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The ACC’s new coaches are off to a strong start that could, by tonight, put them in select company, better than any group since 2014.
Only one of the 2015 crew – Jim Christian, Danny Manning, Rick Pitino, Buzz Williams – won more than two in a row in his debut ACC season. That year the big winner was Louisville’s Rick Pitino, whose Cardinals opened with 11 straight victories.
Only two ACC coaches ever started better than Pitino, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim in 2014 (25) and UNC’s Bill Guthridge in 1998 with 17 in a row.
So far Pittsburgh won its first five under Jeff Capel, tying him with NC State’s Kevin Keatts for the third-best debut by an active ACC coach. And Chris Mack has led Louisville to three wins out of the gate.
Pitt faces St. Louis on a neutral court, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Win that and Capel ties UNC’s Roy Williams for the No. 2 start by a current coach, and then goes to Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Then come in-town opponent Duquesne and Niagara.
Mack has a tougher row to hoe, facing top-10 Tennessee and Rick Barnes in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Barnes won his first 10 as Clemson’s coach in 1995.
| DEBUTS, DANDY AND OTHERWISE Consecutive Wins To Start League Career By Current ACC Head Coaches (Asterisk Indicates Ongoing Streak) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Jim Boeheim | Syracuse | 2014 |
| 6 | Roy Williams | North Carolina | 2004 |
| 5* | Jeff Capel | Pittsburgh | 2019 |
| 5 | Kevin Keatts | NC State | 2018 |
| 4 | Jim Larranaga | Miami | 2012 |
| 3* | Chris Mack | Pittsburgh | 2019 |
| 3 | Brad Brownell | Clemson | 2011 |
| 3 | Leonard Hamilton | Florida State | 2003 |
| 2 | Mike Krzyzewski | Duke | 1981 |
| 2 | Mike Brey | Notre Dame | 2014 |
| 2 | Buzz Williams | Virginia Tech | 2015 |
| 2 | Danny Manning | Wake Forest | 2015 |
| 2 | Josh Pastner | Georgia Tech | 2017 |
| 1 | Tony Bennett | Virginia | 2010 |
| 1 | Jim Christian | Boston College | 2015 |
|
Most Consecutive Wins, All-Time To Start ACC Coaching Career (School ACC Member At Time Of Debut) |
||
| Starting Wins | Coach, School | Starting Season |
| 25 | Jim Boeheim, SU | 2014 |
| 17 | Bill Guthridge, NC | 1998 |
| 11 | Rick Pitino, UL | 2015 |
| 10 | Jamie Dixon, PU | 2014 |
| 10 | Rick Barnes, C | 1995 |
| 6 | Roy Williams, NC | 2004 |
| 6 | Bucky Waters, D | 1970 |
| 5* | Jeff Capel, UP | 2019 |
| 5 | Sidney Lowe, NCS | 2007 |
| 5 | Herb Sendek, NCS | 1997 |
| 5 | Kevin Keatts, NCS | 2018 |
| 4 | Jim Larranaga, UM | 2012 |
| 4 | Steve Robinson, FSU | 1998 |
| 4 | Dino Gaudio, WF | 2008 |
| 4 | Skip Prosser, WF | 2002 |
| 4 | David Padgett, UL | 2018 |
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