With just three weeks left in the season, here’s our latest look at the Coach of the Year rankings in college basketball:
- Fran McCaffery, Iowa Hawkeyes: McCaffery’s Hawkeyes were an afterthought coming into this season, not on the radar for most folks as a team that could step into the Big 10 and readily compete for a title. Many thought that the conference had its pecking order already sorted out. Boy, were we all wrong. Iowa looks like a team that can threaten the field with a Final Four run. Plus, he hasn’t even had to go after any broadcasters this season!
- Jay Wright, Villanova Wildcats: We thought Villanova would be good, sure. But many predicted someone like Providence to knock them off of their pedestal in the Big East and for ‘Nova to take a step back this season. Not so fast, my friend. The Wildcats are poised to grab yet another No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- Chris Mack, Xavier Musketeers: A team that wasn’t even in the preseason AP Top 25 has spent much of this season in the top ten of that same poll. Mack has built himself a talented and balanced roster that is challenging for the Big East’s top spot while also making people wonder what it would look like to have Xavier in the Final Four. It’s a real possibility this season.
- Bob Huggins, West Virginia Mountaineers: Huggy Bear should have to keep surprising us. Really, we should see this kind of thing coming from him. But nonetheless, the Mountaineers spent all offseason as an afterthought, once again, when it came to the Big 12. Now? They’re nipping at Kansas’ heels for a title.
- Archie Miller, Dayton Flyers: Another year of injuries and disciplinary concerns, another year where Miller simply wins all the games. They’ve cracked the top 15 in the AP poll and sit atop the standings in the Atlantic 10 once again. The question now is, can this team go from the hunter to the hunted come NCAA Tournament time?
