The last team that Bob Huggins assembled at West Virginia has been comprised largely from highly-coveted additions from the NCAA Transfer Portal. Although student-athletes swapping schools were less common in the 1970’s, Huggins came to WVU as a transfer in 1974.
Huggins began his playing career at Ohio University in the 1972-1973 season. After playing one season with the Bobcats, Huggins returned to his hometown. He played three seasons for West Virginia, appearing in 81 games. Huggins averaged 9.8 points per game for his WVU career. In his senior season, Huggins posted career-best averages in points per game (13.2) and rebounding (4.1).
Coaching career begins
Huggins began his 44-year coaching career as a graduate assistant at WVU in the 1977-1978 season. He spent the next two seasons on the staff at Ohio State.
A year later, Huggins earned his first head coaching opportunity at Walsh College, an NAIA school in Ohio. In three seasons, Walsh compiled a record of 71-26.
Huggins spent one season as an assistant coach at Central Florida before securing his first Division I head coaching opportunity at Akron. After going 12-14 in his first season, Huggins led Akron to four consecutive seasons of at least 21 wins. He went 97-46 over the course of five seasons.
Cincinnati years
In 1989, Huggins was hired to lead the University of Cincinnati. He led the Bearcats to 16 consecutive winning seasons and a record of 399-127. In his third season, Huggins led UC to a mark of 29-5 and a berth in the NCAA Final Four. 13 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament would follow.
The 1999-2000 team may have been Huggins’ best despite a second-round loss in the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats went undefeated (16-0) in Conference USA play and they were ranked No. 1 in the nation late in the regular season. However, consensus National Player of the Year Kenyon Martin suffered a broken leg in the C-USA Tournament, derailing their postseason run.
Huggins suffered a heart attack in 2002, less than a month prior to the start of preseason practice. He returned to the team prior to the start of early-season drills.
Huggins’ tenure at Cincinnati ended in August of 2005. A year earlier, Huggins was arrested on a drunken driving charge. He later pleaded no contest to the charge. Huggins led the Bearcats in the 2004-2005 season, but he was later forced out at UC by President Nancy Zimpher. Huggins resigned an accepted a contract buyout.
Back in the game in Manhattan
After a one-year absence, Huggins returned to the bench as the new head coach at Kansas State in the 2006-2007 season. He led K-State to a 23-12 record, a 10-6 Big 12 record and a spot in the NIT. The 23 wins were the most for the Wildcats in 19 seasons.
Return to the Coliseum
When Gale Catlett retired from WVU in 2002, Huggins turned down an opportunity to lead his alma mater, opting instead to remain at Cincinnati. Five years later, Huggins welcomed the chance to return home. Success was immediate. In his first season, the Mountaineers went 26-11 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 after defeating Duke in the second round.
WVU returned to “The Big Dance” a year later with a mark of 23-12. On February 26, Huggins made his return to the University of Cincinnati. The Mountaineers were defeated by the Bearcats, 65-61.
Huggins’ signature season at WVU came in the 2009-2010 campaign. The Mountaineers won their first eleven games of the season, sweeping their schedule in November and December. Success continued into Big East Conference play, and after a 79-60 win over St. John’s on February 6, the Mountaineers upped their record to 19-3. After dropping three of their next five games, the Mountaineers closed the regular season with three consecutive victories.
A week later, the Mountaineers headed to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament.
In three tightly-contested games, WVU defeated Cincinnati (54-51), Notre Dame (53-51) and Georgetown (60-58) to claim the program’s only Big East Conference Championship.
The Mountaineers earned a No. 2 seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
West Virginia defeated Morgan State and Missouri in their first two tournament games in Buffalo, N.Y.
As the scene shifted east to Syracuse, the Mountaineers knocked off Washington, 69-56 in the regional semifinals. Two days later, West Virginia faced off with a Kentucky team that was stacked with NBA prospects. The Mountaineers prevailed, 73-66, securing an East Regional title and earning a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Mountaineers were defeated by Duke in the national semifinals, 78-57. West Virginia concluded the season with a 31-7 record. The 31 wins tied a career-high at the NCAA level for Huggins.
Eight more NCAA Tournament runs would follow, including Sweet 16 appearances in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
After years of waiting, Huggins was officially selected for enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Huggins was enshrined on September 10, 2022.
Huggins concludes his WVU tenure with a record of 345-203. His 863 wins at the Division I level are good enough for eighth-best on the all-time list.
Including his wins at Walsh College, Huggins collected 935 career victories.
Huggins’ conference record covering the Big East and Big 12 years is 151-136.
West Virginia’s current, assembled roster for the 2023-2024 season features what is regarded as one of the best NCAA Transfer Portal classes during the offseason.