference tournament championships, while also taking home Conference Coach of the Year awards seven times across four different conferences.

10. Frank Martin, South Carolina

After five seasons at Kansas State, Martin was hired to turn around a mess of a program at South Carolina in 2012. He’s done a phenomenal job getting the Gamecocks on track. After three rough seasons, Martin and his team have posted a 49-19 record over the last two years and earned the school’s first NCAA Tournament win since 1973. It’s also South Carolina’s first-ever appearance in the Sweet 16.

At Kansas State, Martin took his team to the tournament in four out of five seasons, posted a record of 117-54 (.684) and reached the Elite Eight in 2010.

Martin’s teams are heavy on defensive discipline and South Carolina ranks fourth in defensive efficiency on Ken Pom this season. Considering Martin was once a bouncer at a nightclub, that style fits his personality. He’s tough, hard-nosed and his teams fight to the wire, regardless of their talent level. He’s one of the most underrated coaches in the country.

9. Scott Drew, Baylor

In 2003, Drew took over a Baylor program in turmoil after Dave Bliss’ horrific tenure in charge. It took him four years, but he finally built the Bears into a solid program, and reached his first NCAA Tournament in 2008. Since then, Baylor has been a fixture on the national stage, as Drew has guided his team to the Elite Eight twice, and is in the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in eight seasons.

The Bears use a balance of a high-powered offense and efficient defense to get things done. This year they rank 20th in offensive efficiency and 14th on the defensive side of things, while moving away from the traditional zone defense that has been part of their recent history, and incorporating more man-to-man. That’s impressive. Baylor attacks the rim and scores loads of points in the paint (45.0 per game), which is always a recipe for wins.

Drew is just 46 years old and owns a 10-6 record in the NCAA Tournament, while also going 9-2 in the NIT. Clearly he knows how to win in the postseason.

8. Bob Huggins, West Virginia

It seems like the 63-year-old Huggins has been around forever, and the numbers seem to back that up. He has a career coaching record of 813-328 (.713), has been to the Final Four twice, won four conference Coach of the Year awards, nine conference tournaments and 11 regular season titles at five schools over 35 years. That’s one hell of a resume.

Huggins is in his 10th season at his alma mater, and has taken the Mountaineers to the tournament on eight occasions and has them in the Sweet 16 for the fourth time. His high-tempo, pressing style depends heavily on getting the right personnel in place. This season he has it, as West Virginia averaged 82.1 points per game, while allowing just 66.8. The Mountaineers also rank 25th in offensive efficiency and fifth in defensive efficiency.

While Huggins’ exit from Cincinnati was controversial and his methods have been questioned over the years, there is no doubting his coaching ability. The man wins and wins big wherever he goes.

7. John Beilein, Michigan

The man Huggins replaced at West Virginia has his new team rolling, as the Wolverines might be the hottest team in the country. Beilein is in his 10th year at Michigan, has reached the NCAA Tournament seven times while in Ann Arbor and last year was the only time his team was out in the first round. The Wolverines were national runners-up in 2013, reached the Elite Eight in 2014 and are back in the Sweet 16 this year.

Beilein is a three-time conference coach of the year and has won four regular season conference titles at five different coaching stops. In five seasons at West Virginia, he reached an Elite Eight and a Sweet 16, and won the NIT in 2007. His 104-60 (.634) record  was outstanding for a program that hadn’t done much in the years before his arrival.

Beilein has accomplished more with less than most coaches over the years, and he has Michigan firing on all cylinders this season. The Wolverines rank third in offensive efficiency nationally and are a veteran team that has finally grown into its talent level. Beilein is 215-134 (.616) at Michigan, while winning two conference titles and a conference tournament championship. He holds a 19-10 overall ecord in the NCAA Tournament and, thanks to the job he’s done this season, appears to finally be getting the national recognition he deserves.

6. Chris Mack, Xavier

Xavier has long had a fantastic basketball program and Mack has more than carried on that tradition in his seven years at the school. He won two Atlantic 10 regular season titles and was the conference coach of the year in 2011 and has consistently produced since the Musketeers moved to the Big East.

Mack has taken his team to the tournament in six of his seven seasons as a head coach, and is now in his fourth Sweet 16. That is remarkable given the lack of overall resources available at a small school like Xavier.

He has a 186-90 (.674) record, and is 9-6 in the NCAA Tournament. The 47-year-old coach has done a fantastic job at his alma mater and could be in line for a big-time job if he wanted one. While he looks decidedly like a certain house-elf, don’t fool yourself, he’s one of the nation’s best coaches.

5. Mark Few, Gonzaga

What Mark Few has done during his 18 seasons at Gonzaga has been absolutely remarkable. He has an incredible record of 500-112 (.817), has won 16 West Coast Conference championships, 14 WCC Tournament titles, and has been the conference’s coach of the year a ridiculous 11 times. Oh, and the Bulldogs have never failed to make the tournament during his entire tenure.

The only thing missing from Few’s impressive list of accomplishments is an NCAA title, but he’s also never reached the Final Four. He’s been to the second round 15 times in 18 tournament appearances, and has seven Sweet 16s on his resume, but just one trip to the Elite Eight and nothing beyond that.

Overall, his record in the tournament is decent (23-17), but at some point he needs to break through that wall. This may be the year he finally does it.

Ken Pom has Gonzaga as its top team, and ranks it 12th in offensive efficiency and first in defensive efficiency. Certainly the numbers are there for the Zags — who are the West’s No. 1 seed — to finally get over the hump. If they do, maybe Few will finally get mentioned among the best in the business.

4. Sean Miller, Arizona

Like Few, Miller has yet to break through to the Final Four, but that shouldn’t completely overshadow his accomplishments. In eight years at Arizona the 48-year-old has posted a 220-65 (.772) record, won four Pac-12 regular season titles and two conference tournament championships, while reaching the NCAA Tournament six times. The Wildcats have reached the Sweet 16 five times during Miller’s tenure, and boast three Elite Eight appearances as well.

Before arriving in Tucson, Miller preceded Mack at Xavier, where he made two Sweet 16 runs and reached the Elite Eight in 2008. He also won three Atlantic 10 regular seasons titles.

Miller’s NCAA Tournament record of 19-9 is excellent, as is his overall career record of 340-112 (.752). This year he has a young Arizona team playing incredibly well. The Wildcats are 17th in offensive efficiency and 24th on the defensive side. If his youthful team can keep its head, this could finally be the year he takes Arizona beyond a regional final.

3. Bill Self, Kansas

It’s hard not to be wildly impressed with what Bill Self has done at Kansas. Sure, he’s had some notable tournament failures, but virtually every coach in the country would kill a family member to get his resume. In 14 seasons in Lawrence, Self has led the Jayhawks to 13 conference titles. They have also won seven Big 12 Tournament championships as well, while he has been conference coach of the year five times, and national coach of the year twice. His record since taking the Kansas job is an incredible 413-85 (.829).

Self led the Jayhawks to a national title in 2008 (thanks Mario Chalmers!) and they were national runners-up in 2012, but he has failed to reach the Final Four other than those two appearances. Under his direction, Kansas has reached six Elite Eights and 11 Sweet 16s, but they have also been eliminated in the second round three times and the first round twice. Self also had one Elite Eight and another Sweet 16 appearance in three years at Illinois, and he took Tulsa to the Elite Eight in 2000.

Self’s overall tournament record is 42-17, which is fantastic. The problem is people expect more when you’re constantly dominating the regular season. Still, questioning his level of success is pretty absurd.

2. John Calipari, Kentucky

Plenty of people have plenty of problems when it comes to how Calipari handles himself, but you can’t question his success. And that’s coming from an Indiana alum about the guy who coaches my alma mater’s biggest rival.

Since arriving at Kentucky, Calipari has turned the Wildcats into a juggernaut, winning five SEC titles, and reaching four Final Fours and an Elite Eight in just eight seasons. He won a national title in 2011, guided the Cats to a runner-up finish in 2014 and reached the Elite Eight in 2010. Since arriving in Lexington, he’s posted a 248-52 (.827) record. You’ll notice I haven’t touted his success at UMass or Memphis, that’s mostly because the NCAA frowned upon some of what went on there. He’s the only coach in NCAA history to have Final Four appearances vacated at two different schools.

Leaving Memphis and UMass to the side and concentrating just on his exploits at Kentucky puts Calipari in elite company. He’s 25-5 in the NCAA Tournament with the Wildcats, and his four trips to the Final Four in the span of five seasons from 2010-2015 was remarkable. The guy gets great talent and get them to play together successfully. That’s no small feat.

1. Roy Williams, North Carolina

After a wildly successful run at Kansas from 1988 to 2003, Williams returned to his alma mater and elevated his stock even further. In his 14 seasons leading the Tar Heels, Williams has posted a 394-115 (.775) record, won eight ACC regular season titles, three ACC Tournament championships, two conference coach of the year awards and brought home two national titles. He’s taken North Carolina to the Sweet 16 nine times in that span, been to the Elite Eight seven times and reached the Final Four on four occasions. That’s a ridiculous level of success.

When factoring in his 15 season at Kansas, Williams has led his teams to eight Final Fours, 17 regular season conference titles and has been to the NCAA Championship game five times. His career record of 812-216 (.790) is among the best ever, and at North Carolina he’s posted a 37-10 record in the NCAA Tournament.

Williams has always had talent, but he’s done an incredible job at turning that potential into successful runs. This year he has yet another great team assembled and could be looking at a deep run once again. He’s the best coach left in the field and there’s no arguing his track record and what he can do in the tournament.