ESPN: Lou Henson, winningest men's basketball coach at Illinois, New Mexico State, dies

[BleedGopher]

The passing of another coaching icon from one of the best eras of Big Ten basketball.

Per ESPN:



Lou Henson, the all-time wins leader as men's basketball coach at the University of Illinois and New Mexico State, died Saturday at his home in Champaign, Illinois, at age 88, his family announced Wednesday.

He was buried Wednesday in a ceremony in Champaign, which was attended by family only.

Henson began his coaching career at Las Cruces (New Mexico) High School in 1957 and spent 21 years at Illinois. He retired in 2005, 21 wins shy of becoming only the fifth coach in Division I history to win 800 games. Henson retired with a career record of 779-413, the sixth-winningest in Division I history at the time.

During a 41-year career, Henson became the winningest coach at Illinois (423) and New Mexico State (289), where he coached from 1966 to 1975 and again from 1997 to 2005. He led both schools to the Final Four -- the Aggies in 1970 and the Illini in 1989.

College hoops coaching great Henson dies at 88

Lou Henson died Saturday at age 88. He had a record of 779-413 during a coaching career spent primarily at Illinois and New Mexico State.

www.espn.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[coolhandgopher]

RIP to Lou 'Do. As you mentioned Bleed, he was from the golden age of Big 10 basketball and college basketball, overall. I loved that he got under Bobby Knight's skin. He also put together one of my favorite non-Gopher squads of all-time, the '89 Illini with Kenny Battle, Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton, Steve Bardo, and Marcus Liberty. If not for a last-second put back by Michigan's Sean Higgins, I believe that team would have captured Illinois' first and only national championship.

 

[restovich]

R.I.P. Lou

 

[howeda7]

The B1G sure had quite the coaching roster in the early 90's. Knight. Heathcote. Henson. Keady. Fisher. Clem. Dr. Tom. Randy Ayers.

Only the usual dregs of B1G basketball, (Penn State, Northwestern, Wisconsin ) didn't have a top tier guy.

 

[builtbadgers]

The B1G sure had quite the coaching roster in the early 90's. Knight. Heathcote. Henson. Keady. Fisher. Clem. Dr. Tom. Randy Ayers.

Only the usual dregs of B1G basketball, (Penn State, Northwestern, Wisconsin ) didn't have a top tier guy.

For me, Clem and AYERS were not top coaches

 

[howeda7]

For me, Clem and AYERS were not top coaches

Certainly in their school's history, they are.

 

[builtbadgers]

Certainly in their school's history, they are.

Guess we just disagree. To me, OSU had several coaches better than Ayers. He inherited a tremendous class and had a fast start. In total, he was under .500 in the conference, cheated and got fired. He matched Clem in those three areas.

 

[howeda7]

Guess we just disagree. To me, OSU had several coaches better than Ayers. He inherited a tremendous class and had a fast start. In total, he was under .500 in the conference, cheated and got fired. He matched Clem in those three areas.

Yeah, I take it back on Ayers. I was thinking his run there was better it was only two good years. The 91-92 teams was really good though.

 

[builtbadgers]

Yeah, I take it back on Ayers. I was thinking his run there was better it was only two good years. The 91-92 teams was really good though.

Agree, Jimmy Jackson was truly great.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

RIP to Lou 'Do. As you mentioned Bleed, he was from the golden age of Big 10 basketball and college basketball, overall. I loved that he got under Bobby Knight's skin. He also put together one of my favorite non-Gopher squads of all-time, the '89 Illini with Kenny Battle, Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton, Steve Bardo, and Marcus Liberty. If not for a last-second put back by Michigan's Sean Higgins, I believe that team would have captured Illinois' first and only national championship.

Loved that team too - man they were great to watch.

Lou was also one of the only guys who could actually look good in a toupee!