Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Ten Basketball: Ranking the head coaches for 2018-19

By Bryan Mauro

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 12: A general interior view of the empty court during the semifinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 12: A general interior view of the empty court during the semifinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 01: Head coach Pat Chambers of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second round of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 1, 2018 in New York City (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 01: Head coach Pat Chambers of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second round of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 1, 2018 in New York City (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

14. Pat Chambers

How can a coach who just had one of the better seasons in the history of the school be the worst coach in the Big Ten?  It has to do with everything that had been accomplished or yet to be accomplished in the previous years. Chambers did just lead his team to the NIT championship. The NIT championship team was the best team that he has had since he has been the head man in State College.

In his two head coaching jobs as a head coach, it has been a constant struggle for Chambers to field consistent teams. Boston University was the first school that employed Chambers. While at Boston, Chambers was able to guide his team to his lone NCAA tournament appearance as a head coach. His stint at Penn State has not gone nearly as well. Other than the NIT appearance last season, the Nittany Lions have a lone CBI tournament appearance in 2014. Other than that, Chambers has led them to zero postseason tournaments.

The Big Ten has not been kind to the Nittany Lions under Chambers. Even with the best season he experienced last year the Lions are still a grand total of 50 games under .500. The Nittany Lions have a combined record of 38-88 in the league and have had a few years in which they were dominated by most of the league. Chambers while struggling at his first major college job, and his overall losing record, suggest he may not be the right man for the job in State College.

Chambers was hired as the coach at Penn State after former coach Ed DeChellis left to go rebuild the Navy basketball program. The year DeChellis decided to leave he was able to guide Penn State to their first NCAA tournament in several years. Chambers took over the next year and is now entering his 8th season at the helm for the Lions. While the 7 previous years have been unsuccessful, one thing that Chambers has done, is help load the program with talent. He has started to get commitments from players from Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a tough place to recruit with all the tradition rich programs in that city. Even with the commitments from the kids from Philadelphia, if Chambers does not start winning games and make the NCAA tournament. It will be hard for the administration to convince anyone that he should continue to be the coach for Penn State.

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