Several college basketball teams in Maryland, District, and Virginia are exceeding expectations. Which coaches have done the best jobs so far? Here are the top eight.

1. John Thompson III (Georgetown) – What is it about the Princeton offense that allows less talented teams to thrive but seems to hinder those with more ability? Whatever the answer, Thompson has done a masterful job getting the most out of this team. As underachieving squads such as UConn, Pitt, and Louisville make expected improvements in February, winning in the Big East will become more difficult. But it would take a complete collapse for Georgetown (16-3) not to advance to the NCAA tournament. Don’t expect that to happen.

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2. Tony Bennett (Virginia) – Going 15-3 with that starting five should make Bennett the ACC coach of the year. It’s a group of limited talents but much experience, especially in Bennett’s defensive system which closes off the inside and forces teams to shoot 3-pointers. It would have worked against Duke if the Cavaliers had hit their own shots from the arc. Winning without injured 7-footer Assane Sene will be Bennett’s biggest challenge.
3. Jimmy Patsos (Loyola) – In his eighth season, Patsos has built a deep squad with players almost exclusively from the Baltimore/Washington area. With only one senior in the rotation, Loyola (14-5) is destined for 20-plus wins and a postseason tournament. In another year, the Greyhounds would be the conference favorite. But beating MAAC top dog Iona in the tournament would be a monumental accomplishment. The teams are tied with Manhattan for the league lead.
4. Paul Hewitt (George Mason) – Expectations were high, but the difficulty of taking over a program and winning with three new backcourt regulars has been underrated. Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison have been better players under Hewitt than predecessor Jim Larranaga, helping the Patriots (17-5) match their record at his point last season. The transition to a coach with a vastly different personality has been smooth, thanks in large part to Hewitt’s cool, graceful demeanor, which has imbued the Patriots with confidence.
5. Mark Turgeon (Maryland) – Improvement is evident in virtually every game. Winning is another matter for the inexperienced Terrapins (12-7) who have lost four of their last six. Maryland has yet to capture a road game in three tries. Its best win came over Notre Dame in the BB&T. Don’t be surprised if Turgeon pulls off a shocker or two, but making the NCAA tournament is too much to ask of this group. Watch out next year, however, with the addition of three intriguing recruits who will fill vital roles if they are as good as advertised.
6. Anthony Evans (Norfolk State) – The Spartans (15-6) were picked to finish fourth in the preseason, but are dominating the MEAC behind 6-10 Kyle O’Quinn. In his last three conference games, Evans, who is in his fifth season, has guided Norfolk to road wins over the three teams that were picked to finish at the top – Morgan State, Coppin State, and Hampton. Norfolk is the only team in the MEAC with a winning record. 
7. Jeff Jones (American) – At 13-8 the limited Eagles have done just about as well as could be expected after losing four starters. A win Wednesday at defending champion Bucknell would have put the Eagles in a tie for first place in the Patriot League. They lost 67-61, but made the Bison sweat. It might not be their final trip to Lewisburg, Pa. however. If AU got to the Patriot League championship game, no one in the conference would be shocked to see Jones find a way to steal one.
8. Shaka Smart (VCU) – The Rams got off to a slow start, failing to notch an important, RPI-building victory. But after the holidays VCU (17-5) has gathered steam behind Bradford Burgess and its signature pressure defense. Smart’s run to the Final Four last year lengthened his recruiting reach. Two of the freshmen he signed last year – Briante Weber and Treveon Graham — are emerging. An even more talented crop is on the way next year, led by 6-5 Jordan Burgess (Benedictine), little brother of current VCU star Bradford Burgess.  

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