Billy Tubbs

Billy Tubbs (1935-2020)

Teams coached: Southwestern Pirates, Lamar Cardinals, Oklahoma Sooners, TCU Horned Frogs
Southwestern record^: 31-24 (.564)
Lamar record: 121-89 (.576)
Oklahoma record: 333-132 (.716)
TCU record: 156-95 (.622)
Overall record^: 641-340 (.653)

Career Accomplishments:

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2003-2006 Lamar
1994-2002 TCU
1980-1994 Oklahoma
1976-1980 Lamar
1973-1976 North Texas State (asst)
1971-1973 Southwestern
1960-1971 Lamar (asst)

Billy Tubbs Facts

  • Billy Duane Tubbs
  • Born March 5, 1935
  • Died November 1, 2020
  • Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
  • Alma Mater: Lamar State College of Technology (BS, 1957)
  • Raised in Tulsa and attended Central HS and Lon Morris JC before graduating from what is now Lamar University in 1957
    • Played basketball for two seasons under longtime Cardinals’ head coach Jack Martin
  • Joined Martin’s staff in 1960, staying there until 1971 when he was hired as head coach at D-III Southwestern (TX)
  • After two years at Southwestern and three years coaching under Gene Robbins and Bill Blakeley at North Texas State, Tubbs returned to his alma mater as head coach in 1976
  • Took the Cardinals to two NCAA Tournaments in four years before leaving for Oklahoma in 1980
    • In 14 seasons, Tubbs won 333 games, went to 4 NITs and 9 NCAA Tournaments; Sooners were 1988 NCAA Runner-Up
  • Was head coach at TCU for eight seasons, leading the Frogs to a WAC title and NCAA Tournament berth in 1998
  • Returned to Lamar in 2002 as Director of Athletics; took on the second position of head basketball coach starting in 2003-04
    • After three years, resigned as head coach but remained as Director of Athletics until retiring in August 2011
  • Tubbs passed away in Norman, OK on 11/1/2020 at the age of 85 after battling a form of leukemia
  • Along with his wife, Pat, has one son and one daughter

Billy Tubbs Coaching Tree

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at both the NCAA Division I and Division III levels