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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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 21: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines (L) speaks to head coach of Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 21: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines (L) speaks to head coach of Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

12. Bruce Pearl (Auburn)

9 NCAA Tournaments (11-9)

Pearl won a D-2 title at Southern Indiana and took Milwaukee to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005. He also led Tennessee to six NCAA bids in six years before recruiting violations toppled his coaching career. He’s been back in the game at Auburn since 2014 and has completely rebuilt the Tigers’ basketball program, winning their first SEC Tournament in decades. Pearl is an excellent recruiter and motivator and he’ll have this Auburn team ready to play.

11. Rick Barnes (Tennessee)

23 NCAA Tournaments (22-23), 1 Final Four

Barnes built success at Providence and Clemson (3 NCAA bids at each school), before embarking on a long run at Texas. He took the Longhorns to the Final Four in 2003 and led them to the NCAA Tournament 16 times in 17 years. In just four seasons, he’s built the Volunteers into an SEC power, finishing in the top two each of the last two years. He has an impressive 690 wins and has shown that he can bring talent in regardless of where he coaches. His Volunteers were a top-ranked team earlier this year and Barnes is going to have them ready to make a deep run through the Tournament.

10. John Beilein (Michigan)

12 NCAA Tournaments (24-12), 2 Final Fours

Beilein took Canisius, Richmond, and West Virginia to the NCAA Tournament before embarking on a successful run with the Wolverines. He had Michigan in the title game in 2013 and 2018 and always has the Wolverines in a solid position come March. He’s led some successful players to Ann Arbor and he’s won two of the last three Big Ten Tournaments. More times than not, he’s going to coach his tail off and put his Wolverines in a position to win the game.

9. Jay Wright (Villanova)

15 NCAA Tournaments (27-13), 3 Final Fours, 2 National Titles

In the past three seasons, Wright has elevated this program higher than it has ever risen with a pair of national titles. He’s taken these Wildcats three times to the Final Four and his team has been top two in each of the first six years of the new Big East, an amazing 92-18 record in conference play. Wright has done a great job of bringing in talent and turning them into champions, but this year’s team has been just as an impressive. He lost most of the talent from last year’s title team, and yet they’ve won the Big East yet again. As long as Wright is at Villanova, this program will typically contend in the Big East, winning it more often than not.

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