Arad A. McCutchan (July 4, 1912 – June 16, 1993) was an American basketball coach, educator and athletic director from Evansville, Indiana, best known for building the University of Evansville men’s basketball program into a national powerhouse.
Known throughout Evansville as “Coach Mac,” McCutchan coached the Purple Aces for 31 seasons from 1946 to 1977, winning more than 500 games and leading Evansville to five NCAA College Division national championships.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1981, becoming the first coach primarily associated with the NCAA College Division to receive the honor.
Early Life and Bosse High School
McCutchan was born in Evansville, Indiana, on July 4, 1912.
He attended Benjamin Bosse High School, graduating in 1930. McCutchan was a four-year basketball starter for the Bulldogs before continuing his playing career at Evansville College, now the University of Evansville.
McCutchan graduated from Evansville College in 1934 after studying mathematics and physical education.
After briefly teaching outside Evansville, McCutchan returned home and became the basketball coach at Bosse High School in 1936.
He coached the Bulldogs from 1936 until 1943, establishing himself in Evansville basketball before leaving to serve in the United States Navy during World War II.
University of Evansville
Following World War II, McCutchan returned to Evansville and became head basketball coach at his alma mater in 1946.
It began one of the most successful coaching tenures in college basketball history.
McCutchan would remain head coach for 31 seasons, transforming Evansville College — later renamed the University of Evansville — into one of the dominant small-college basketball programs in the United States.
His teams became famous throughout Evansville and eventually throughout college basketball.
Under McCutchan, the Purple Aces won more than 500 games, captured numerous Indiana Collegiate Conference championships and became regular participants in the NCAA College Division Tournament.
McCutchan’s postseason teams were particularly successful. He finished his career with a postseason tournament record of approximately 41–10.
Five National Championships
McCutchan led Evansville to five NCAA College Division national championships:
- 1959
- 1960
- 1964
- 1965
- 1971
The championships turned Evansville into one of the premier small-college basketball programs in America.
McCutchan first led the Aces to the national championship in 1959 and immediately repeated as champions in 1960.
Four years later, Evansville again won consecutive national titles in 1964 and 1965.
The 1964–65 team became perhaps the greatest team of the McCutchan era.
The Undefeated 1964–65 Team
Led by Evansville legends Jerry Sloan and Larry Humes, the 1964–65 Purple Aces completed a perfect 29–0 season.
The Aces defeated teams including Notre Dame, Iowa, Northwestern and LSU during the season before reaching the NCAA College Division championship game.
Evansville defeated Southern Illinois 85–82 in overtime to complete the undefeated season and capture its fourth national championship.
The team remains one of the most celebrated in Evansville sports history.
McCutchan was named NCAA College Division Coach of the Year in both 1964 and 1965.
1971 National Championship
McCutchan captured his fifth and final national championship in 1971.
The championship team included another future professional basketball star, Don Buse, who would go on to become an ABA and NBA All-Star and one of the premier defensive guards of his era.
The victory gave McCutchan five NCAA national championships.
At the time of his retirement, McCutchan and UCLA legend John Wooden were the only coaches in college basketball history to have won at least five NCAA national championships.
Players
McCutchan coached numerous All-Americans and future professional basketball players during his career in Evansville.
Among the most famous were:
Jerry Sloan — Evansville legend who became an NBA All-Star with the Chicago Bulls and later one of the winningest coaches in NBA history.
Larry Humes — Indiana Mr. Basketball and one of the greatest scorers in University of Evansville history.
Don Buse — ABA and NBA All-Star who became one of professional basketball’s premier defensive guards.
Ed Smallwood — one of Evansville’s early African-American basketball stars and an important player in the rise of the Purple Aces program.
McCutchan coached more than a dozen All-Americans during his career.
He was also ahead of many programs in the region in recruiting African-American players, bringing players such as Jim Smallins and Ed Smallwood into the Evansville program during the 1950s.
Coach Mac
McCutchan became known for more than simply winning basketball games.
His teams developed a distinctive identity that helped make Purple Aces basketball one of Evansville’s biggest attractions.
McCutchan emphasized fundamentals, discipline and team basketball, but he also understood entertainment.
The Purple Aces became famous for unusual touches such as wearing boxing-style robes during pregame introductions rather than traditional warmups.
McCutchan also experimented with distinctive uniforms and presentation at a time when most college basketball programs looked largely the same.
His personality, winning teams and showmanship helped turn Purple Aces basketball into a major part of Evansville culture.
Tickets became highly sought after as the Aces developed into one of the most successful basketball programs in the country.
Teacher and Athletic Director
McCutchan’s contribution to the University of Evansville extended well beyond basketball.
He was also a mathematics professor, teaching math at the university for approximately 25 years.
McCutchan also served as athletic director and had previously worked as an assistant coach in football and track.
His influence therefore extended throughout the university’s athletic department.
The Missouri Valley Conference later described McCutchan as perhaps the most important person in the history of University of Evansville athletics.
International Basketball
McCutchan’s success also earned him opportunities within USA Basketball.
He coached teams at the United States Olympic Trials in 1960 and 1968.
In 1974, McCutchan served as an assistant coach for the United States national team at the FIBA World Championship, where the Americans won a bronze medal.
Retirement
McCutchan announced his retirement during the 1976–77 season and completed his coaching career in 1977.
He retired with a record of approximately 514–314, five national championships, numerous conference championships and more than three decades as the face of Evansville basketball.
His retirement also coincided with a major transition for the University of Evansville as the athletic program prepared to move into NCAA Division I competition.
McCutchan’s successor was Bobby Watson.
Tragically, only months after McCutchan’s retirement, Watson, members of the Purple Aces basketball team and others were killed in the December 13, 1977 University of Evansville basketball plane crash.
McCutchan had retired following the previous season and was therefore no longer traveling with the team.
Hall of Fame
McCutchan received numerous honors recognizing his coaching career.
He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.
The University of Evansville inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame.
In 1981, McCutchan received basketball’s highest individual honor when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
He was later inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2004 and was a member of the inaugural class of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame.
His accomplishments include:
- Five NCAA College Division national championships
- More than 500 career victories
- Two NCAA College Division Coach of the Year awards
- More than a dozen conference championships
- Three undefeated conference seasons
- More than a dozen All-Americans
- A perfect 29–0 national championship season
- 31 seasons as University of Evansville head coach
Death and Legacy
Arad McCutchan died on June 16, 1993, at age 80.
Few people have had a greater impact on sports in Evansville.
McCutchan’s career was almost entirely intertwined with the city: born in Evansville, a Bosse High School basketball player, Bosse basketball coach, Evansville College graduate, University of Evansville professor, athletic director and legendary Purple Aces basketball coach.
Under McCutchan, a relatively small university in southern Indiana became a nationally recognized basketball program and won five national championships.
His players included some of the greatest athletes in Evansville history, and his teams helped make college basketball an important part of the city’s identity.
More than simply a successful coach, “Coach Mac” helped create the tradition and national reputation of Evansville Purple Aces basketball.
His five national championships and induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame place Arad McCutchan among the most accomplished sports figures in Evansville history.