Men's Basketball Head Coach (1988-1994)



During his six seasons on the Lakefront Tim Floyd took an already highly successful men’s basketball program and coached them to their greatest period of success in program history. Between 1988 and 1994 the Privateers won 126 games and made the postseason five times. 

His 126 wins ranks third in school history behind Mark Slessinger (161 wins between 2011-2023), and fellow Hall of Famer Ron Greene (146 win between 1969-1977). Floyd’s winning percentage of .681 ranks fourth behind Benny Dees (.724), Tic Price (.700) and Greene (.692). His teams went 66-22 in conference games (.750) and compiled the only undefeated conference record in school history after going 18-0 in Sun Belt play during the 1992-1993 season.

Floyd’s first UNO team was a major rebuild. It had no returning starters from the previous season and no starters taller than 6-feet-5. Regardless, Floyd led the Privateers to their second consecutive American South Championship in his debut season – part of an incredible run of four straight first place finishes for UNO in the American South.

No stranger to top competition, Floyd’s Privateers knocked off five AP Top-25 teams during his time on the UNO bench – the most of any coach in school history. Floyd-coached UNO teams scored victories against Power-Five programs such as Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Pitt, Texas A&M and -in back-to-back seasons - Virginia.

Floyd emphasized defense, rebounding, free throws and composure on the road. His teams regularly delivered on his demands. Five times the Privateers ranked among the top 25 in NCAA Division I in scoring defense. They won nearly two-thirds of their conference road games. The 1990-91 team led D-I with a 9.1 rebound margin. Two years later, Floyd proudly boasted of his 26-4 team making more free throws (552) than its opponents attempted (542).

Individually Floyd coached UNO Hall of Famer Ervin Johnson to All-American honors during the 1992-1993 season. Both Johnson and Melvin Simon played in the NABC All-Star game during his tenure. Tank Collins, Tony Harris, Johnson, Willie Richardson, Simon and Gerald Williams were all named either All-American South or All-Sun Belt under Floyd’s leadership. Harris, Collins, and Johnson were also named Conference Player of the Year under Floyd.

Following his time on the Lakefront, Floyd coached collegiately at Iowa State from 1994-1998, at USC from 2005-2009, and at UTEP from 2010-2018. He retired with a career record of 444-282 (.612) in 28 seasons on the bench as a college head coach. Another noteworthy moment in his career came in 1998 when he was hired by the Chicago Bulls to replace future Basketball Hall of Famer Phil Jackson. Floyd coached both the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Hornets in the NBA from 1998 to 2004.

Tim Floyd was inducted into Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 2020.
 

CAREER ON THE LAKEFRONT
1988-89	19-11	7-3 American South	1st Place	NIT First Round Place
1989-90	21-11	8-2 American South	t-1st Place	NIT Quarterfinal
1990-91	23-8	9-3 American South	t-1st Place	NCAA Tournament First Round
1991-92	17-15	8-8 Sun Belt	7th Place
1992-93	26-4	18-0 Sun Belt	1st Place	NCAA Tournament First Round
1993-94	20-10	12-6 Sun Belt	3rd Place	NIT Second Round
TOTAL	126-59 (.681)	62-22 (.750)