Remember Me? X Marked First Spot for Sean Miller in NCAA Tournament

March 18th, 2015 - 22:10

X marked the first head coaching spot for Sean Miller when he directed Xavier for five seasons from 2004-05 through 2008-09 before leaving with nine years remaining on a contract to join Arizona. Miller, who guided the Musketeers to a regional semifinal each of his last two campaigns with them, will oppose his old stomping grounds in the West Regional after taking the Wildcats that far for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Earlier, the South Regional opening-round opponent for SMU coach Larry Brown was UCLA, a school he guided to the NCAA Tournament championship contest in 1980 and 5-2 playoff mark overall. The Mustangs needed to reach this year's title tilt for Brown to meet Kansas, a school he directed to the NCAA crown in 1988 and 14-4 playoff record.

Brown, losing to the Bruins despite a 19-0 second-half run, would have needed to capture the national title again with a victory against KU to join Norm Sloan as the only coach ever to post an NCAA playoff victory against a school he previously guided to the national championship. Sloan was Florida's mentor in 1987 when the Gators notched an 82-70 first-round triumph over North Carolina State, the institution he took to the 1974 title.

Gene Bartow is the only individual to oppose two different schools in the playoffs he previously coached to the Final Four (UAB lost against Memphis State in 1985 and UCLA in 1990). North Carolina's Roy Williams lost three times by double-digit margins against Kansas in a six-year span from 2008 through 2013 after taking the Jayhawks to the Final Four on four occasions (1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003).

Lute Olson is the only coach to twice defeat the same school he previously took to the NCAA playoffs (Arizona beat Iowa in 1988 and 1996). Brown and Miller are the 15th and 16th different bench bosses on the following chronological list of "muscle-memory" mentors who opposed a school in the NCAA Tournament they previously directed in the playoffs:

Tourney Coach School Playoff Round Foe Previously Took to NCAA Playoffs Tournament Career Summary
Ben Carnevale Navy 1959 First Round W vs. North Carolina, 76-63 Carnevale compiled 2-1 mark in NCAA playoffs with Tar Heels in 1946 before going 4-6 with Midshipmen (1947-53-54-59-60).
Frank McGuire South Carolina 1972 Regional Semifinal L vs. North Carolina, 92-69 McGuire was 5-1 with Tar Heels in 1957 and 1959 before going 4-5 with Gamecocks (1971 through 1974).
Gene Bartow UAB 1985 Second Round L vs. Memphis State, 67-66 Bartow was 3-1 with Tigers in 1973 before going 6-9 with Blazers (1981-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94).
Johnny Orr Iowa State 1986 Second Round W vs. Michigan, 72-69 Orr was 7-4 with Wolverines from 1974 through 1977 before going 3-6 with Cyclones (1985-86-88-89-92-93).
Norm Sloan Florida 1987 First Round W vs. N.C. State, 82-70 Sloan was 5-2 with Wolfpack (1970-74-78) before going 3-3 with Gators from 1987 through 1989.
Lute Olson Arizona 1988 Regional Semifinal W vs. Iowa, 99-79 Olson was 7-6 with Hawkeyes from 1979 through 1983 before going 39-22 with Wildcats from 1985 through 2007.
Gene Bartow UAB 1990 First Round L vs. UCLA, 68-56 Bartow was 5-2 with Bruins in 1976 and 1977 before going 6-9 with Blazers (1981-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94).
Nolan Richardson Jr. Arkansas 1994 Regional Semifinal W vs. Tulsa, 103-84 Richardson was 0-3 with Golden Hurricane (1982-84-85) before going 26-12 with Razorbacks from 1988 through 1996 and 1998 through 2001.
Lute Olson Arizona 1996 Second Round W vs. Iowa, 87-73 Olson was 7-6 with Hawkeyes from 1979 through 1983 before going 39-22 with Wildcats from 1985 through 2007.
Gale Catlett West Virginia 1998 Second Round W vs. Cincinnati, 75-74 Catlett was 2-3 with Bearcats from 1975 through 1977 before going 5-8 with Mountaineers (1982-83-84-86-87-89-92-98).
Lon Kruger Illinois 2000 Second Round L vs. Florida, 93-76 Kruger was 4-2 with Gators in 1994 and 1995 before going 3-3 with Illini (1997-98-00).
Lefty Driesell Georgia State 2001 Second Round L vs. Maryland, 79-60 Driesell was 10-8 with Terrapins (1973-75-80-81-83-84-85-86) before going 1-1 with Panthers in 2001.
Tubby Smith Kentucky 2002 Second Round W vs. Tulsa, 87-82 Smith was 4-2 with Golden Hurricane in 1994 and 1995 before going 18-6 with Wildcats from 1998 through 2004.
Thad Matta Ohio State 2007 Second Round W vs. Xavier, 78-71 Matta was 5-3 with Muskeeters (2002 through 2004) before going 18-9 with Buckeyes from 2006 through 2015.
Ben Howland UCLA 2007 Regional Semifinal W vs. Pittsburgh, 64-55 Howland was 4-2 with Panthers (2002 and 2003) before going 15-7 with Bruins (2005-06-07-08-09-11-13).
Roy Williams North Carolina 2008 National Semifinal L vs. Kansas, 84-66 Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 31-9 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2015.
Bill Self Kansas 2011 Second Round W vs. Illinois, 73-59 Self was 6-3 with Illini (2001 through 2003) before going 27-11 with Jayhawks from 2004 through 2015.
Roy Williams North Carolina 2012 Regional Final L vs. Kansas, 80-67 Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 31-9 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2015.
Roy Williams North Carolina 2013 Second Round L vs. Kansas, 70-58 Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 31-9 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2015.