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3 coaches on the rise after March Madness opening week

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The first four days of the NCAA tournament were chaotic, and a trio of coaches emerged through the mayhem with their stock trending upward.

Here are three coaches on the rise after the opening week of March Madness:

Eric Musselman - Nevada

Musselman has been the most charismatic coach in the tournament, endearing himself to viewers nationwide. He's also led Nevada to a pair of double-digit comebacks, cementing himself as one of the country's better in-game coaches.

First, the Wolf Pack rallied from 14 points down to defeat No. 10 Texas in overtime; then, they erased a 22-point deficit in the second half versus No. 2 Cincinnati to tie the second-largest comeback ever in March Madness. Musselman has Nevada in the Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history.

Ryan Odom - UMBC

It was only one win, but Odom will forever be known as the brain behind the greatest upset in NCAA tournament history. Not only did UMBC become the first 16-seed to defeat a No. 1, Odom's squad also put up 74 points against Virginia, the nation's top-ranked scoring defense.

Whether it was a fluke, great coaching, or simply a display of impeccable execution, the stunning result is sure to attract higher-profile programs to Odom, who's just 43 years old.

Jim Boeheim - Syracuse

Any notion that Boeheim lost his touch has been dispelled after a three-game winning streak has Syracuse back in the Sweet 16. Many thought the Orange were bound for the NIT during Selection Sunday, but Boeheim has made the most of his NCAA tournament berth.

After steering the Orange to a win over Arizona State in the First Four, Boeheim led the 11th seed to upsets over No. 6 TCU and No. 3 Michigan State. His patented 2-3 zone looked as strong as ever during the opening week, and is a major reason why Syracuse has been able to turn a controversial at-large bid into an extended March run for the second time in three years.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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