Close Encounters of Best Kind for Coaches if They Win Tight Tilts

Jerry Tarkanian is atop the list featuring only eight retired coaches who won more than 60 percent of their games decided by fewer than six points (minimum of 200 close contests). Retired Lefty Driesell and active Jim Calhoun of Connecticut are the only coaches in history to win at least 45 games by both one point and two points.

COACH YEARS 1-PT 2-PT 3-PT 4-PT 5-PT TOTAL PCT
Jerry Tarkanian 69-02 34-18 35-24 31-14 23-13 28-11 151-80 .654
Doc Carlson 23-53 27-16 33-15 23-17 21-11 26-15 130-74 .637
Lou Carnesecca 66-92 38-23 34-19 30-12 17-15 25-14 144-83 .634
Dean Smith 62-97 24-26 48-30 37-17 27-12 35-17 171-102 .626
Hec Edmundson 17-47 20-19 28-16 36-21 21-16 25-11 130-83 .610
Phog Allen 08-56 30-16 40-23 28-20 28-23 30-18 156-100 .609
Adolph Rupp 31-72 24-25 30-21 14-11 28-11 26-11 122-79 .607
Gene Keady 79-05 27-24 33-23 28-21 22-13 28-10 138-91 .603
Denny Crum 72-01 26-19 34-23 38-25 30-22 33-20 161-109 .596
Ray Meyer 43-84 31-26 44-24 27-18 29-23 25-18 156-109 .589
Tony Hinkle 27-70 21-28 47-28 36-17 34-27 37-23 175-123 .587
Norm Stewart 68-99 34-26 41-20 27-25 31-28 35-20 168-119 .585
Jim Harrick 80-03 31-21 24-20 24-15 17-15 24-16 120-87 .580
Johnny Orr 64-94 31-19 35-30 17-16 30-19 17-14 131-98 .572
Bob Knight 66-08 38-19 48-37 36-29 33-21 28-31 183-137 .572
Gene Bartow 71-96 23-23 30-29 20-13 26-14 27-16 126-95 .570
Shelby Metcalf 64-90 25-23 38-38 23-17 25-16 32-14 143-108 .570
Danny Nee 81-06 17-9 27-22 16-20 24-15 33-23 117-89 .568
Billy Tubbs 77-06 23-21 32-23 45-20 21-29 25-21 146-114 .562
Everett Dean 25-51 18-24 33-17 18-17 25-24 21-9 115-90 .561
John Thompson Jr. 73-99 24-31 33-31 24-13 25-16 23-12 129-103 .556
Rollie Massimino 74-03 37-24 45-32 32-29 28-21 13-18 155-124 .556
Don Haskins 62-99 38-35 46-35 34-29 26-21 30-20 174-140 .554
Guy Lewis 57-86 33-31 28-27 25-20 22-15 21-12 129-105 .551
Don Donoher 64-89 34-26 35-29 26-16 18-17 17-19 130-107 .549
Neil McCarthy 75-97 33-23 21-21 17-20 25-11 18-20 114-95 .545
Eddie Sutton 70-08 38-35 33-41 35-34 27-17 42-19 175-146 .545
Fred Enke 24-61 23-17 25-29 19-20 27-17 28-19 122-102 .545
George Blaney 70-97 22-21 37-30 32-22 15-23 24-13 130-109 .544
Jerry Pimm 75-98 22-26 24-23 29-21 23-16 16-10 114-96 .543
Hugh Durham 67-05 35-46 35-30 39-23 36-24 33-27 178-150 .543
Nick Macarchuk 78-05 26-19 29-24 24-17 23-18 18-25 120-103 .538
Slats Gill 29-64 23-31 46-29 21-29 48-25 38-38 176-152 .537
Tom Penders 75-10 31-34 33-22 42-25 26-24 24-30 156-135 .536
Pat Kennedy 81-11 34-25 28-22 33-37 24-27 23-14 142-125 .532
Ralph Miller 52-89 28-42 35-35 24-24 31-19 35-15 153-135 .531
Charlie Woollum 76-00 20-24 31-27 21-17 22-9 18-22 112-99 .531
Don DeVoe 72-04 39-39 33-29 30-12 23-18 16-27 141-125 .530
Lefty Driesell 61-03 45-34 46-41 32-30 29-28 30-29 182-162 .529
Bob Weltlich 77-02 25-24 26-22 30-15 18-18 15-23 114-102 .528
Gale Catlett 73-02 34-21 38-29 24-33 23-26 21-17 140-126 .526
Gary Williams 79-11 19-18 42-40 31-27 24-22 20-17 136-124 .523
Tom Green 84-09 33-28 23-27 32-19 22-31 22-17 132-122 .520
Tex Winter 52-83 25-20 31-31 28-25 19-19 18-17 121-112 .519
Abe Lemons 56-85 25-25 25-32 20-17 19-14 21-14 110-102 .519
Norman Sloan 57-89 22-31 28-33 31-17 24-23 23-15 128-119 .518
Ned Wulk 52-82 22-22 27-19 30-16 20-26 22-30 121-113 .517
Eldon Miller 71-98 20-23 33-28 33-27 20-22 29-27 135-127 .515
Dave Bliss 76-03 20-30 30-27 30-20 23-16 20-23 123-116 .515
Lute Olson 74-07 31-37 26-34 33-24 24-15 27-23 141-133 .515
Howie Dallmar 49-75 19-32 28-19 19-19 21-13 18-17 105-100 .512
Rick Samuels 82-05 26-28 25-19 16-19 28-23 17-18 112-107 .511
Marv Harshman 59-85 27-18 19-35 15-8 15-19 29-21 105-101 .510
Dale Brown 73-97 32-23 32-24 12-28 16-20 17-10 109-105 .509
Tom Davis 72-07 21-32 30-32 25-23 37-18 21-26 134-131 .506
Dr. Glenn Wilkes 72-93 23-29 26-20 17-22 20-19 16-10 102-100 .505
Hank Iba 34-70 29-32 41-46 33-36 32-28 25-15 160-157 .505
Pete Carril 67-96 25-30 23-34 26-15 17-12 22-20 113-111 .504
Lou Henson 63-05 27-41 41-42 32-35 32-27 37-22 169-167 .503
Tom Brennan 83-05 21-18 21-21 31-32 12-18 18-13 103-102 .502
Riley Wallace 77-07 25-26 20-20 27-25 21-18 8-13 101-102 .498
Nibs Price 25-54 22-24 35-37 19-18 26-33 23-17 125-129 .492
Sonny Smith 77-98 21-27 28-29 21-20 18-22 19-13 107-111 .491
Jack Friel 29-58 25-27 24-32 28-29 21-13 25-28 123-129 .488
Bill E. Foster 64-93 21-21 30-27 14-18 19-16 15-22 99-104 .488
Bill Reinhart 24-66 16-23 27-27 24-16 20-21 15-25 102-112 .477
Jud Heathcote 72-95 26-24 28-36 19-14 11-19 17-19 101-112 .474
Dave Magarity 79-04 14-19 23-27 19-25 19-21 19-14 94-106 .470