Top 6 coaches to keep an eye on outside Power 4 Conferences ft. 4th longest tenured coach James Jones

Most coaches outside the Power 4 Conferences receive little fanfare from college basketball enthusiasts due to the media hype surrounding the illustrious group. We only get to know them when March Madness kicks off.

Before signing a multi-million dollar deal to coach Michigan in the 2024-25 college basketball season, Dusty May guided non-Power 4 school Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four, while Mark Few guided Gonzaga to multiple NCAA Tournaments, including two runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2021.

Here are six coaches outside the Power 4 Conferences that fans should watch out for this season (per CBS Sports).

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Top six coaches to keep an eye on outside Power 4 Conferences

#6 Kenny Blakeney, Howard

Kenny Blakeney has propelled Howard from a laughing stock at the MEAC to a formidable team in the conference. The Duke alumnus has guided the Bison to consecutive March Madness appearances by winning back-to-back MEAC tournaments in 2023 and 2024.

He hopes to make it three in a row this coming season, as Howard is again the favorite to win the conference.

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#5 James Jones, Yale

James Jones has led Yale to three NCAA Tournament appearances in five years. The 60-year-old coach is set to coach the Bulldogs for the 26th season, making him the fourth-longest tenured coach in Division I.

Last season, Yale made it to the second round of March Madness, and Jones, who is 396-311 overall, hopes to surpass that milestone in the 2024-25 college basketball season.

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#4 Eric Henderson, South Dakota State

Eric Henderson has guided South Dakota State to five consecutive winning seasons since he was hired in 2019. The 46-year-old has tallied a 109-48 record and helped the Jackrabbits qualify for two NCAA Tournaments over the last three seasons.

Despite being tabbed as the second favorite to win the Summit League, behind Kansas City, SDSU remains a top contender with Henderson calling out the plays.

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#3 Bucky McMillan, Sanmford

Bucky McMillan has made Samford a men's basketball powerhouse in the Southern Conference.

From a 6-13 record in the 2020-21 season, McMillan guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back 21-win seasons before securing the Southern Conference regular season and tournament double in 2023-24.

The SoCon double guaranteed McMillan his first NCAA Tournament stint, but Samford's magical run ended in the first round by Kansas.

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#2 Will Wade, McNeese

Will Wade, who guided VCU and LSU to five NCAA Tournaments between 2015 and 2022, handed McNeese its first NCAA tournament appearance in 22 years. The Cowboys dominated the Southland Conference, going 30-4 en route capturing the regular season-tournament double.

McNeese made the NCAA Tournament but lost to Gonzaga in the first round.

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#1 Preston Spradlin, James Madison

Preston Spradlin coached Morehead State to three postseason tournaments (two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT) over the last four seasons. The impressive run has caused James Madison to pursue Spradlin during the offseason, and the Dukes were successful.

Preston Spradlin hopes to bring the magic he had with Morehead State to James Madison this season. The Dukes seek to duplicate or surpass its second-round finish in last year's March Madness.

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Are there any other coaches outside of the Power 4 Conferences that fans should watch out for in the 2024-25 college basketball season? Let's know your insights in the comments section below: