Bob Huggins made the Sweet 16 just one time after the 1996 season--in his defense that was in 2000, and as concerns that year specifically but for Kenyon Martin's ankle they'd have likely gone much, much further. Still, that doesn't change the fact that otherwise in his last 9 years they got bounced in the first or second round, typically by a lower-seeded team.

His last 5-6 teams were pretty much all booty--they basically never had a true ball handling point guard, they rarely had a real big man, and their guards were all 6'6" tweeners with streaky outside shots.

I don't know how you could have really felt like a contender at any point after 2000--with the exception, perhaps of the 2002 team, which was Huggins' best post-Kenyon team by a country mile. Even that team lost in the second round as a 1-seed by blowing a 16-point lead to UCLA.

As much flak as Mick Cronin catches, I feel like UC fans forget that Huggins was really not much better over his last decade in Clifton.

Also, my predictions over the next five years:

** Next NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023 (They sneak in as a double-digit seed in 2020 if Jarron Cumberland ultimately decides to return to school, but still follow this with a drought through 2022.)

** NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (3 if Jarron Cumberland returns to school.)

** NCAA Tournament Wins: 3 or 4

** Sweet 16 Appearances: 1 (2024)

** Elite 8 Appearances: 0

** Overall Winning Percentage: 67%

** Conference Winning Percentage: 62%

** Record vs Norwood: 2-3

** Winning Record vs Top 25: No

** AAC Regular Season Titles: 1 (2024)

** AAC Tournament Titles: 1 (2023)

** Worst Season: 15-17 (7-11) in 2020 without Jarron Cumberland; otherwise 18-15 (9-9) in 2021

** Best Season: 29-8 (15-3) in 2024 (AAC Regular Season Champions, Sweet 16)

** Top 25 Recruiting Classes: 0

** 5-Star Recruits: 0

** 4-Star Recruits: 4

** Players Drafted: 1 (Keith Williams in the late second round in 2021, so half-point to Brannen for that.)

247 composite rankings 2015 thru 2018
UCLA 24,11,6,5
UC 53,63,58,61
Texas Tech 74,135,39,33
Virgina 62,7,98,65
You can suck with top ranked classes and win without. Mick was just an ok recruiter and coach he more or less finished season between 32 and 64. Enough with the coach J.B. is a nobody,Coach K was a nobody until he was a somebody. Virgina fans didn't want Tony B. Let him coach before we judge. I'll take the chance to upgrade over mediocrity. John B forever Mick C never go cats

Yeah, it seems as if justinhubs expectations are much higher for Brannen than they were for mick. When he clearly thinks mick is a way better coach. Kind of odd

That’s my thoughts. Everyone is a nobody before they are a somebody. Even assistant coaches. It literally means nothing

My point was not about how far they advanced it was about whether or not I felt they could. And yes the 1 seed in 2001-2002 I did feel pretty good about. His later years were more on a down trend but there were still 2 years of top 4 seeds in there after 2000...but that is still 1 more protected seed than Cronin received in 9 appearances.

Either way I only had big expectations in 1 year of Cronin's 9. Regardless of how that turned out....it was the reasonable expectation that had me super excited. I get a little bit excited just making the dance even if I don't feel we are a contender because there is always that hope of all things going right for us much like our F4 year under Huggins. Sometimes you just need some good things to happen in front of you to make the run. Much like we had going for us when we lost to Nevada...it could not have been set up any better for our draw had we not had the epic meltdown. Opportunities like that don't happen often...so you need to take full advantage of them. Especially when you have a legit contender.

Brannen will be on Jon Rothsteins “college hoops today” podcast.

Been waiting for this

Im with you all the way on this. I didn't like way Mick was basically non existent on social media but cried about toys he needed to recruit. If I'm coach I'll be all over social media giving my basketball insight. You got have personality and major swagger in this business.

But mick was on multiple podcast every single season at UC

He’s done at least 3 while at UCLA.

Brannen is maybe the last new coach in the country at a major program to be on a podcast

But it’s good timing regardless