Longhorns Shaka Smart Named to Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Watch List

Texas Longhorns Basketball Head Coach Shaka Smart Named to Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Watch List

On Friday, University of Texas Men's Basketball head coach Shaka Smart was named to the 2021 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year late-season watch list.

Smart is one of 15 potential candidates for the award.

The sixth season Texas head coach is most well known for his miracle 2011 Final Four run with VCU. His early days were underscored by his powerful defensive strategies, leading VCU to four seasons with 26 or more victories. He left VCU to join the Longhorns in 2015, seeking to turn the program around.

This season, Smart has led the Longhorns to a 13-5 overall record (7-4 Big 12 Conference record) entering the weekend.

READ MORE: Texas Vs. OU Basketball Game Postponed For Third Time

READ MORE: Longhorns Up to No. 12 in Latest AP Poll

The Longhorns have been most successful outside of Austin this season, going 6-1 in away contests. Some signature wins include victories at No. 23 Kansas and No. 13 West Virginia and neutral-site wins against North Carolina and Indiana.

Following a 70-55 win over TCU last Saturday (2/13) at the Frank Erwin Center, the Texas Longhorns moved up to the No. 12 spot in the latest AP Top-25 poll.

Here are the other coaches nominated for the 2021 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year:

Casey Alexander- Belmont

Darian DeVries- Drake

Scott Drew- Baylor

Andy Enfield- USC

Mark Few- Gonzaga

Leonard Hamilton- Florida State

Chris Holtmann- Ohio State

Juwan Howard- Michigan

Bob Huggins- West Virginia

Lon Kruger- Oklahoma

Porter Moser- Loyola-Chicago

Nate Oats- Alabama

Kelvin Sampson- Houston

Mike Young- Virginia Tech

Texas will have its next challenge on Saturday in Austin against the No. 13-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers. Tip-off is at 2 P.M. CST, and the game will be televised on ABC.

CONTINUE READING: Longhorns Build Momentum With 70-55 Win Over TCU

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