Courtesy of GoXavier.com
CINCINNATI – Xavier University seventh-year head coach Chris Mack has been selected the winner of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Henry Iba Award for National Coach of the Year. Mack, a 1992 Xavier graduate and former two-time team captain, is the first coach in school history to win national coach of the year honors.
The Henry Iba Award is named in honor of the legendary Oklahoma State coach who won 655 games and two national championships in 36 seasons in Stillwater. The award is voted on by all members of the USBWA at the conclusion of the regular season. The USBWA has presented a National Coach of the Year Award each year since the 1958-59 season.
Mack, 160-75 (.681) in seven seasons, ranks second all-time in career wins at Xavier. Mack led XU to five NCAA Tournaments in his first six years and is a lock to make that six NCAA berths in seven years when the 2016 field is announced on Sunday. Mack is the only Xavier coach ever to lead three XU teams to the NCAA Sweet 16.
Xavier, which began the season unranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls and picked fourth in the BIG EAST Conference, is No. 5 in both polls for a third straight week. Xavier stands 26-4 overall and finished second in the BIG EAST at 14-4. The 26 victories tie a school record for most wins in a regular season. Xavier has spent 16 straight weeks in the AP Top 25, including 13 straight weeks in the AP Top 10. XU is 6-1 vs. the AP Top 25 this season, including a 3-0 record vs. the AP Top 10 that includes a win over then-No. 1 Villanova. XU has been in the USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25 for each of the last 15 weeks.
Xavier lost its leading scorer and rebounder, as well as a three-year starter at point guard, from its 2015 Sweet 16 team. Despite that XU leads BIG EAST and ranks high in nation in rebound margin (20th at +7.5 rpg.) and assists (28th at 16.3 apg.). XU is second in the BIG EAST and 19th in the nation in scoring at 81.0 ppg. Xavier’s balanced scoring attack is among the best nationally with four players in double figures and two more at 9.5 ppg.
The team defensive stats are much better despite seven freshmen or sophomores among the top 11 players, including field goal percentage defense at 41.4 percent this year vs. 43.5 last year and 3-point field goal percentage defense at 31.7 percent this year compared with 34.5 last year.
The Musketeers enter the BIG EAST Tournament as the No. 2 seed. Xavier plays its first game Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York against the winner of the St. John’s-Marquette game.
Mack will be formally presented with the Henry Iba Award at the College Basketball Awards gala and dinner in Oklahoma City on April 11.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball.
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