The University of Louisville just announced the passing of legendary NCAA basketball coach Denny Crum.
Crum led the Cardinals two a couple of NCAA titles during his 30-year tenure in charge of the program, dating from 1971 to 2001.
We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum.
Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones.https://t.co/ceEJstxbw6 pic.twitter.com/hZlfKf04xM
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) May 9, 2023
The 86-year-old reportedly died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning, and information about arrangements for his funeral will reportedly be disclosed at a later date.
Under Crum, the Cardinals paved their way to the 1980 and 1986 NCAA championships, becoming one of just 14 coaches to take his team the distance at least two times.
Louisville made it to the NCAA Final Four six times under his tutelage, leading all but five coaches in that regard in the history of the tournament.
Crum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and was widely considered one of the greatest mentors and masterminds in college basketball history.
With him, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Tourney 23 times, the 10th-most all-time by a single coach.
He logged a 675-295 career record (42-22 in the tournament) despite constantly squaring up against some of the top-ranked programs in the nation.
Notably, Crum continued to serve the Louisville basketball program as a special assistant even years after his retirement.
This is a sad day for the Louisville community and the college basketball scene as a whole.
Coach Crum’s legacy will stand tall until the end of time, and his numbers with the program may never be topped.
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