NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
In terms of top basketball coaches at the University of Illinois, a lot of names come to mind. Names like Harry Combes, the first coach to win over 150 games in the Big Ten (174) and over 300 games at Illinois (316). He led the Illini to three Final Fours.
There have only been five coaches who have averaged 20 wins per season.
Advertisement
Bruce Weber 23.3 (7 seasons)
Brad Underwood 21.4 (9 seasons)
Lon Kruger 20.25 (4 seasons)
Lou Henson 20.04 (21 seasons)
Four of these coaches share glaring similarities in their origins and coaching paths.
LOU HENSON ILLINOIS
Lou Henson (1975-1996) was unknown to most. Born in Oklahoma, he played college basketball at New Mexico A&M, which would later become New Mexico State. After his playing days, he started coaching at Las Cruces High School in New Mexico.
Then, in 1962, he took the head coaching job at Hardin-Simmons University. In four years, Henson went 67-36 at Hardin-Simmons, topping 20 wins twice.
He went from there to his alma mater, New Mexico State. Henson made four straight appearances in the NCAA tournament from 1966-67 through 1970-71, reaching the Final Four in 1969-70 and losing in the Semifinals to UCLA.
Advertisement
At Illinois, he established a rapport with the Chicago Public League coaches. His former player and assistant coach, Jimmy Collins, was able to make inroads in the public league and establish a “pipeline”. Later on, Henson would have the same success in Peoria.
Henson posted eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1982-83 through 1989-90), reaching the Elite Eight, Sweet Sixteen, and Final Four in a six-year stretch. He would take Illinois to the NCAA tournament 12 times.
Lon Kruger (1996-2000) from Florida. Kruger, who was making a name for himself, was born in Silver Lake, Kansas.
He played at Kansas State under legendary coach Jack Hartman and later served as an assistant under Hartman from 1979 to 1982, after a year as an assistant at Pittsburg State. He took over for Hartman in 1986 after 4 years at Pan…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/four-illinois-best-coaches-ever-011110042.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-05-26 01:11:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
