NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 358 D-I head coaches for 2021-22 season

50. Craig Smith (Utah) (Last year: 66)

• Overall record: 153-79

These last few seasons have been fantastic for Smith, who takes over at Utah this season. A successful coach at several schools, mostly under Tim Miles, his first D1 head coaching job involved a solid turnaround at South Dakota. Smith spent the last three years leading Utah State to profound success, with a 74-24 record and a pair of NCAA Tournaments. Can he replicate these turnarounds at a decent Pac-12 school?

49. Bob McKillop (Davidson) (Last year: 56)

• Overall record: 607-373

McKillop was a successful high school coach when Davidson hired him as head coach in 1989, a move they certainly do not regret. McKillop has led Davidson to nine NCAA Tournaments, a slew of other tournament bids, and just continues to win games at a high level. He made that Elite Eight run in 2008 with Stephen Curry and has done a fantastic job making this a top-level team since joining the A-10.

48. Josh Pastner (Georgia Tech) (Last year: 63)

• Overall record: 249-149

Last year was very good for Pastner. He succeeded John Calipari at Memphis and was decent, leading the Tigers to four NCAA Tournaments before heading to Georgia Tech in 2016. He nearly won the NIT in his first season, but this past year’s ACC Tournament title and return to the NCAA Tournament was clearly his best work with the Yellow Jackets. Either way, two straight top 5 ACC finishes is nothing to snuff at for this program.

47. Mike Anderson (St. John’s) (Last year: 60)

• Overall record: 402-226

Anderson has had quite the successful coaching journey. It all started with a long run of success as a player and assistant under Nolan Richardson, helping him lead Arkansas to that national title in 1994. Time has seen him run his own programs, with success at UAB (2004 Sweet Sixteen), Missouri (2009 Elite Eight), and Arkansas, before landing with St. John’s two years ago. Last season was a big step forward with a 4th place Big East finish and it might just be the start for the Red Storm.

46. Rick Stansbury (Western Kentucky) (Last year: 54)

• Overall record: 396-226

One of the game’s finest recruiters, Stansbury came into attention after two decades at Mississippi State, including 14 as the Bulldog’s head coach. Six NCAA Tournaments followed, and now Stansbury has landed at Western Kentucky. He hasn’t yet led the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Tournament, but he enters his sixth season having won at least 20 games in three straight years and putting this program back on the map with recent success, both on and off the court.

45. Kermit Davis (Mississippi) (Last year: 49)

• Overall record: 454-280

Davis came to Ole Miss in 2018 with plenty of coaching experience already under his belt. He’d been head coach at Idaho, Texas A&M, and Idaho again before a long run of success, winning a pair of first-round NCAA Tournament games at Middle Tennessee. He led the Rebels to the NCAA Tournament in his first season and made quite an impression, while this year’s 16-12 finish was certainly a solid effort.

44. Brad Brownell (Clemson) (Last year: 50)

• Overall record: 368-235

In a coaching career that’s been up and down, this past year was a good season for Brownell and his Tigers. He had previous success in head coaching stints at UNC Wilmington and Wright State before going to Clemson in 2010. A Sweet Sixteen in 2018 has been Brownell’s best season, but this past year marked a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Clemson had a good year in the ACC, but will this success continue?

43. Tubby Smith (High Point) (Last year: 43)

• Overall record: 631-355
• Final Four in 1998
• National championship in 1998

A rarity in many ways, Smith begins his fourth season at High Point, which is not only his alma mater but his seventh D1 head coaching job. Among the highlights were a national title at Kentucky, and varying levels of success with Tulsa, Georgia, Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Memphis. His Panthers have been up and down while trying to build a Big South contender, with this year’s 8th place finish more of a down year.

42. Randy Bennett (Saint Mary’s) (Last year: 42)

• Overall record: 454-192

After coaching at many different colleges, mostly on the west coast, Bennett landed at Saint Mary’s in 2001 and has made quite a home with the Gaels. His two decades have been extremely successful, mostly as the second-best team in the WCC behind Gonzaga. He’s taken Saint Mary’s to seven NCAA Tournaments, seven NIT’s, and has a real winning machine on his hands, even if last season was a relative disappointment at just 7th place in the WCC.

41. Frank Martin (South Carolina) (Last year: 39)

• Overall record: 270-188
• Final Four in 2017

Martin enters his tenth season leading South Carolina, though the highlight of his coaching career remains clear. He took Kansas State to an Elite Eight among a slew of success coaching the Wildcats, but it was the Final Four run in 2017 with these Gamecocks that really stands out on his resume. After a few solid seasons in the SEC, last year was a step back, finishing 12th in the conference.