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Really, we probably shouldn't be shocked about last night given Holtmann's track record. He has been really, really good against his best opponents. He's a helluva "big game" coach.Posted this over in the Search thread, figure it fits here.
Looking over their season last year, Butler beat some big dogs, and did unbelievably well against some strong competition. Listed with their final RPI ranking...
(48) Northwestern W 70-68
(66) Bucknell W 86-60
(42) Vanderbilt W 76-66
(5) Arizona W 69-65
(96) at Utah W 68-59
(13) Cincinnati W 75-65
(82) Indiana W 83-78
(45) Vermont W 81-69
(62) Providence W 78-61
(4) Villanova W 66-58
(32) at Creighton L 64-75
(27) Xavier W 83-78
(67) Marquette W 88-80
(46) at Seton Hall W 61-54
(32) Creighton L 67-76
(67) at Marquette W 68-65
(62) at Providence L 65-71
(4) at Villanova W 74-66
(27) at Xavier W 88-79
(46) Seton Hall L 64-70
POSTSEASON
(27) Xavier L 57-62
(71) Winthrop W 76-64
(34) Middle Tennessee State W 74-65
(1) North Carolina L 80-92
That's:
18-6 against RPI top 100 teams.
11-5 against RPI top 50 teams.
4-1 against RPI top 25 teams.
2-1 against RPI top 5 teams.
All with a team that was unranked going into the season and many against rosters with higher rated talent, recruiting-wise.
In one year, he beat the #4 team (Arizona), a team that spent much of the year #1 (Villanova) x2, an Elite-8 team (Xavier) x2, and 14 teams that played in the tournament. He went 6-2 against AP top-25 teams.
Anybody question his coaching ability?
Meanwhile, the guy many of us wanted, and fretted over when he went to Bloomington, went 16-14 (9-9)...and we aren’t that much more talented.First regular season as Ohio State coach:
24-7 overall
15-3 in the B1G
No "expert" outside of Andrew Dakich's dad would've dreamed such a thing.
Meanwhile, the guy many of us wanted, and fretted over when he went to Bloomington, went 16-14 (9-9)...and we aren’t that much more talented.
I was about to start chugging bleach when there was so much smoke around McDermott. I was THRILLED he got Holtmann. If I had my pick of the two last spring, it honestly would have been a 1a and 1b situation...but early returns point to us getting the better coach.Gene Smith made lemonade out of lemons. Gotta give the man credit for making the most of a less-than-ideal situation.
I really didn't have a preference between Holtmann/Miller until I talked to a friend of mine who is a retired professor from Taylor University back in July. He couldn't stop talking about what a high character guy Holtmann is. At that point I knew Smith made a good decision.Meanwhile, the guy many of us wanted, and fretted over when he went to Bloomington, went 16-14 (9-9)...and we aren’t that much more talented.
Did you ask your friend what he thought of @jwinslowI really didn't have a preference between Holtmann/Miller until I talked to a friend of mine who is a retired professor from Taylor University back in July. He couldn't stop talking about what a high character guy Holtmann is. At that point I knew Smith made a good decision.