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

By Joey Loose | Jul 16, 2020

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 21: Ivan Aurrecoechea #15 of the New Mexico State Aggies reacts during the second half against the Auburn Tigers in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 21, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WA – MARCH 22: Mike Wilkinson #54 of the Wisconsin Badgers grabs a rebound during the NCAA Tournament 2nd round game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /

5. John Phillips – Tulsa (2001-2004)

While Phillips didn’t spend a ton of time in the college game, his work with Tulsa was certainly worthy of praise. He spent nearly two decades at the high school level, while also serving as an assistant under Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State. He joined Bill Self’s staff at Tulsa, remained after his departure, and later became the head coach in 2001.

Phillips succeeded four coaches who had all departed for power conference jobs and initially maintained what these coaches had built with Tulsa. During each of his first two seasons, the Golden Hurricane made the NCAA Tournament and won their first-round games, upsetting 5-seed Marquette in 2002 and 4-seed Dayton in 2003. His first team also won the WAC regular-season title, though the success wouldn’t last.

Phillips resigned early into his fourth season after things really went south in his final year and a half in Tulsa. He hasn’t returned to collegiate coaching since but is clearly responsible for significant success for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since that 2003 upset and he did help Self coach them to the Elite Eight a few years before.