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Staggering Stats Highlight Shaka Smart's Struggles in March Madness

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 22, 2025 1:32 PM ET

During the 2010-11 season, Shaka Smart gained recognition when he guided the VCU Rams to their only Final Four in school history. Since then, the Marquette Golden Eagles head coach has struggled to recapture that magic in the NCAA Tournament.

On Friday, No. 10 seed New Mexico (27-7) upset No. 7 seed Marquette (23-11) 75-66 in the tournament's first round of the South Region. With the loss to the Lobos, Smart has been eliminated in the first round of the tournament twice in four seasons at Marquette.

Smart's teams continue to falter when they're a favorite. Before their matchup against the Lobos, ESPN Bet listed the Golden Eagles as a 4.5-point favorite.

Shaka Smart’s last nine NCAA tournament appearances have ended with losses to teams seeded No. 10, 11, 7, 8, 14, 7, 11, 10 and 12.

He had the higher seeded team in eight of those nine games. His team was at least three seed lines higher than his opponent in seven of those nine.
— Brandon Koretz (@BrandonKoretz) March 22, 2025

In his last nine NCAA Tournament appearances at VCU, Texas and Marquette, Smart has lost to a double-digit seed six times, via Brandon Koretz of Fox Sports. In eight of these nine games, he was the higher seed.

In his last nine NCAA Tournament trips, Shaka Smart has been eliminated by a team at least three seed lines worse seven times and at least five seeds worse five times.

Smart is 3-8 ATS and 4-7 SU when not an underdog in the Tourney.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) March 22, 2025

Chris Fallica of Fox Sports shared Smart is 3-8 against the spread and 4-7 straight up when he's not an underdog in March Madness.

Last season, it seemed Smart and Co. may have turned a corner. The Golden Eagles made the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

This season, Marquette started 18-3 but went 5-8 in its last 13 games. In his postgame news conference, Smart couldn't pinpoint what caused his team's drop-off.

"I think that's a question that we'll be thinking about a lot over these next several weeks and months," Smart said. "As a coach, it's my job to help our guys be our best. It's such a fine line between caring as much as our guys do but then also letting things outside your control go, including the result."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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