The ex-UK basketball coach riding a hot streak? Believe it or not, it is Billy G.
Former Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball coaches have been much in the news in recent weeks.
On New Year’s Eve, UK honored former top Cat Tubby Smith by raising a jersey in his honor to the rafters in Rupp Arena. That was before John Calipari’s current Wildcats put a 92-48 beatdown on Smith’s current team, High Point.
This past Saturday, Rick Pitino took his Iona Gaels to Saint Louis to face the Billikens — coached by Pitino’s former UK point guard, Travis Ford.
Hastily scheduled as a “COVID-19 replacement contest,” the Gaels and Billikens turned out to be a terrific game. It was won by the pupil over the mentor when Fred Thatch scored on a putback with 9.1 seconds left to give Saint Louis a 68-67 win over Iona.
Yet it is the third ex-UK head man currently coaching in NCAA Division I who is putting together the most improbable season.
Don’t look now, but Billy Gillispie has led Tarleton State to five wins in its past six games. Coming off a 77-71 overtime victory over Stephen F. Austin, Billy G’s Texans are 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference.
Billy G’s uptick in fortunes is generally reflective of all the coaches with Kentucky Wildcats ties who are working as Division I men’s hoops head men. As you will see below, 2021-22 has so far been rather kind to ex-Cats toiling as coaches.
Ex-UK head men
Team: Iona.
Record: The Gaels stand 11-3, 3-0 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 54.
Shining moment: Iona upset then-No. 10 Alabama 72-68 on Nov. 25.
Feeling the pain: Followed up the stunner over Alabama by falling 72-65 to Belmont the next day.
Up next: Pitino faces another coaching matchup vs. a former UK player when Iona plays on Friday against Manhattan, led by ex-Kentucky guard Steve Masiello.
Kentucky days: Coached the Wildcats to a 219-50 record from 1989-1997 that included the 1996 NCAA title and three Final Four trips (1993, 1996, 1997).
Team: Tarleton State.
Record: The Texans are 8-9, 3-1 in the WAC.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 165.
Shining moment: On the road at Gonzaga, led the then-No. 3 Zags 49-47 with 5:34 left in game before falling 64-55.
Feeling the pain: The one WAC loss was a blowout, a 77-55 defeat at Utah Valley on New Year’s Day.
Up next: Will face traditional WAC kingpin New Mexico State on the road Thursday.
Kentucky days: Coached the Wildcats to a 40-27 record from 2007-2009 that included a trip to the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Team: High Point.
Record: The Panthers are 6-8, 0-0 in the Big South Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 286.
Shining moment: In road games at Notre Dame (Nov. 16) and Michigan State (Dec. 29), High Point led by one point at halftime in both before falling to the Fighting Irish (70-61) and Spartans (81-68).
Feeling the pain: Close losses to Furman (by four points), South Carolina State (one) and North Carolina-Wilmington (two) cost High Point a winning non-league record.
Up next: Slated to open Big South play Wednesday at South Carolina Upstate.
Kentucky days: Coached the Wildcats to a 263-83 record from 1997-2007 that included the 1998 NCAA title.
Ex-UK players
Team: BYU.
Record: 14-3, 2-0 West Coast Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 30.
Shining moment: Pummeled then-No. 12 Oregon 81-49 on Nov. 16 in Portland.
Feeling the pain: Cougars were upset by Pope’s former team, Utah Valley, 72-65 in overtime on Nov. 27.
Up next: BYU travels to Spokane to face No. 2 Gonzaga on Thursday.
Kentucky days: Averaged 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in two seasons (1994-96) at UK after transferring from Washington.
Team: Saint Louis.
Record: 10-4, 1-0 Atlantic 10.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 65.
Shining moment: The Billikens’ victory over Iona was not the first for Ford over Pitino. As Massachusetts head man, Ford defeated Pitino’s Louisville Cardinals 72-68 in Freedom Hall on Dec. 13, 2006.
Feeling the pain: Lost back-to-back home games to UAB (77-72 on Dec. 4) and Belmont (64-59 on Dec. 7).
Up next: Saint Louis has a crucial A-10 road game at Dayton Tuesday night.
Kentucky days: Averaged 9.5 points and 4.3 assists in three seasons, 1991-94, at UK after transferring from Missouri.
Team: Manhattan.
Record: 8-3, 1-1 Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 235.
Shining moment: Whipped ASUN Conference-favorite Liberty 76-60 on Nov. 20.
Feeling the pain: Rocked in MAAC road contest by Quinnipiac, 90-73, on Dec. 5.
Up next: Play Rick Pitino and Iona on Friday.
Kentucky days: Scored 42 career points in four seasons (1996-2000) as a UK walk-on.
Team: Southern.
Record: 8-7, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 200.
Shining moment: Defeated intrastate foe Tulane of the American Athletic Conference 73-70 on Nov. 13.
Feeling the pain: Lost at Louisville (Nov. 9) and at Kentucky (Dec. 7) by 12 points each.
Up next: Play at Bethune-Cookman in a SWAC contest Monday night.
Kentucky days: Averaged 8.7 points and 5.3 assists in three varsity seasons (1989-1992).
Team: Tennessee Tech.
Record: 3-10, 0-0 Ohio Valley Conference.
NCAA NET ranking: No. 257.
Shining moment: Led then-No. 15 Tennessee 35-34 at the half before falling 80-69 in Knoxville on Nov. 26.
Feeling the pain: Of the Golden Eagles’ 10 losses, seven have been by single-digit margins.
Up next: Tech opens OVC play at Southeast Missouri on Thursday night.
Kentucky days: Averaged 11.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in four seasons (1988-1992).
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 2:28 PM.
