College Basketball: Top 5 Candidates for Coach of the Year

College Basketball: Top 5 candidates for AP Coach of the Year

Dec 20, 2014; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) and head coach Jay Wright and guard Ryan Arcidiacono (15) celebrate a victory against the Syracuse Orange at Wells Fargo Center. Villanova defeated Syracuse 82-77. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 18, 2016; Ames, IA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lon Kruger reacts against the Iowa State Cyclones at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Lon Kruger, Oklahoma

Having potentially the best season of his coaching career, Lon Kruger has made the Oklahoma Sooners a major favorite to win the National Championship this season. Even more impressive for Oklahoma is that the Big 12 has the most top-25 teams of any conference in the nation. One of the Sooners’ three losses was at Kansas when they dropped a thrilling 109-106 game in triple overtime.

Another fact that has helped Oklahoma this season is the play of Player of the Year favorite Buddy Hield. The senior has drastically improved his play this season thanks to the coaching of Kruger. In fact, Kruger has already shown his high level of coaching since his arrival at Oklahoma, turning the Sooners from a 15-16 team his first year to now being ranked No. 3 in the nation and having a record of 19-3.

In fact, Oklahoma is a major threat to not only win their first regular season conference title since 2005 and their first conference tournament title since 2003, but winning these titles will be key to Lon Kruger potentially being named the AP Coach of the Year.

Even more importantly, though, then potentially being named Coach of the Year for Kruger will likely be winning the national title. If the Sooners keep up their high level of play throughout the rest of the season, they should become a No. 1 seed and make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament.

Next: Fran McCaffery, Iowa