Horizon League Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

By Joey Loose | Jun 9, 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 26: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Butler Bulldogs celebrates with his team after they defeated the Florida Gators 74 to 71 in overtime during the Southeast regional final of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at New Orleans Arena on March 26, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Todd Lickliter (Photo by: Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

3. Horizon League Basketball rankings – Todd Lickliter (Butler, 2001-2007)

A former Butler player and assistant, Lickliter accepted the job to succeed Thad Matta in 2001. While Lickliter had helped Matta build an impressive roster with the Bulldogs, it was Lickliter who helped take them to the next level in the coming years, beginning the upward trajectory of this program.

Lickliter’s Bulldogs not only made the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2007 but made runs to the Sweet Sixteen in both seasons, first as a 12-seed and then as a 5-seed. Lickliter also led the Bulldogs to three Horizon League regular-season titles and a total of 131 wins in his six seasons in charge. The program had been trending upwards for the last few years under Barry Collier and Matta, but it was Lickliter’s teams that really took charge towards postseason success.

Iowa came calling in 2007, but Lickliter struggled mightily in the Big Ten, lasting only three seasons. He recently became head coach at Evansville, but there is plenty of work to make the Purple Aces an MVC contender again. Regardless of those struggles, Lickliter was the latest in a line of coaches that helped put Butler on the map. However, we all know his successor as the one who really finished the job.