Here’s a project I meant to get to a little earlier in the month, but better late than never, you know?
Miami coach Frank Haith is 6-1 against Maryland and coach Gary Williams since arriving in Coral Gables earlier this decade. For whatever reason, the Terrapins have struggled against Miami more than anyone —- Duke, North Carolina, anyone.
SEE RELATED:
So it seemed like an interesting project to see how Williams stacked up against all the ACC coaches he went up against over the course of his career. Only games against then-members of the ACC are counted, and some of Williams’ games at American (against Maryland and Wake Forest) and Boston College (against Duke, Maryland, Virginia and Wake Forest) make the cut.
Williams’ worst record: An 0-2 against Lefty Driesell. Next up is Haith.
Some of these numbers have to be evaluated against context. Williams was 6-12 (.333) against Dean Smith, whose career winning percentage was .776 overall and .728 in ACC games. Williams beat that curve.
Oh, one other thing —- none of this Pete Gaudet asterisk business permitted in this chart. College basketball should have a “you build it, you buy it” rule, but this is an old argument that will never be won in the official record books.
No matter what, of course, Mike Krzyzewski‘s record is exceptionally good. Mainly, of course, because he’s an exceptional coach who has spent more than two decades attracting exceptional players to Durham.
Anyway, here’s Williams’ success against his ACC peers over the years, in order of winning percentage:
Coach, School
|
GW record
|
Pct. |
Larry Shyatt, CU
|
10-0 |
1.000 |
Sidney Lowe, NCSU
|
3-0 |
1.000 |
Dino Gaudio, WF
|
2-0 |
1.000 |
Bob Staak, WF
|
1-0 |
1.000 |
Steve Robinson, FSU
|
12-1 |
.923 |
Les Robinson, NCSU
|
10-3 |
.769 |
Paul Hewitt, GT |
11-4 |
.733 |
Pete Gillen, UVA
|
10-4 |
.714 |
Herb Sendek, NCSU
|
16-7 |
.696 |
Terry Holland, UVA
|
2-1 |
.667 |
Pat Kennedy, FSU
|
8-5 |
.615 |
Leonard Hamilton, FSU
|
6-4 |
.600 |
Skip Prosser, WF
|
6-4 |
.600 |
Matt Doherty, UNC
|
4-3 |
.571 |
Dave Leitao, UVA
|
4-3 |
.571 |
Rick Barnes, CU
|
5-4 |
.556 |
Dave Odom, WF
|
13-12 |
.520 |
Bobby Cremins, GT
|
12-12 |
.500 |
Bill Guthridge, UNC
|
4-4 |
.500 |
Jim Valvano, NCSU
|
1-1 |
.500 |
Jeff Jones, UVA
|
8-9 |
.471 |
Oliver Purnell, CU
|
4-5 |
.444 |
Roy Williams, UNC
|
3-5 |
.375 |
Cliff Ellis, CU
|
4-7 |
.364 |
Dean Smith, UNC
|
6-12 |
.333 |
Seth Greenberg, VT
|
2-4 |
.333 |
Carl Tacy, WF
|
1-2 |
.333 |
Mike Krzyzewski, DU
|
14-33 |
.298 |
Al Skinner, BC
|
2-5 |
.286 |
Frank Haith, THE U
|
1-6 |
.143 |
Lefty Driesell, UM
|
0-2 |
.000 |
Over the years, there’s only so many coaches who so consistently got the better of Williams.
There’s Coach K. There’s Bob Knight (7-0 vs. Williams). There’s John Thompson (12-2). There’s Jim Boeheim (11-3).
That’s rather lofty company for Haith.
—- Patrick Stevens