Oklahoma's Elite Eight run puts coach Kruger in rare company
Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
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The story of the travelling coach, Lon Kruger, continued Thursday as the Oklahoma coach became the sixth man to take three different programs to the Elite Eight, following the Sooners win over Texas A&M.
Kruger's tenure with Oklahoma began in 2011, marking the sixth program he has led during his illustrious career. The 63-year-old previously qualified for the Elite Eight with Kansas State in 1988 and Florida in 1994.
| Coach | Program No. 1 | Program No. 2 | Program No. 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lon Kruger | Kansas State (1988) | Florida (1994) | Oklahoma (2016) |
| John Calipari | UMass (1996) | Memphis (2008) | Kentucky (2010) |
| Rick Pitino | Providence (1987) | Kentucky (1993) | Louisville (2012) |
| Bill Self | Tulsa (2000) | Illinois (2001) | Kansas (2004) |
| Eddie Sutton | Arkansas (1978) | Kentucky (1986) | Oklahoma State (1995) |
| Gene Bartow | Memphis (1973) | UCLA (1976) | UAB (1982) |
Despite breaking through to the regional finals with three programs, Kruger has yet to win the NCAA tournament. With a red-hot Oklahoma team led by arguably the nation's best player in Buddy Hield, now may be the time for the coaching legend to break through.