Humble Pie: Will Memphis' Loss to Christian Brothers Send Tigers to Hell?

"I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps." - Mahatma Gandhi

An exhibition game setback for Memphis against local Division II institution Christian Brothers was a generous dose of humility for the Tigers and coach Josh Pastner. But they can take some comfort from the fact that the inexplicable defeat won't formally count against their record. Tom Izzo-coached Michigan State (Grand Valley State MI prior to start of 2007-08 campaign) and Jim Boeheim-coached Syracuse (LeMoyne NY in 2009-10) each incurred the ignominy of succumbing against a small-school opponent in an exhibition contest before reaching an NCAA playoff regional semifinal by season's end. In 2010-11, Xavier participated in the NCAA tourney after bowing to Bellarmine KY. Actually, Pastner is in good company among mentors exposed to the humility described in Gandhi's quote.

Many of the biggest names in college coaching history had to recover from embarrassing defeats that aren't cited on their otherwise mostly-regal resumes. For instance, there are numerous mentors who captured NCAA championships despite losing to a small school at some point in their careers - Phog Allen (lost to Emporia State), Jim Calhoun (American International, Assumption, Brandeis, Bridgeport, Florida Southern, Merrimack, St. Anselm, Stonehill and Tufts), John Calipari (Florida Tech and Lowell), Denny Crum (Chaminade), Jim Harrick (Abilene Christian), Don Haskins (Louisiana College), Hank Iba (Abilene Christian and Westminster), George Ireland (Regis), Doggie Julian (Amherst, Colby, St. Anselm, St. Michael's, Springfield, Tampa and Williams), Mike Krzyzewski (King's, Scranton and SUNY-Buffalo), Rollie Massimino (New Orleans and Philadelphia Textile), Al McGuire (Evansville and Washington MO), Rick Pitino (Adelphi), Nolan Richardson Jr. (American-Puerto Rico), Norman Sloan (Presbyterian), John Thompson Jr. (Assumption, Gannon, Randolph-Macon and Roanoke) and Jim Valvano (Armstrong State, Bloomsburg, Gannon, Tampa and Wilkes).

Another power conference reversal in exhibition play this season was Texas Tech against Texas A&M-Commerce. In 2003-04, CBC defeated a DI university (Troy State) during the regular season. Kansas' Bill Self lost 18 consecutive contests bridging the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons with Oral Roberts but at least he didn't lose a decision to a non-Division I institution. The following alphabetical list "retraces steps" of prominent coaches like former national COY Frank Haith this season who lost games to non-Division I colleges during their major-college careers: