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Debate: should Bob Huggins be in the Hall of Fame?

By Christopher Mangum

MORGANTOWN, WV - JANUARY 11: Head Coach Bob Huggins of the West Virginia Mountaineers looks on in the first half during a college basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the WVU Coliseum on January 11, 2022 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - JANUARY 11: Head Coach Bob Huggins of the West Virginia Mountaineers looks on in the first half during a college basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the WVU Coliseum on January 11, 2022 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Since his coaching debut in 1984, Bob Huggins has led many teams to many titles. Huggins is top ten in both games coached and wins in college basketball history, and has won numerous awards for his work as a head coach. The one thing that leaves his Hall of Fame bid up for debate is his post season success.

Huggins’ early career

19 Feb 2002: Head coach Bob Huggins of the Cincinnatti Bearcats shouts at the referee in a game against the DePaul Blue Demons at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Cincinnatti defeated DePaul 79-62. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
19 Feb 2002: Head coach Bob Huggins of the Cincinnatti Bearcats shouts at the referee in a game against the DePaul Blue Demons at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Cincinnatti defeated DePaul 79-62. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images /

After finishing his playing career at West Virginia and in the NBA, Bob Huggins’ coaching career started in1984 with the University of Akron. Huggins would take Akron from 12-14 in his first season to 22-8 in his second.

The Zips also picked up both the regular-season conference and conference tournament titles. Akron was then granted an NCAA tournament bid in Huggins’s second season.

After a 97-46 career with Akron, Huggins would move on to coach Cincinnati in 1989.

Bob Huggins inherited a Cincinnati program that had been struggling and led them back to prominence. In the five seasons before Huggins’ arrival, Cincinnati had not come close to an NCAA tournament berth in nearly 15 years.

Huggins would swiftly change this and restore the program.

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