52 // VARSITY March 20, 2014
INSIDE
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Bo Ryan coaching tree
branches out to Big Dance
Former players, assistants to appear in tourney
BY JEREMY WODAJO @BADGERMBB
I
n 13 seasons as the head
coach at Wisconsin, Bo Ryan
has accomplished a multi-
tude of milestones, including
guiding his team to the NCAA
tournament every season
since taking the helm in 2001.
Outside of the fact that his
team will be make its 13th-
straight appearance in the Big
Dance, this year's tournament
may be the most special for the
Chester, Pa., native.
Along with preparing his
team for its second-round
matchup with American on
Thursday in Milwaukee, Ryan
will keep his eye on seven oth-
er coaches that have branched
out from his coaching tree
and will lead their own clubs
through the NCAA tourney.
Former Wisconsin assistant
Tony Bennett leads Virginia
into the Dance as the top seed
in the East Region after guid-
ing his squad to the ACC reg-
ular-season and conference
tournament titles in his fifth
season as the head coach.
Saul Phillips, an assistant under Ryan
at both Milwaukee and Wisconsin, is
now head coach of North Dakota State,
the Summit League champion, while Rob
Jeter, a former player and coach under
Ryan, resurrected Milwaukee from a last-
place preseason projection in the Hori-
zon League to an NCAA tournament bid.
Aside from the three head coaches,
there are also a wealth of others with ties
to Ryan who will make an appearance in
this week's tournament. His son, Will
(North Dakota State), as well as Sharif
Chambliss and Duffy Conroy (Milwau-
kee) and Tanner Bronson (Saint Louis)
all played for Ryan, and now serve as as-
sistants for teams that will be looking to
make a run this March.
"He's a brilliant, brilliant basketball
mind," Phillips told The Forum of Far-
go-Moorhead of Ryan's influence. "We
all learned basketball from a guy who
teaches it as well as anybody teaches
basketball. Period."
Butch Ryan, Bo's late father, is credited
with imparting his son with much of the
knowledge he now uses in his position
as one of college basketball's most suc-
cessful coaches. At least one former staff
member believes Butch may have a hand
in the good fortunes that Bo and the rest
of his coaching tree are enjoying.
"I can't help but think Butch is orches-
trating this," Phillips said. "It's pretty
special."
SCHEDULE (26-7)
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Friday Minnesota W, 83-57
Saturday Michigan State L, 75-83
NCAA TOURNAMENT - MILWAUKEE
Thursday American 11:40 a.m.
Saturday 3rd Round TBA
