Personal Items: Did You Knows Regarding 2021 NCAA Final Four Coaches

Did You Know?: None of this year's Final Four coaches played major-college basketball. The only one of the quartet to play varsity college hoops was Kelvin Sampson (Pembroke State NC). Naturally, there is a tendency to overindulge at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Anyone digesting the following assortment of did-you-know facts on 2021 Final Four coaches should find that variety is the spice of this smorgasbord:

• Mick Cronin (UCLA): His father, Harold "Hep" Cronin, compiled more than 400 victories as a high school coach in the greater Cincinnati area. Hep also scouted for the Atlanta Braves and was chiefly responsible for them selecting Cincy product Drew Denson as their No. 1 draftee in 1984 (19th pick overall).

• Scott Drew (Baylor): Served as coach of an Athletes in Action (AIA) squad touring Croatia and Bosnia in the summer of 1997.

• Mark Few (Gonzaga): He never was a head coach at any level before inheriting position with Zags after Dan Monson departed for Minnesota. Few was an assistant for two different Oregon high schools before becoming an aide with the Bulldogs under Dan Fitzgerald and Monson. Few's wedding vows in 1994 were exchanged with Rev. Norm Few, the father of the groom.

• Kelvin Sampson (Houston): He was a three-year baseball letterman for Pembroke (N.C.) State.

Drawing upon all resources including degrees of success to motivate their teams, following are the educational backgrounds of the Final Four coaches:

Final Four Coach	School	Bachelor's	Master's
Mick Cronin	UCLA	History
Scott Drew	Baylor	Liberal Arts	Liberal Studies
Mark Few	Gonzaga	Physical Education	Athletic Administration
Kelvin Sampson	Houston	Health & Physical Education	Coaching & Administration

Close likely will determine who gets to smoke the victory cigar. Ask Arizona fans if close doesn't count after the Wildcats lost five regional finals from 2003 through 2015 by a total of 14 points. Following is how the Final Four mentors have fared at the major-college level in games decided by fewer than six points: