Jim Dutcher

Jim Dutcher (born April 1933)

Teams coached: Eastern Michigan Eagles, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Eastern Michigan record^: 127-49 (.722)
Minnesota record: 166-137 (.548) **
Overall record^: 293-186 (.612) **

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  1  (1982)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  1  (1982)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0  (Runner-up in 1980)
  • NIT Appearances:  3  (1980, 1981, 1983)
  • Big Ten Regular Season Champion:  1  (1982)
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances:  1  (1972)
  • NAIA National Championships:  0  (Runner-up in 1971)
  • NAIA Tournament Appearances:  4  (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1975-1986 Minnesota
1972-1975 Michigan (asst)
1966-1972 Eastern Michigan
1964-1966 Alpena CC

Jim Dutcher Facts

  • James D. Dutcher
  • Born April 1933
  • Hometown: Alpena, Michigan
  • Alma Mater: University of Michigan (BS, 1955 & MA, 1961)
  • Was class president and a star athlete at Alpena HS (MI) before going off to the University of Michigan
    • Played football and basketball, the latter under head coach Bill Perigo
    • Joined the US Army in 1955; coached football and basketball while stationed in Frankfurt, Germany
  • Started his coaching career in his hometown at Alpena CC (MI), where he was head coach and athletic director
  • Hired in 1966 to be the head coach at then-NAIA Eastern Michigan
    • Went 127-49 over six seasons with the Eagles, leading them to four NAIA Tournaments and one D-II NCAA Tournament
    • The Eagles were NAIA Runner-up in 1971 and reached the NCAA D-II Final Four a year later
  • Left EMU in 1972 to take a job on Johnny Orr‘s staff at alma mater Michigan
  • Hired away in 1975 to be the head coach at conference foe Minnesota
    • Went 166-137** in eleven years as the Gophers’ head coach, going to three NITs and the 1982 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
    • The 1976-77 team was already ineligible for the postseason due to violations from previous coach Bill Musselman‘s staff, but the entire season was later vacated due to an in-season violation committed during the probation
    • Dutcher resigned partway through the 1985-86 season, in protest of a decision to cancel games in the wake of three Gopher players getting arrested for an alleged rape (they were all later acquitted)
  • Left basketball and worked instead as a financial adviser; retired in 2005
  • Along with his late wife, Marilyn, has one son (San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher) and three daughters

Jim Dutcher Coaching Tree

  • Brian Dutcher (San Diego State)
  • Jessie Evans (San Francisco, Louisiana-Lafayette)
  • Allan Freund (Eastern Michigan)
  • Kevin McHale (Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves)
  • Flip Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons)
  • Stu Starner (UTSA, Montana State)
  • Perry Watson (Detroit Mercy)
  • Jimmy Williams (Minnesota)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I, Division II and NAIA levels (EMU did not move up to Division I until 1973-74)

** Listed records and accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA