Jim Hayford can’t get the thought of the one loss out of his head. He never stops regretting resting one of his best players for too long in the first half. He can’t forget a bad five minutes in the second half.

For Hayford, it’s a constant game of ‘what if.’ He could’ve been the coach of a team on a 45-game winning streak.

But he isn’t.

‘I think about the one we lost more than I think about any of the 44 we won,’ said Hayford, the men’s basketball coach at Whitworth University. ‘We were ready to break the game open in the first half. … I think I could have gone for the jugular in the first half.’

Instead, the Whitworth University (Wash.) basketball team has won 44 of its last 45 games. It’s not a streak, but it’s domination nonetheless. And it all starts and ends with the head coach.

Hayford has become one of the most successful coaches in Division III with a 208-55 record at Whitworth and a 245-82 record overall. The head coach’s unmatched ability to recruit has helped him build one of the most successful programs in Division III basketball. He is as much a salesman as he is a basketball coach when on the recruiting trail.

His recruits aren’t on a path to the NBA, and D-III schools aren’t allowed to offer athletic scholarships. So Hayford has to sell the school sometimes more than the team.

Hayford has it down to a science.

‘Everyone you recruit is going to go pro in something besides basketball,’ Hayford said. ‘It’s important to a Division III basketball coach to have a school that academically is attractive.’

Hayford has sold Whitworth to plenty of talented players through the years, whether it’s because of the success of the team or the academic offerings of the school. Whatever the reason, the Pirates have consistently flourished in the D-III ranks.

He’s also been able to sell the program’s success to donors, giving them reason to want to support the school monetarily. With the support, the D-III school has some D-I qualities.

Whitworth can schedule road games that require flights, allowing the Pirates to go to Las Vegas and Hawaii for tournaments instead of having to be limited to road trips. Tournaments like those only make the program that much more appealing to potential recruits.

‘He’s an off-the-charts fundraiser,’ Whitworth Athletic Director Warren Friedrichs said. ‘I was the coach before Jim’s arrival, and I didn’t know you could operate like that on Division III.’

It’s only a continuation of Hayford’s knack for building a program from the ground up.

Hayford focuses on recruiting players who give maximum effort, furthering Hayford’s ability to find unparalleled success in D-III basketball. A look at his career is as much evidence as needed. He’s taken Whitworth to the NCAA Tournament five times and has coached the Pirates to seven 20-win seasons and four conference titles. Hayford has been the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year four times.

And his success hasn’t only come at Whitworth.

Hayford was the head coach at the University of Sioux Falls for two seasons. He took a team that was 9-17 the year before he arrived to the conference playoffs with a record of 15-15. The following year, the Cougars were 22-12. It’s why his career record ranks among the top 10 in winning percentage of all coaches in D-III.

‘We recruited a bunch of new players, and we just changed the culture,’ Hayford said. ‘I think we only kept three or four holdover players and brought in 10 new guys.’

Wherever Hayford goes, success follows. If all goes the way Hayford plans, he may not have to regret the one loss much longer. Another winning streak is in the making. His Pirates team is undefeated this season and has a 19-game winning streak since that one loss.

Winning streak or not, Hayford focuses on the overall benefits college basketball can offer to athletes, regardless of the level of play.

Said Hayford: ‘I just want that, when we walk off the court after our last game, whenever that is, that our players feel like they had the best experience possible.’

Games to watch

No. 17 Syracuse vs. South Florida

Syracuse has obviously struggled of late, losing four in a row. But South Florida has struggled all season with an overall record of 8-14 and a Big East record of 2-7. The Orange will get a chance to face a team that’s clearly inferior for the first time since the start of conference play.

Prediction: Syracuse 82, South Florida 68

No. 10 Kentucky vs. Florida

It’s going to be a battle of two elite SEC teams. Kentucky has won four of its last five, led by Terrence Jones, who’s averaging 18 points per game over that span. Florida is 1-1 in its only games against ranked teams this season. It’ll be close, but the Wildcats come out on top.

Prediction: Kentucky 70, Florida 66

No. 8 BYU vs. UNLV

One word: Jimmermania. Jimmer Fredette is averaging 27.6 points per game and has taken BYU to a 20-2 record with a 6-1 mark in the Mountain West Conference. The Cougars are fifth in the nation in scoring, averaging 84.2 points per game. They’re coming off a surprising loss to New Mexico, but UNLV shouldn’t be a problem.

Prediction: BYU 82, UNLV 75

Michigan State vs. No. 19 Wisconsin

These two teams faced off Jan. 11, and Michigan State came out on top in the 64-61 overtime victory. The Spartans are sputtering, having lost three of their last four. The Badgers’ Jon Leuer is averaging 18.6 points per game in his last five and could be the difference-maker in the game. Wisconsin will be looking for revenge against the Spartans.

Prediction: Wisconsin 75, Michigan State 70

No. 12 Villanova vs. No. 25 West Virginia

Both teams are evenly matched, but Villanova has struggled somewhat after its win over Syracuse. The Wildcats lost 83-68 to Providence and then 69-66 to Georgetown. The Mountaineers have beaten some good teams, including a win against Purdue. But when it comes down to it, Nova should be able to beat West Virginia.

Prediction: Villanova 68, West Virginia 62

cjiseman@syr.edu

 

Published on January 31, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Chris: cjiseman@syr.edu | @chris_iseman