Poll: Most under-appreciated coach in college basketball works in the Carolinas

Who is the most under-appreciated college basketball coach in America?

It’s Davidson’s Bob McKillop.

“He still does the most with the least,” said one coach who was quoted anonymously in a poll to name McKillop No. 1.

CBS Sports college basketball writers Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander recently surveyed more than 100 coaches on a myriad of topics -- what player would you add to your roster; who will be the best team; has the FBI investigation changed anything - and also asked about which coach didn’t get enough love.

McKillop won the under-appreciated coach poll with 10.5 percent of the vote, just ahead of Providence’s Ed Cooley (9.5) and Belmont’s Rick Byrd (7.6). Clemson’s Brad Brownell, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey - whose son, Kyle, is head football coach at Ardrey Kell High School in southeast Charlotte - and Mike Cronin of Cincinnati were next at 5.7 percent.

McKillop, of course, became a nationally known name in 2008 when guard Stephen Curry and Davidson made a run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. As the CBS writers point out, McKillop was good before - and after - Curry. His teams won 11 Southern Conference regular-season titles, including eight without Curry.

When Davidson stepped up in competition to move to the Atlantic 10 in the 2014-15 season, the Wildcats won the regular-season title, and won the conference tournament championship last season, when McKillop reached the NCAA tournament for a ninth time.

Here are answers to other surveyed questions

▪ 1. If you could add one eligible player to your roster, who would you want most?

RJ Barrett, Duke, 16 percent; Zion Williams, Duke, 15 percent; Carsen Edwards, Purdue, 15 percent

▪ 2. Who will be the best team this season

Kansas, 38 percent; Kentucky, 18 percent; Duke, 15 percent; Gonzaga, 11 percent

▪ 3. Will the commission on college basketball solve the sports’ problems?

No, 92 percent; Yes, 8 percent

▪ 4. Has the FBI investigation significantly reduced cheating?

No, 47 percent; yes, 43 percent; unsure, 10 percent

▪ 5. Do you believe the FBI will charge another coach?

No, 63 percent; yes, 37 percent.

You can see complete poll results and responses here