Only seven head coaches in the history of women’s college basketball (NCAA, NAIA, AIAW) have won 900 or more games.
Today at 2 p.m. in McKenzie Arena, UTC coach Jim Foster has an opportunity to become the eighth member of that elite group as he sends his team (13-7, 4-2) against first place Mercer (19-2, 8-0) which is followed by the men’s game as UTC hosts VMI.
The Mercer Bears are on a 16-game win streak and undefeated in league play at 6-0. They are ranked seventh in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 and fifth by ESPNW while receiving votes in both major polls.
Mercer leads the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.6) and have the best assist-turnover ratio (1.9) in the NCAA. They lead the Southern Conference in eight categories including scoring offense (73.5), scoring margin (15.8), free throw percentage (.755) and field goal percentage (.443). They have the best turnover margin in the league (9.43) and are shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Foster, a member of the Women’s College Basketball Hall of Fame, is in his fifth season leading the Mocs after coaching stints at St. Joseph’s (Pa.), Vanderbilt and Ohio State.
Coach Jim Foster … 899 Wins
Win #1 … Dec. 5 1978 … Delaware, 78-52
(coach Jim Foster’s first win as a head coach in the season-opening game … current UConn coach Geno Auriemma was one of coach Foster’s assistant coaches that season
Win #100 … Jan. 5, 1985 … Oklahoma, 76-75
Win #159 … March 11, 1987 …. South Alabama, 67-56
(coach Foster’s first NCAA tournament win)
Win #200 … Feb. 15, 1989 …. Temple, 67-58
Win #297 … March 3, 1993 … Georgia, 76-64
(Coach Foster’s first SEC title – game played in McKenzie Arena)
Win #300 … March 27, 1993 … La. Tech, 58-53
(win advanced coach Foster and Vanderbilt to the NCA Final Four)
Win #351 … March 6, 1995 … Tennessee, 67-61
(SEC championship game in McKenzie Arena)
Win #400 …. Nov. 30, 1997 … North Texas, 91-51
Win #500 … March 2, 2002 …. Arkansas, 81-78
Win #600 …. Feb. 20, 2006… Mich. State, 69-38
Win #605 … March 6, 2006 … Purdue, 63-60
(coach Foster’s first of four Big Ten tourney titles)
Win #700 … Dec. 31, 2009 … Northwestern, 86-60
Win #784 … Nov. 8, 2013 … Alabama, 82-70
(Coach Foster’s first win at UTC)
Win #800 …. Jan. 25, 2014 … Samford, 63-50
Win #812 … March 10, 2014 … Davidson, 71-45
(Coach Foster’s first of four SoCon titles)
Win #816 … Nov. 26, 2014 … Tennessee, 67-63
Win #819 … Dec. 17, 2015 … Stanford, 54-46
Win #899 … Jan. 25, 2018 … Samford, 68-58
contact B.B. Branton at williambranton1962@gmail.com