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NCAA Basketball: 10 best coaching performances from the 2017-18 season

By Tristan Freeman

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBIA, MO – DECEMBER 05: Head coach Cuonzo Martin of the Missouri Tigers coaches from the bench during the game against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Mizzou Arena on December 5, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO – DECEMBER 05: Head coach Cuonzo Martin of the Missouri Tigers coaches from the bench during the game against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Mizzou Arena on December 5, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

10. Rick Barnes – Tennessee Volunteers

2016-17 season record: 16-16 (8-10 in SEC)

2017-18 season record: 26-9 (13-5 in SEC)

The SEC may have gotten tougher as a whole, but so did the Vols, who returned much of their roster from a year ago, yet still took a giant leap to get back into the NCAA Tournament.

This was the third year for Rick Barnes at Tennessee, after previously amassing 402 wins with Texas in nearly two decades with the program. He hasn’t yet received commitments from the highly touted prospects, but Barnes has developed the lesser known recruits. That includes Grant Williams, the undersized power forward that won the SEC Player of the Year this year.

9. Cuonzo Martin – Missouri Tigers

2016-17 season record: 8-24 (2-16 in SEC under Kim Anderson)

2017-18 season record: 20-13 (10-8 in SEC under Cuonzo Martin)

After his first year at Missouri State, each of Martin’s teams has been over .500, with a couple of them making the NCAA Tournament. But despite his ability to recruit, he has had a few teams underperform based on preseason expectations.

This year was different, with the Tigers having to change everything after their best player Michael Porter Jr. went down for most of the season with an injury. Missouri somehow was still able to make the NCAA Tournament, making this the best coaching job of Martin’s career.

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