Martelli, Odom & Willard Sons Enjoy Success in First Season at New Schools
No matter how hard Bruce Pearl tried in the closing weeks this season, he was unable to promote his Auburn successor and offspring (Steven Pearl) enough to enable them to become the 20th father/son combination to both coach in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, three sons of famous coaching fathers - Phil Martelli Jr. (Virginia Commonwealth), Ryan Odom (Virginia) and Kevin Willard (Villanova) - reached the playoffs in their initial campaigns at new destinations. For the second time in eight years a season ago, Hall of Famer Rick Pitino (Louisville and St. John's) was joined in NCAA tourney by his son Richard (Minnesota and New Mexico). They are the only father-son "chip-off-the-old-block" duo in the same tourney in playoff history.
Following in the NCAA dance-party footsteps of their respective fathers, John Thompson Jr. and John III represent the only one of 19 "Like Father/Like Son" tandems to each win more than six NCAA playoff games:
Gene Bartow (Memphis State, UCLA and UAB; 14-12 record in 1973-76-77-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94)/Murry Bartow (UAB and East Tennessee State; 0-4 in 1999 and 2004-09-10)
Dick Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin; 5-6 in 1991-94-95-97-99-00)/Tony Bennett (Washington State and Virginia; 16-11 in 2007-08-12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-24)
Jeff Capel Jr. (North Carolina A&T and Old Dominion; 1-3 in 1994-95-97)/Jeff Capel III (Virginia Commonwealth, Oklahoma and Pittsburgh); 6-4 in 2004-08-09-23)
Tom Davis (Boston College and Iowa; 18-11 in 1981-82-87-88-89-91-92-93-96-97-99)/Keno Davis (Drake; 0-1 in 2008)
Homer Drew (Valparaiso; 2-7 in 1996-97-98-99-00-02-04)/Scott Drew (Baylor; 21-12 in 2008-10-12-14-15-16-17-19-21-22-23-24-25) and Bryce Drew (Valparaiso, Vanderbilt and Grand Canyon; 2-8 in 2013-15-16-17-21-23-24-25)
Clarence Iba (Tulsa; 1-1 in 1955)/Gene Iba (Houston Baptist and Baylor; 0-2 in 1984 and 1988)
Hank Iba (Oklahoma State; 15-7 in 1945-46-49-51-53-54-58-65)/Moe Iba (Nebraska; 0-1 in 1986)
Bob Knight (Indiana and Texas Tech; 45-25 in 1973-75-76-78-80-81-82-83-84-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99 and 2000-02-04-05-07)/Pat Knight (Lamar; 0-1 in 2012)
Phil Martelli Sr. (Saint Joseph's) (7-7 in 1997 and 2001-03-04-08-14-16)/Phil Martelli Jr. (Bryant) 0-1 in 2025 before making first appearance with Virginia Commonwealth in 2026
Ray Meyer (DePaul; 14-16 in 1943-53-56-59-60-65-76-78-79-80-81-82-84)/Joey Meyer (DePaul; 6-7 in 1985-86-87-88-89-91-92)
Don Monson (Idaho; 1-2 in 1981 and 1982)/Dan Monson (Gonzaga, Minnesota and Long Beach State; 3-4 in 1999 and 2005-12-24)
Bill Musselman (Minnesota and South Alabama; 1-2 in 1972 and 1997)/Eric Musselman (Nevada and Arkansas; 10-6 in 2017-18-19-21-22-23)
Dave Odom (Wake Forest and South Carolina; 10-9 in 1991-92-93-94-95-96-97-01-04)/Ryan Odom (UMBC, Utah State and Virginia Commonwealth; 1-3 in 2018-23-25 before making first appearance with Virginia in 2026)
Rick Pitino (Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona and St. John's; 55-22 in 1983-87-92-93-94-95-96-97-03-04-05-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-17-21-23-25-26)/Richard Pitino (Minnesota and New Mexico; 2-4 in 2017-19-24-25)
Eddie Sutton (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State; 39-26 in 1974-77-78-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-91-92-93-94-95-98-99 and 2000-01-02-03-04-05)/Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts; 0-3 in 2006-07-08)
John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown; 34-19 in 1975-76-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-94-95-96-97)/John Thompson III (Princeton and Georgetown; 9-10 in 2001-04-06-07-08-10-11-12-13-15)
Butch van Breda Kolff (Princeton; 7-5 in 1963-64-65-67)/Jan van Breda Kolff (Vanderbilt and Pepperdine; 1-2 in 1997 and 2000)
Ralph Willard (Western Kentucky and Holy Cross; 2-6 in 1993, 1994 and 2001-02-93-07)/Kevin Willard (Seton Hall and Maryland; 4-7 in 2016-17-18-19-22-23-25 before making first appearance with Villanova in 2026)