Busting Brackets
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2019 NCAA Tournament: Ranking all 68 head coaches in the Big Dance

By Joey Loose

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands before North Carolina's game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 27, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands before North Carolina's game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 27, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images) /
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MANHATTAN, KS – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Bruce Weber of the Kansas State Wildcats calls out instructions against the Denver Pioneers during the first half on November 12, 2018 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
MANHATTAN, KS – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Bruce Weber of the Kansas State Wildcats calls out instructions against the Denver Pioneers during the first half on November 12, 2018 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

20. Chris Mack (Louisville)

8 NCAA Tournaments (11-8)

Mack took Xavier to the NCAA Tournament in all but one of his 9 years with the Musketeers and he’s already got his Cardinals dancing in his debut season. He’s cleaning up the mess left behind by Rick Pitino’s scandals and rebuilding the program quite well. He took Xavier to three Sweet Sixteens and an Elite Eight, elevating the program to the Big East. He has an impressive body of work and will only continue to build his impressive resume with more years with Louisville.

19. Bruce Weber (Kansas State)

12 NCAA Tournaments (15-12), 1 Final Four

After building success at Southern Illinois, Weber rose to fame by leading Illinois to the national title game in 2005. His time with the Illini flickered out, but he’s now taking Kansas State to a fifth NCAA Tournament in seven seasons. Last year, he took these Wildcats to the Elite Eight as a 9-seed and could have this team in the same position once more. Weber gets criticism for winning with other coaches’ players but he’s recruited a talented team in Manhattan and this just might be his best coaching effort since that 2005 season.

18. Eric Musselman (Nevada)

2 NCAA Tournaments (2-2)

A former NBA head coach, Musselman inherited a Wolf Pack team that went 36-58 in the three seasons prior to his arrival. Now in year four in Reno, Musselman is 110-33 and took the Wolf Pack to the Sweet Sixteen last season. They’ve been upset in the MWC Tournament the last two years, but this is a loaded lineup and Musselman is one of the best coaches in the country at rebuilding his team through transfers.

17. Chris Holtmann (Ohio State)

4 NCAA Tournaments (5-4)

Holtmann built a solid foundation at Gardner-Webb and had success at Butler before Ohio State hired him in 2017. He’s headed to his fifth straight NCAA Tournament and he won at least one game in each of the first four appearances. Holtmann is a really underrated coach who did extraordinary stuff in this first season in Columbus. This past year has been less fruitful, but he’ll have this Buckeyes humming just as well as Thad Matta had.

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