Jim Crews served as head coach of the Billikens for four years from 2012-16. He accumulated a 77-56 record and helped the Billikens to two NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure.
After serving as an assistant coach for Rick Majerus at SLU during the 2011-12 campaign, Crews was named interim head coach at the beginning of the 2012-13 season when it was announced that Majerus could not coach. Crews went on to lead the Billikens to a school-record 28 victories (28-7), Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament championships and a second straight NCAA Tournament bid. Crews was named permanent head coach of the program following that season.
The team's success carried over to the 2013-14 season, when the Billikens (27-7) manufactured a 19-game winning streak, captured the A-10 regular-season title and advanced to their school-record third straight NCAA Tournament.
In all, Crews was part of the Billikens men's basketball program for five seasons, which included the best three-year stretch in Billiken history. SLU advanced to the NCAA Tournament three consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2012-14, a school record. In addition, the Billikens were nationally ranked at some point during all three seasons, including a top 10 ranking in 2013-14. SLU had three A-10 titles (2012-13 regular-season and tournament, 2013-14 regular-season) to its credit, as well.
In 2013-14, the Billikens graduated their all-time winningest class. The class of Jake Barnett, Dwayne Evans, Jordair Jett, Rob Loe and Mike McCall Jr. accumulated 93 victories during their four-year careers.
Under Crews’ tutelage, several Billiken student-athletes have made a name for themselves on the national stage. Jett was named the A-10 Player of the Year in 2013-14, becoming the first Billiken to earn the honor since 1980. Dwayne Evans earned first-team All-Conference plaudits for two straight seasons, something not done at SLU since 1994.
Crews’ coaching performance, as well as the Billikens’ success on the court, did not gone unnoticed on the national scene. He was named the A-10 Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2014. Additionally, in 2012-13, Crews earned national coach of the year awards from the Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year award.
Prior to arriving at SLU just before the start of the 2011-12 season, Crews served seven seasons at Army from 2002-09. Preceding his appointment at West Point, he coached for 17 years at Evansville (1985-2002) and played and coached at Indiana.
Crews had a successful 17-year stint at Evansville from 1985-2002, accumulating a 294-209 record. He guided the Purple Aces to six postseason appearances, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament. All six of those squads registered at least 21 victories. A four-time conference coach of the year (1987, 1989, 1992 Midwestern Collegiate; 1999 Missouri Valley), Crews is the only coach in the tradition-rich history of Evansville to post nine consecutive non-losing seasons.
Crews learned from the legendary Bob Knight at Indiana for 12 seasons, four as a player and eight as an assistant coach. During his four-year playing career from 1972 to 1976, the Hoosiers forged a remarkable 108-12 record. As a senior in 1976, Crews helped IU to a 32-0 record and a national championship, the last time a Division I men's program has posted an undefeated record.
After graduating from Indiana, Crews returned for an eight-year stint on Knight's coaching staff. Indiana captured another national championship in 1981, won three Big Ten championships (1980, 1981 and 1983) and posted a 174-76 record during his tenure as an assistant.
Crews, a native of Normal, Ill., has a wife, Kim, and two children, a daughter Abby and a son Todd.
