How Have Elite Active Coaches Fared in League Tournaments Pre-Big Dance?

March 7th, 2024 - 14:18

For quality teams in upper-echelon leagues, conference tournament action is only the beginning of what they hope will be a long postseason experience culminating with memorable success in the NCAA playoffs. Because of their season-long excellence, quality power-league members are virtually immune to exclusion from the NCAA Tournament. Thus, along with trying to win the league tournament title, the squads are tuning up for the main event by jockeying for position in the NCAA bracket.

Despite winning event a year ago, Purdue's Matt Painter has struggled the most in league tournament play among a total of 16 active coaches appearing in more than a dozen NCAA tourneys by 2024. Following is a look at how these prominent mentors have fared in conference tournament competition through 2023 before attending the Big Dance a majority of the time:

Celebrated Coach Current School League Tourney Mark Overall Conference Tournament Summary Through 2023
Mark Few Gonzaga 51-5 (.911) all appearances in West Coast Conference Tournament
John Calipari Kentucky 55-15 (.786) 14-3 (.824) in Atlantic 10 Tournament, 17-5 (.773) in CUSA Tournament and 24-7 (.774) in SEC Tournament
Rick Pitino St. John's 52-15 (.776) 4-1 (.800) in ECAC North/ECAC North Atlantic Tournament, 14-7 (.667) in Big East Tournament, 17-1 (.944) in SEC Tournament, 8-2 (.800) in CUSA Tournament, 2-1 (.667) in American Athletic Tournament, 0-2 (.000) in ACC Tournament and 7-1 (.875) in MAAC Tournament
Bill Self Kansas 47-14 (.770) 4-3 (.571) in Western Athletic Tournament, 5-2 (.714) in Big Ten Tournament and 38-9 (.809) in Big 12 Tournament
Thad Matta Butler 34-11 (.756) 3-0 (1.000) in Midwestern Collegiate Tournament, 8-1 (.889) in Atlantic 10 Tournament, 23-9 (.719) in Big Ten Tournament and 0-1 (.000) in Big East Tournament
Sean Miller Xavier 27-11 (.711) 7-3 (.700) in Atlantic 10 Tournament, 18-7 (.720) in Pac-12 Tournament and 2-1 (.667) in Big East Tournament
Dana Altman Oregon 45-23 (.662) 0-1 (.000) in Southern Conference Tournament, 2-4 (.333) in Big Eight Tournament, 21-9 (.700) in Missouri Valley Tournament and 22-9 (.710) in Pac-12 Tournament
Tom Izzo Michigan State 34-19 (.642) all appearances in Big Ten Tournament
Mick Cronin UCLA 25-14 (.641) 6-1 (.857) in Ohio Valley Tournament, 6-6 (.500) in Big East Tournament, 9-4 (.692) in American Athletic Tournament and 4-3 (.571) in Pac-12 Tournament
Kelvin Sampson Houston 33-19 (.635) 2-3 (.400) in Pacific-10 Tournament, 1-2 (.333) in Big Eight Tournament, 17-7 (.708) in Big 12 Tournament, 0-1 (.000) in Big Ten Tournament and 13-6 (.684) in American Athletic Tournament
Steve Alford Nevada 36-22 (.621) 6-4 (.600) in Missouri Valley Tournament, 13-6 (.684) in Big Ten Tournament, 10-8 (.556) in Mountain West Tournament and 7-4 (.636) in Pac-12 Tournament
Fran McCaffery Iowa 31-20 (.608) 4-2 (.667) in ECC Tournament, 7-5 (.583) in Southern Conference Tournament, 11-2 (.846) in MAAC Tournament and 9-11 (.450) in Big Ten Tournament
Bruce Pearl Auburn 18-13 (.581) 5-2 (.714) in Horizon League Tournament and 13-11 (.542) in SEC Tournament
Rick Barnes Tennessee 42-33 (.560) 2-1 (.667) in CAA Tournament, 5-5 (.500) in Big East Tournament, 2-4 (.333) in ACC Tournament, 22-17 (.564) in Big 12 Tournament and 11-6 (.647) in SEC Tournament
Jamie Dixon Texas Christian 20-19 (.513) 12-9 (.571) in Big East Tournament, 3-3 (.500) in ACC Tournament and 5-7 (.417) in Big 12 Tournament
Matt Painter Purdue 15-15 (.500) 1-1 (.500) in Missouri Valley Tournament and 14-14 (.500) in Big Ten Tournament