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Providence’s Ed Cooley is the College Hoops Today National Coach of the Year

This is March!

That means it’s time for some end of season awards.

Check out below for an in-depth list of the top coaches in college basketball during the 21-22 season:

College Hoops Today National Coach of the Year

Ed Cooley, Providence: Cooley doesn’t have a surefire pro or an All-Big East first-team caliber player on his roster, but he’s still led the Friars to their first ever Big East regular season title and what will be their highest seed ever in the NCAA Tournament. Providence (24-4) is also an incredible 10-2 this season in games that have been decided by five points or less. That’s a credit to Cooley — a Providence native — who has given his hometown program a season that it will never forget.

Other Finalists

Tommy Lloyd, Arizona: Lloyd has a legitimate chance to be the first guy since Steve Fisher at Michigan in 1989 to win a national title in his first season as a head coach. A longtime assistant to Mark Few at Gonzaga, Lloyd has turned Arizona (26-3) into an offensive juggernaut and the most aesthetically pleasing team in college basketball. 21 of the Wildcats’ 26 wins have come when they’ve scored 80 or more points. This team will be a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Mark Adams, Texas Tech: Nobody knew how Adams would transition to being a power conference head coach in Division 1 after spending years as Chris Beard’s top lieutenant. He quickly silenced any doubters. A defensive mastermind, Adams has kept Texas Tech (23-7) nationally relevant and in position to earn a very high seed in the NCAA Tournament. The most impressive part of Adams’ work this season? Four of the Red Raiders’ top six scorers — Bryson Williams, Davion Warren, Kevin Obanor, and Adonis Arms — were not in Texas Tech’s program last season.

Greg Gard, Wisconsin: The Badgers were picked 10th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll after losing four starters from last season’s team that lost to Baylor in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32. So much for preseason rankings. Wisconsin (24-5) has won a Big Ten regular season title for the second time in three seasons and is also still in play to be a very high seed in the NCAA Tournament. This is all a credit to Gard, who has molded a terrific supporting cast around National Player of the Year candidate Johnny Davis. The Badgers have a legitimate chance to get back to the Final Four for the first time since they lost to Duke in the 2015 national title game.

Kelvin Sampson, Houston: How many programs could lose their top returning guard and the potential American Athletic Conference Player of the Year — Marcus Sasser (17.7 points) — to a season-ending injury as well as another starter on the perimeter — Tramon Mark (10.1) — to a season-ending injury and still be 25-4 and in position to earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament? That’s what is currently happening at Houston. America is running out of adjectives for Sampson as a coach — he’s that good.

Honorable Mention

  • Bruce Pearl, Auburn
  • Scott Drew, Baylor
  • John Calipari, Kentucky
  • Brad Underwood, Illinois
  • Matt McMahon, Murray State

Leftovers