Ranking the SEC’s Basketball Head Coaches

Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyler Ulis (3) works against Arkansas Razorbacks guard Rashad Madden (00) during the second half of the SEC Conference Championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky won 78-63. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC has made a point to get better in men’s basketball, and based on the recent coaching hires made within the conference that’s exactly what is going to happen. The league took a step forward in 2015 but that may be just the beginning of things to come.

Mississippi State, Tennessee and Alabama have all hired high profile coaches since the conclusion of their season. Between just those three coaches hired at those schools there are four Final Fours and a NBA Coach of the Year.

So let’s re-group and take a look at these 14 head coaches to see where they stack up against each other, starting at the bottom:

14. Kim Anderson, Missouri

The jury is still out here, but his first year at Mizzu – a typically strong program – was really bad. The Tigers went 9-23 (3-15). That’s actually worse than any season MSU had under Rick Ray.

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Before coming to Missouri, Anderson was the head coach at Central Missouri, a Division II program. He had quite a bit of success there going to six Division II NCAA Tournaments in his ten seasons, and reaching the semifinals (Final Four of Division II) three times. Then ultimately he won the Division II national championship in his last year there, 2014.

13. Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M

Kennedy is a pretty good coach, so putting him at 13 means the SEC is really starting to flex their muscle with basketball coaching hires.

A&M is is fourth coaching stop (Centenary, SE Louisiana, Murray State). He hasn’t taken the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament yet, but has improved each year, ultimately going to the NIT in 2015 and notching a 20-win season.