Baylor’s Scott Drew is National Coach Of The Year Finalist
Baylor head coach Scott Drew is one of four finalists for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club announced on Wednesday.
Drew is up for the award along with Gonzaga coach Mark Few, Michigan coach Juwan Howard and Alabama coach Nate Oats.
Voting for the award will continue from March 19-31, with the winner announced on April 2.
The Bears open the NCAA Tournament on Friday against the Hartford Hawks.
Baylor (22-2), Gonzaga and Michigan are all No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, which starts on Wednesday. Alabama is a No. 2 seed.
READ MORE: 2021 NCAA Tournament: Schedule, Printable Bracket, Dates and Times
READ MORE: The Big 12’s Easiest, Hardest Paths to the Sweet 16
Drew led the Bears to their first regular-season Big 12 Conference title, and the program’s first regular-season conference title of any kind since the 1949-50 season, when the Bears won the Southwest Conference crown. For his efforts, he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Drew isn’t the only Bear up for national awards. Guard Jared Butler was named an Associated Press All-American on Tuesday, becoming the only First Team All-American in Baylor’s history. Butler remains a candidate for both the Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year awards.
Guard Davion Mitchell was a Third-Team AP All-America selection and is up for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, along with Butler and Mark Vital. Kansas guard Marcus Garrett won the award last season.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
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