NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 364 D-I head coaches for 2024-25 season

30. Buzz Williams (Texas A&M) (Last year: 29)

Overall record: 350-217

Williams is a native Texan who’s done fantastic work at nearly every stop of his coaching career. After several stints as an assistant, he had a brief head coaching debut at New Orleans before catching on at Marquette. Williams led the Golden Eagles to an Elite Eight and other postseason success before taking Virginia Tech to their first ever Sweet Sixteen. He’d return to his home state by taking over Texas A&M in 2019 and has again built consistency. His Aggies made a second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament this past season, nearly scoring a major upset in the second round.

29. T. J. Otzelberger (Iowa State) (Last year: 46)

Overall record: 169-98

Monumental in recent years, Otzelberger has clearly gotten his young head coaching career off to a hot start. A former high school coach, he was an assistant for multiple schools, including stints under three coaches at Iowa State, before South Dakota State handed him his first head coaching gig. Otzelberger showed promise both with those Jackrabbits and in a briefer run at UNLV before returning to Iowa State as head coach in 2021. Inheriting a broken 2-win program, Otzelberger has led the Cyclones to a pair of Sweet Sixteen runs in his first three seasons, including last year’s Big 12 Tournament title.

28. Jon Scheyer (Duke) (Last year: 36)

Overall record: 54-18

Now two years into his efforts in succeeding Mike Krzyzewski, Scheyer is starting to solidify himself in the college basketball world. He starred for the Blue Devils back in the late 2000’s and was part of that Duke squad that won the national title in 2010. Scheyer would join the Duke staff a few years later after a brief playing career, claiming another title as an assistant coach. When Coach K retired in 2022, Scheyer was given the top job, and the Blue Devils haven’t really missed a beat. The recruiting remains on par, while Duke won the ACC Tournament in his first season and made the Elite Eight last year.

27. Hubert Davis (North Carolina) (Last year: 42)

Overall record: 78-31
Final Four in 2022

Replacing a legend is never easy, though Davis has done a pretty solid job since accepting that role. A former Tar Heel guard from the early 90’s, Davis played twelve years in the NBA and was an analyst for several years after his retirement. His coaching career only started when he joined Roy Williams’ staff in 2012, serving as his assistant until Williams retired in 2021. Davis led North Carolina to the national title game in his debut, underachieved at a major scale in his second season, and is fresh off a more complete effort, taking North Carolina to a regular season title and Sweet Sixteen run.

26. Thad Matta (Butler) (Last year: 21)

Overall record: 471-187

Final Four in 2007, 2012

Including his playing career, this is Matta’s fourth stint at Butler, and his second as the program’s head coach. He began his head coaching career with gusto with these Bulldogs before jumping to Xavier and later Ohio State. Matta took the Buckeyes to more than a dozen NCAA Tournament wins, including a pair of Final Fours before opting to step away in 2017. Five years later he was back as a head coach and is still working to turn things around at his alma mater, with last year’s 18-win result a decent effort.