Bill Guthridge who played on K-State’s 1958 Final Four Men’s Basketball team and who served as an assistant coach under Tex Winter during the Wildcats’ most recent trip to the Final Four in 1964 passed away late Tuesday night in Chapel Hill, N.C. with his family by his side at the age of 77.
Guthridge, a native of Parsons, Kan. played Guard for K-State from 1957-60 and was then an assistant under Winter from 1932-67. He then had a 30-year stint for Dean Smith at North Carolina from 1967-97 which included two National Championship seasons in 1982 and 1993. Guthridge became head coach of the Tar Heels upon Smith’s retirement in 1997 and held that position until 2000.
Guthridge was the Naismith College Coach of the year in 1998 when he led North Carolina to the Final Four in San Antonio and a #1 ranking at the end of the regular season.
