Naismith Coach of the Year finalists announced
All five candidates are more than deserving of the nomination.
The five finalists for the 2014 Naismith Coach of the Year award were announced on Thursday: John Beilein, Gregg Marshall, Larry Brown, Billy Donovan and Tony Bennett.
Beilein lost a lot from last year's national runner-up team at Michigan, including Naismith Award winner Trey Burke, and his problems were magnified even more as All-American forward Mitch McGary was lost for the season with back issues. The Wolverines excelled against the Big Ten, though, going 15-3 against the toughest conference in the country. Beilein led Michigan to a two-seed in the West Region.
Gregg Marshall and the Wichita State Shockers are yet to lose a game this season. While their schedule may not have been overly daunting, going 34-0 against any level of competition is highly impressive. After reaching the Final Four in 2013, Marshall and the Shockers are a No. 1 seed this year and have the elements of a national champion.
Larry Brown is the only finalist to not reach the NCAA Tournament, but he is still more than a worthy candidate. Brown has changed the culture at SMU, leading the Mustangs to a 24-9 mark. The team was 15-17 in 2013.
Billy Donovan and Florida landed the No. 1 overall seed to this year’s Big Dance. Donovan has a roster loaded with talent, and the two-time national champion did a nice job blending his veterans with incoming freshmen talent. The Gators have not lost a game since Dec. 2.
Tony Bennett led Virginia to the ACC regular season title, the ACC Tournament championship and the final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With just two players averaging double-digits in scoring, Bennett has worked wonders getting different players to contribute on the offensive end. UVA won 20 of its final 22 games.
See More:
