Louisville head coach Denny Crum is one of the most successful college basketball coaches of the modern era. His head coaching career started in 1971 in Louisville. After 30 years at the helm of the Cardinals' program, Crum's 2000-2001 campaign was his last in Louisville. Here's a look at the Hall-of-Fame career of Denny Crum:
| | Denny Crum spent 30 seasons at Louisville. | Personal
Born: San Fernando, Calif.
Age: 64
Birthdate: March 2, 1937
Alma Mater: UCLA (1958 graduate)
Children: 3 Cynthia (40; born Aug. 12, 1959), Steve (38; born Oct. 16, 1961), and Scott (18, born June 24, 1981)
Coaching Record
Seasons: 30
Overall: 675-295 (.696)
NCAA Tournament: 43-23 (.652)
NCAA appearances: 23
NCAA Final Fours: 6 (1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986)
NCAA titles: 2 (1980, 1986)
Career Highlights
Crum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 9, 1994.
The best years of Crum's career were the 1980s. Six times he guided the Cardinals into the NCAA Final Four, including four times during the '80s. Only UCLA's John Wooden, North Carolina's Dean Smith and Duke's Mike Kryzewski have coached more Final Four teams than Crum.
Crum reached the top of the coaching world in 1980 and 1986. On March 24, 1980 the Cardinals beat UCLA 59-54 to win Louisville's first NCAA Championship. On March 31, 1986 Louisville defeated Duke 72-69 in a classic battle, giving Crum his second and final NCAA title. "I had more fun with the second title in 1986," Crum explained, "because the pressure had been lifted."
Crum guided Louisville to 12 regular-season Metro Conference titles and 11 Metro Tournament championships. The Cardinals either won or finished second in 17 of the league's 19 years of awarding champions.
Denny Crum's Year-by-Year Record
|
Year
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Conference
|
Pct.
|
1971-72
|
26-5
|
.838
|
12-2
|
.857
|
1972-73
|
23-7
|
.766
|
11-3
|
.786
|
1973-74
|
21-7
|
.750
|
11-1
|
.917
|
1974-75
|
28-3
|
.903
|
12-2
|
.857
|
1975-76
|
20-8
|
.714
|
|
|
1976-77
|
21-7
|
.750
|
6-1
|
.857
|
1977-78
|
23-7
|
.766
|
9-3
|
.750
|
1978-79
|
24-8
|
.750
|
9-1
|
.900
|
1979-1980
|
33-3
|
.917
|
12-0
|
1.000
|
1980-81
|
21-9
|
.700
|
11-1
|
.917
|
1981-82
|
23-10
|
.697
|
8-4
|
.667
|
1982-83
|
32-4
|
.889
|
12-0
|
1.000
|
1983-84
|
24-11
|
.686
|
11-3
|
.786
|
1984-85
|
19-18
|
.514
|
6-8
|
.429
|
1985-86
|
32-7
|
.825
|
10-2
|
.833
|
1986-87
|
18-14
|
.563
|
9-3
|
.750
|
1987-88
|
24-11
|
.686
|
11-3
|
.786
|
1988-89
|
24-9
|
.727
|
8-4
|
.667
|
1989-90
|
27-8
|
.771
|
12-2
|
.857
|
1990-91
|
14-16
|
.467
|
4-10
|
.286
|
1991-92
|
19-11
|
.633
|
7-5
|
.583
|
1992-93
|
22-9
|
.710
|
11-1
|
.917
|
1993-94
|
28-6
|
.824
|
10-2
|
.833
|
1994-95
|
19-14
|
.576
|
7-5
|
.583
|
1995-96
|
22-12
|
.647
|
10-4
|
.714
|
1996-97
|
26-9
|
.743
|
9-5
|
.643
|
1997-98
|
12-20
|
.375
|
5-11
|
.313
|
1998-99
|
19-11
|
.633
|
11-5
|
.688
|
1999-2000
|
19-12
|
.613
|
10-6
|
.625
|
2000-2001
|
11-18
|
.379
|
7-8
|
.467
|
Totals
|
674-294
|
.696
|
270-105
|
.720
|
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ALSO SEE
Crum done as Louisville coach after this season
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