Blair and Keady enshrined in Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday
Blair coached the women’s program from 1993-2003, leading the program to its only Final Four appearance in 1998.
He posted a 198-120 record in those 10 seasons, along with winning the WNIT in 1999 and making at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament his last three seasons.
Aug 12, 2023; Springfield, MA, USA; Gary Blair gives his speech as he is inducted into the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M hired him in 2003 when his contract was not renewed by then women’s athletic director Bev Lewis.
Keady, meanwhile, was on Eddie Sutton’s staff in 1978 when the Razorbacks made their first Final Four since 1945.
Aug 12, 2023; Springfield, MA, USA; Gene Keady waves as he is inducted into the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
He had a large hand in the development of the famed ‘Triplets’ (Ron Brewer, Marvin Delph, Sidney Moncrief) and left to take the Western Kentucky job and was with the Hilltoppers for two seasons before taking the Purdue job.
Purdue was where he made his legacy, as he won 512 games with the Boilermakers during a 35-year tenure and won Big Ten Coach of the Year seven times and National Coach of the Year five times.
