PHOENIX -- Here they are again in the Sweet 16. For the second consecutive season and fourth time in six years, Billy Donovan has his Gators two wins from the Final Four.
Donovan's status as one of college basketball's elite coaches has been secure for several years now. Still, sometimes you forget just how good Donovan's teams have been.
Did you know this is Donovan's 12th trip to the NCAA Tournament with the Gators? He trails only Kentucky legend Adolph Rupp and LSU's Dale Brown in SEC history.
Did you know Donovan is one of only six coaches to lead the same school to at least 14 consecutive 20-win seasons? The other five are Dean Smith, Lute Olson, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams. That's what you call keeping good company.
Finally, any idea what Donovan's record in the NCAA Tournament is since 2006? Try 17-2.
A major storyline here at the NCAA West Region semifinals is the coaching prowess.
There is Donovan and his mentor, Louisville's Rick Pitino, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and the outcast of the group -- in his own words -- Marquette's Buzz Williams.
When asked to compare Williams against the backdrop of three iconic coaches, Donovan said you have to start somewhere.
"I think you can do a great job in coaching and be a tremendous coach and never got to a Final Four, and have a tremendous program,'' Donovan said. "There's a lot more that goes into it. I think that Buzz will continue to grow that program just because of his energy and his passion.
For a look at Donovan's performance in the NCAA Tournament compared to current coaches, check out the chart below, which is also at: http://www.dbwoerner.com/basketball/coaches/coach112.html
| Rank | Coach, Current school
| Yrs | W-L | Pct. | Latest | Final |
|---|
| All | Trn | 2012 | All | 4 | 2 | 1 |
|---|
| 1 |
Mike Krzyzewski, Duke |
37 |
28 |
0-1 |
79-24 |
.767 |
2012 |
11 |
8 |
4 |
| 2 |
Roy Williams, North Carolina |
24 |
22 |
2-0 |
60-19 |
.759 |
2012 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
| 3 |
Billy Donovan, Florida |
18 |
12 |
2-0 |
27-9 |
.750 |
2012 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
| 4 |
Tom Izzo, Michigan State |
17 |
15 |
2-0 |
37-13 |
.740 |
2012 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
| 5 |
Brad Stevens, Butler |
5 |
4 |
|
11-4 |
.733 |
2011 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| 6 |
Rick Pitino, Louisville |
26 |
17 |
2-0 |
40-15 |
.727 |
2012 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
| 7 |
John Calipari, Kentucky |
20 |
14 |
2-0 |
34-13 |
.723 |
2012 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
| 8 |
Jim Calhoun, Connecticut |
40 |
23 |
0-1 |
51-20 |
.718 |
2012 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
| 9 |
Bill Self, Kansas |
19 |
14 |
2-0 |
30-12 |
.714 |
2012 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 10 |
Ben Howland, UCLA |
17 |
9 |
|
19-9 |
.679 |
2011 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
| T11 |
Steve Fisher, San Diego State |
22 |
12 |
0-1 |
22-11 |
.667 |
2012 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| T11 |
Thad Matta, Ohio State |
12 |
10 |
2-0 |
18-9 |
.667 |
2012 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 13 |
Tubby Smith, Minnesota |
21 |
16 |
|
29-15 |
.659 |
2010 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 14 |
Sean Miller, Arizona |
7 |
5 |
|
9-5 |
.643 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 15 |
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse |
36 |
29 |
2-0 |
47-27 |
.635 |
2012 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| 16 |
Bo Ryan, Wisconsin |
13 |
11 |
2-0 |
16-10 |
.615 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 17 |
Rick Majerus, St. Louis |
24 |
12 |
1-1 |
19-12 |
.613 |
2012 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 18 |
Steve Lavin, St. John's |
9 |
7 |
|
11-7 |
.611 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 19 |
Frank Martin, Kansas State |
4 |
4 |
1-1 |
6-4 |
.600 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T20 |
Mike Davis, Ala.-Birmingham |
12 |
5 |
|
7-5 |
