Shaka Smart is finally back in the Sweet 16, and it is clear the longtime coach is not taking the opportunity for granted.
Marquette defeated Colorado 81-77 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. Following his team’s hard-fought victory, Smart spoke with Andy Katz of CBS about the adversity the Golden Eagles have faced this season. When asked what emotions he was feeling, Smart became choked up and needed to take a few seconds to compose himself.
“Just gratitude. Gratitude for these guys, our fans,” Smart said. “Our guys hanging in there and continuing to fight, and now we get to keep playing. … I love these guys. I don’t want the season to end. That’s the biggest thing.”
"Been through a lot of adversity this year. Getting this guy back right on time was perfect for us. He led the way and his belief and toughness really transferred over to our other guys."
—@MarquetteMBB's Shaka Smart on Tyler Kolek pic.twitter.com/wOBffCQS66
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 24, 2024
Smart is in his third season as the head coach at Marquette. The Golden Eagles were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Smart’s first year and the second round last year, so they have continued to trend in the right direction.
One of the likely reasons that Smart was emotional is that he has had a long road back to the Sweet 16. The 46-year-old coach made a name for himself when he led VCU to the Final Four in 2011. He parlayed his success with VCU into a big contract at Texas, but the Longhorns never won an NCAA Tournament game under Smart. The coach was long overdue for another deep tourney run.
