Best mid-major hoops coach

Should Baron have just stayed at St. Bona until a better looking offer came up?

 

With a record of 132-131 and one NCAA appearance in nine seasons at St. Bonny, was a much better offer going to come for him? He had four postseason appearances (3 NIT), but also had four seasons of .500 or worse.

That's a serious question, as I'm not sure the answer. His strength is building a strong foundation for a program, and that is what has happened at Rhody. I'm not sure there was a higher profile program that was looking for a guy like him.

 

Didn't a lot of those losses come after picking up the pieces of a past coach?

He did have that nice 2000 run in the NCAAs. I dunno. Maybe he is exactly where he should be.

 

Dana Altman has been mentioned here. Is it fair to say the MVC still is a mid-major league? (Not to start a threadjack, but if it is, then Barry Hinson of Missouri State probably should be in the discussion, too.)

 

Well, he already has a victory over a top-15 team this season ... this coming after losing their best player (DaShaun Wood) to graduation.

 

I'm not sure what the situation was at St. Bonny when he arrived, but he was 10-17 in each of his first two years, then went 18-13, and dropped back to 10-18 in his fourth season.

He was one game over .500 in years 5-7 with the Bonnies, then had a breakout 21-10 season in his eight season.

His time at Rhody has been somewhat similar. Took over a weakened program and went 8-20 in the first year. Surprised people with back-to-back 20-win seasons in the next two years, and then plummetted to 6-22. He then went 14-14, 19-14 and is 10-1 this year.

 

How about Chris Lowery at Southern Illinois? Those Salukis have had some darn fine coaches come through the program, including Matt Painter and Bruce Weber.

 

Did I miss any mention of Gregg Marshall. I hear he's a bit of a prick, but he's also a damn good coach.

 

Wichita State isn't a mid-major to me (Shocker, I know ... ). Otherwise, he would have been on the shortest of lists ... what he did at Winthrop was remarkable.

The prickly rep must have cost him some more time in Rock Hill. He had as long a strong performance as just any about any coach at that level that had been tabbed upwardly mobile (i.e., taking out the Bob McKillops and Mark Fews and such who are apparently happy with their spots).

 

A thread that has gone on too long without her.

 

Gutter will be here all week. Try the veal.

 

Had I known the mere mention of Gregg Marshall would've brought an appearance by Shocker Gal, I would've put his name on page 1.