.583 |
2011 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| T20 |
Tom Crean, Indiana |
12 |
6 |
2-0 |
7-5 |
.583 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T22 |
Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh |
9 |
8 |
|
11-8 |
.579 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T22 |
Bruce Weber, Illinois |
14 |
8 |
|
11-8 |
.579 |
2011 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 24 |
Bobby Cremins, Charleston |
31 |
11 |
|
15-11 |
.577 |
1996 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 25 |
Bob Huggins, West Virginia |
30 |
20 |
0-1 |
27-20 |
.574 |
2012 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| 26 |
Jay Wright, Villanova |
17 |
9 |
|
12-9 |
.571 |
2011 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 27 |
Phil Martelli, St. Joseph's |
17 |
5 |
|
6-5 |
.545 |
2008 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T28 |
Mike Anderson, Arkansas |
9 |
6 |
|
7-6 |
.538 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T28 |
Paul Hewitt, George Mason |
15 |
6 |
|
7-6 |
.538 |
2010 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T30 |
John Beilein, Michigan |
20 |
7 |
0-1 |
8-7 |
.533 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T30 |
Matt Painter, Purdue |
8 |
7 |
1-1 |
8-7 |
.533 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T30 |
Lorenzo Romar, Washington |
15 |
7 |
|
8-7 |
.533 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 33 |
Mike Montgomery, California |
30 |
15 |
0-1 |
17-15 |
.531 |
2012 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| T34 |
Mark Few, Gonzaga |
13 |
13 |
1-1 |
14-13 |
.519 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T34 |
Lon Kruger, Oklahoma |
26 |
13 |
|
14-13 |
.519 |
2011 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Rick Barnes, Texas |
24 |
20 |
0-1 |
20-20 |
.500 |
2012 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina |
34 |
8 |
|
8-8 |
.500 |
2003 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
John Thompson III, Georgetown |
11 |
8 |
1-1 |
8-8 |
.500 |
2012 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Herb Sendek, Arizona State |
19 |
7 |
|
7-7 |
.500 |
2009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Mark Gottfried, North Carolina State |
22 |
8 |
2-0 |
7-7 |
.500 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Trent Johnson, LSU |
12 |
5 |
|
5-5 |
.500 |
2009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Jim Larranaga, Miami |
25 |
5 |
|
5-5 |
.500 |
2011 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| T36 |
Mark Turgeon, Maryland |
13 |
5 |
|
5-5 |
.500 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T44 |
Tim Floyd, UTEP |
17 |
8 |
|
7-8 |
.467 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T44 |
Ben Braun, Rice |
35 |
8 |
|
7-8 |
.467 |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T46 |
Jeff Jones, American |
20 |
7 |
|
6-7 |
.462 |
2009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T46 |
Leonard Hamilton, Florida St. |
23 |
7 |
1-1 |
6-7 |
.462 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 48 |
Steve Alford, New Mexico |
16 |
6 |
1-1 |
5-6 |
.455 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 49 |
Mike Jarvis, Florida Atlantic |
23 |
9 |
|
7-9 |
.438 |
2002 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 50 |
Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt |
18 |
8 |
1-1 |
6-8 |
.429 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T51 |
Rick Stansbury, Mississippi State |
14 |
6 |
|
4-6 |
.400 |
2009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| T51 |
Dave Rose, BYU |
6 |
6 |
1-1 |
4-6 |
.400 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 53 |
Mike Brey, Notre Dame |
16 |
10 |
0-1 |
6-10 |
.375 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 54 |
Dana Altman, Oregon |
23 |
8 |
|
2-8 |
.200 |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 55 |
Fran Dunphy, Temple |
23 |
14 |
0-1 |
2-14 |
.125 |
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 56 |
Stew Morrill, Utah St. |
25 |
9 |
|
1-9 |
.100 |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
