TCU’s Dixon selected as national coach of the year finalist

TCU men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon was selected Monday as one of 20 finalists for the 2017 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award, which will be announced during Final Four activities later this week in Phoenix.

The award is presented annually to the top Division I men’s basketball coach. TCU (22-15) meets Central Florida (24-11) in Tuesday’s NIT semifinals in Madison Square Garden (8 p.m., ESPN).

In his first season at TCU, Dixon has led a team coming off a 12-21 record to the deepest run in any postseason tournament in program history. TCU officials have commemorated the achievement by purchasing billboard space on seven displays in Manhattan near Madison Square Garden, including four locations in Times Square.

TCU’s turnaround season has included a school record for most conference victories in any of its five seasons as a Big 12 member (six), as well as the first victory over a top-ranked opponent in school history: an 85-82 triumph over No. 1 Kansas on March 9 at the Big 12 conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

Dixon was named the national coach of the year four times during his 13 seasons at Pittsburgh, including the 2010 Phelan Award. He was also honored by Sporting News (2011), USA Basketball (2010) and received the Naismith version of the honor in 2009.

This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 4:09 PM with the headline "TCU’s Dixon selected as national coach of the year finalist."