AUSTIN, Texas — In order to put what the Providence Friars and coach Ed Cooley have accomplished over the last few years, it’s helpful to consider what’s unfolded in the state capitol of Texas as well.
The Texas Longhorns are led by one of the more heralded young coaches in the country, Shaka Smart. After leading Virginia Commonwealth to five NCAA appearances in six seasons, Smart could not turn down a chance to win big in the Big 12. Like the state it sits in, the Longhorns own outsize expectations and budgets and Smarts seems like a coach with a golden future.