It takes great talent and a heap of tenacity to advance into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament – and a touch of some coaching magic, too.

• Alabama wouldn’t be here without Nate Oats’ run-and-fun style.
• Arkansas wouldn’t be in its position without John Calipari recruiting an athletic team and freeing them to play loose in the biggest moments.
• This applies as well to Arizona (Tommy Lloyd) and Houston (Kelvin Sampson).

Ranking of Coaches:

1. Tom Izzo, Michigan State Judging by the talent on this Michigan State team (zero players on the All-Big Ten First and Second Teams) and its many accomplishments – a Big Ten title, 29 wins and a top-five defense to boot – Izzos’s top ranking isn’t just due to his career longevity and accomplishments.
2. Kelvin Sampson, Houston Sampson led league-newcomer Houston to claim back-to-back Big 12 titles…
3. Nate Oats, Alabama Oats leads the fastest team in adjusted tempo…
4. Matt Painter, Purdue Painter has crafted this team into a contender…
5. Bruce Pearl, Auburn Under Pearl, Auburn has become a powerhouse…
6. Jon Scheyer, Duke Scheyer’s poise and coaching style have propelled Duke’s success…

More details on subsequent coaches and their success can be found in the full text of the article.