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NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 68 head coaches in 2021 NCAA Tournament

By Joey Loose

Dec 26, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few(left) speakes with Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett before the game at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few(left) speakes with Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett before the game at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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GCU’s head coach Bryce Drew NCAA Basketball Nmsu Gcu 20
GCU’s head coach Bryce Drew NCAA Basketball Nmsu Gcu 20 /

44. Pat Kelsey (Winthrop)

1 NCAA Tournament (0-1)

For the second year in a row, Kelsey and the Eagles have won the Big South Tournament, but this time they actually get to the Big Dance. Kelsey has turned Winthrop back into the best program in the conference and may have earned his shot at a higher-profile job very soon. For now, his Eagles put together a 23-1 season, and the former Wake Forest and Xavier assistant will present quite the challenge this coming week.

43. Bryce Drew (Grand Canyon)

3 NCAA Tournaments (0-3)

It seems like just yesterday that Drew hit the game-winning shot and led Valparaiso to the Sweet Sixteen, but now he’s leading his third different program to the NCAA Tournament. He had great success leading his alma mater before his time at Vanderbilt ended in struggle. Now, he’s led Grand Canyon to their first NCAA Tournament in his first season leading the Antelopes, a certain sign that there are still bright days ahead in his coaching career.

42. Mark Pope (BYU)

0 NCAA Tournaments

This is the NCAA Tournament debut for Pope as a head coach, but it’s certainly not the beginning of his success. Prior to taking the BYU job two seasons ago, he built real success in a great turnaround for Utah Valley. His two seasons with the Cougars have been outstanding and his team would have Danced last season had it not been canceled. He’s 44-14 while playing second fiddle to Gonzaga in the WCC, but that doesn’t mean Pope isn’t a fantastic coach with a bright future ahead.

41. Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State)

4 NCAA Tournaments (0-4)

When Oregon State was predicted to finish dead last in the Pac-12, many figured this could be the end of the line for Tinkle. The man who led Montana to three NCAA Tournaments broke a near three-decade drought with a bid for the Beavers back in 2016, but little had happened since. Despite that last place prediction, his Beavers won the Pac-12 Tournament in a certain surprise and find themselves dancing once more.

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