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These Coaches Have Elite Against the Spread Records in March Madness

These college basketball head coaches have been great for backers in the NCAA Tournament. 

By Shelby Dermer

Mar 15, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari questions a call during the SEC Tournament.
Mar 15, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari questions a call during the SEC Tournament. / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
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When the lights shine brightest in college basketball, a few head coaches stand out from a betting perspective. 

Experience matters in March Madness. There are five coaches in this year’s field that have been great for backers in previous NCAA Tournaments, dating back to 2005. 

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Dana Altman NCAA Tournament spread record

Oregon made a Pac-12 Tournament run to steal a bid in the NCAA Tournament behind a coach with great ATS in previous March Madness trips. Dana Altman has led three different programs (Kansas State, Creighton, Oregon) to the NCAA Tournament over the last 30-plus seasons and has gone 15-6-1 ATS since 2005. In recent years, Altman led Oregon to the Final Four (2017), the Elite Eight twice (2016, 2017) and the Sweet 16 five times (2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021). 

No. 11 Oregon is a 1.5-point underdog to No. 6 South Carolina in the first round on Thursday. 

John Calipari NCAA Tournament spread record

John Calipari has taken some heat with Kentucky crashing and burning in recent years in the NCAA Tournament having not made the second weekend since 2019. However, the Wildcats have been great overall ATS during Calipari’s tenure, which includes a national championship (2012) and three trips to the Final Four (2011, 2012, 2015). Calipari also ended his nine-season run at Memphis with four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, which includes a now-vacated national runner-up finish in 2008. 

No. 3 Kentucky is a 13.5-point favorite over No. 14 Oakland in its first-round matchup. 

John Groce NCAA Tournament spread record

Akron will be the third team John Groce has taken to the NCAA Tournament (Ohio, Illinois) since becoming a head coach prior to the 2008-09 season. Groce, 7-1 ATS in the NCAA Tournament, led Ohio to the Sweet 16 in 2012 and won a first-round game the next season at Illinois the next season. At Akron, Groce’s Zips made the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and covered in a first-round loss to No. 4 UCLA. 

No. 14 Akron is a 12.5-point underdog to No. 3 Creighton in the first round on Thursday. 

Hubert Davis NCAA Tournament spread record

Davis has only been to the NCAA Tournament once, but went a perfect 6-for-6 ATS in North Carolina’s run to the national championship game in 2022. The Tar Heels were a 3.5-point underdog in its 72-69 loss to Kansas in the national final. 

No. 1 North Carolina will be a double-digit favorite in its first-round game against either Howard or Wagner. 

Dan Hurley NCAA Tournament spread record

This will be Dan Hurley’s sixth NCAA Tournament over the last eight seasons between Rhode Island and UConn. He led Rhode Island to first-round NCAA Tournament wins in 2017 and 2018 but did the majority of his ATS damage during UConn’s dominant run to a national title last season with six double-digit victories. 

No. 1 UConn is a 26.5-point favorite over No. 16 Stetson in Friday’s first round. 

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