Best Big Ten Basketball Coaches Of All-Time
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest and most prestigious college athletic conferences in the country, known for its strong basketball programs. This article will delve into the best Big Ten basketball coaches of all-time, their accomplishments, and their impact on the game.
1. Bob Knight
Bob Knight is widely considered one of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time, not just in the Big Ten. He spent 29 seasons coaching at Indiana University and amassed an impressive record of 662-239. He led Indiana to three national championships in 1976, 1981, and 1987. Knight also won 11 Big Ten titles and was named National Coach of the Year four times. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
2. Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo has been the head coach at Michigan State since 1995 and has been one of the most successful coaches in the Big Ten during that span. He has led the Spartans to a record of 632-242, including one national championship in 2000, and eight Final Four appearances. Izzo has also won seven Big Ten regular-season titles and four Big Ten tournament titles. He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
3. Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken coached at Indiana from 1938-1965 and is one of the most successful coaches in Big Ten history. He led Indiana to two national championships in 1940 and 1953 and won seven Big Ten titles. McCracken also coached the United States men's basketball team to a gold medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960.
4. Bo Ryan
Bo Ryan coached at Wisconsin from 2001-2015 and built the Badgers into one of the best programs in the Big Ten. In his 14 seasons at Wisconsin, Ryan led the Badgers to a record of 364-130, including four Big Ten regular-season titles and three Big Ten tournament titles. Ryan also led Wisconsin to two Final Four appearances in 2014 and 2015. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times during his tenure at Wisconsin.
5. Gene Keady
Gene Keady coached at Purdue from 1980-2005 and is one of the most successful coaches in Big Ten history. He led Purdue to a record of 512-270, including six Big Ten titles and 17 NCAA tournament appearances. Keady was named Big Ten Coach of the Year seven times and was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Conclusion
The Big Ten Conference has seen some of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time, and the five coaches listed above are just a few of the many successful coaches in the conference's history. Whether it's Bob Knight's three national championships at Indiana, Tom Izzo's consistent success at Michigan State, or Gene Keady's 17 NCAA tournament appearances at Purdue, the Big Ten has been home to some of the most legendary coaches in college basketball.
