Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: A look at current coaching changes through Mid-March

By Daniel Benjamin

LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 21: Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals and John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats talk before the game at KFC YUM! Center on December 21, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 21: Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals and John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats talk before the game at KFC YUM! Center on December 21, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 12: Walter McCarty the head coach of the Evansville Aces (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 12: Walter McCarty the head coach of the Evansville Aces (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

While it is only Mid-March, there already have been 15 NCAA Basketball coaching changes. Here is an early look at who has filled the spots and potential candidates for the unfilled openings.

Tis the season to firings in NCAA Basketball. With the college basketball campaign having finished a little before normal due to the Coronavirus, schools have gotten an early start on their plans of making coaching changes or not. While there have already been 16 coaching changes, there has yet to be a high-major opening. UIC’s Steve McClain, Grand Canyon Dan Majerle, and Western Michigan’s Steve Hawkins were the latest coaches to lose their jobs (March 13). It is very many more changes are likely to come.

One of vacancy that won’t come to fruition is at Clemson as the University announced that Brad Brownell will return for his 11th campaign.

Four or five of the current vacancies, depending on what IUPUI ultimately decides to do with interim coach Byron Rim II, have already filled following the appointments of Rick Pitino at Iona and Takayo Siddle at UNC Wilmington.

Air Force: Out Dave Pilipovich  In: TBD

Air Force has decided not to bring Dave Pilipovich back after 13 seasons with the program, including eight-plus as head coach. The Falcons went 12-20 this past season, which includes posting a 5-13 record and a ninth-place finish in the Mountain West. It was the seventh straight losing season and the sixth time that the Falcons have finished either ninth or tenth in conference play. The 56-year-old finished with a 110-151 record as well as 50-100 in the conference. The Air Force did not make the NCAA Tournament or NIT though they did make one appearance in the CBI.

Possible candidates: Air Force assistant coach Kurt Kanaskie, San Jose State head coach Jean Prioleau, Fresno State’s head coach Justin Hutson, former Wyoming head coach Allen Edwards, and New Mexico head coach Paul Weir.

Central Arkansas: Out: Russ Pennell  In: Anthony Boone

Russ Pennell and Central Arkansas agreed to mutually ways on Jan. 7. Pennell, who was in his sixth season with the Bears with a 1-8 record when he took a leave of absence for personal reason, posted a 50-116 record overall. While the 59-year-old led Central Arkansas to a CBI appearance in 2017-18, the Bears did not finish better than seventh place in the Southland during his tenure.

Anthony Boone, a long-time DI assistant, took over for Pennell during his leave absence and will continue in that role for the foreseeable future. Boone led the Bears to a 9-13 record as the team finished in ninth place at 11-21 overall.

Evansville: Out: Walter McCarty In: Todd Lickliter

Evansville fired Walter McCarty following an investigation over sexual misconduct allegations on Jan. 22. McCarty was placed on administrative leave in late December. The Purple Aces hired the former NBA player in 2018 after many years as an assistant at Louisville and in the NBA. The Aces were 9-4 this year, including a huge upset victory over Kentucky, and posted a 20-25 record overall under the 46-year-old.

Todd Lickliter, who served one season as an assistant to McCarty, came out of retirement and was named head coach after the official firing of McCarty. The Purple Aces were 9-10 when Lickliter took over the program and promptly went on to lose the next 13 games to finish at 9-23 for the campaign. Lickliter is a veteran head coach, having been in the lead chair at Butler and Iowa as well as NAIA Marian. The 64-year-old went a combined 169-119 in nine seasons at Butler and Iowa, which included two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances while reaching the postseason four times overall.

Home/NCAA Basketball News