Close Encounters: Narrow Margin Likely to Determine NCAA Champion
March 22nd, 2012 - 19:50
There has been some smooth sailing, but it is usually a rugged road en route to becoming NCAA kingpin. Most titlists are severely tested at least once on the serpentine tourney trail. A total of 48 champions have won a minimum of one playoff game by four points or less, including 22 titlists to win at least one contest by just one point.
Syracuse's Jim Boeheim boasts the best close-game record among active coaches. Following are the W-L records of Sweet 16 coaches in major-college games decided by fewer than six points:
| COACH | YEARS | 1-PT | 2-PT | 3-PT | 4-PT | 5-PT | TOTAL | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Boeheim | 77-12 | 32-22 | 50-27 | 35-23 | 38-27 | 40-19 | 195-118 | .623 |
| Chris Mack | 10-12 | 2-2 | 3-1 | 5-0 | 6-5 | 3-4 | 19-12 | .613 |
| Mark Gottfried | 96-12 | 13-9 | 9-9 | 20-13 | 15-10 | 17-6 | 74-47 | .612 |
| Bo Ryan | 00-12 | 9-7 | 15-7 | 15-13 | 11-12 | 13-8 | 63-47 | .573 |
| John Calipari | 89-12 | 16-15 | 13-16 | 16-14 | 16-8 | 14-6 | 75-59 | .560 |
| Roy Williams | 89-12 | 17-12 | 17-14 | 22-14 | 16-19 | 19-13 | 91-72 | .558 |
| Bill Self | 94-12 | 13-14 | 16-11 | 13-15 | 14-15 | 16-4 | 72-59 | .550 |
| Mick Cronin | 04-12 | 6-5 | 8-8 | 8-9 | 14-11 | 6-2 | 42-35 | .545 |
| Tom Izzo | 96-12 | 7-8 | 13-19 | 19-12 | 12-10 | 21-12 | 72-61 | .541 |
| Thad Matta | 01-12 | 9-5 | 11-8 | 11-9 | 8-7 | 7-10 | 46-39 | .541 |
| Buzz Williams | 07-12 | 5-7 | 8-5 | 6-2 | 4-4 | 4-5 | 27-23 | .540 |
| Scott Drew | 03-12 | 1-6 | 12-6 | 7-4 | 9-10 | 4-6 | 33-32 | .508 |
| Tom Crean | 00-12 | 4-7 | 13-9 | 16-13 | 13-12 | 7-11 | 53-52 | .505 |
| Rick Pitino | 76-12 | 16-30 | 13-20 | 31-17 | 19-14 | 17-15 | 96-96 | .500 |
| John Groce | 09-12 | 5-2 | 4-5 | 3-6 | 3-3 | 5-6 | 20-22 | .476 |
| Billy Donovan | 95-12 | 11-13 | 10-19 | 15-20 | 15-14 | 11-7 | 62-73 | .459 |