Kent Williams reunited with Harris at SIUE after taking a year off of coaching duties. Williams is now in his second season on the Cougars' staff.
The native of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, was on Cuonzo Martin’s staff as an assistant, with Harris, for three seasons at Tennessee from 2011-2014 and Missouri State from 2008-2010.
During Williams’s time on staff, the Volunteers improved from 19 wins in 2012-13 to 20 wins in 2012-13 to 24 wins in the 2013-14. Tennessee advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2014 and won a school-record three games en route to an appearance in the Sweet 16.
With Williams on staff at Missouri State, the Bears averaged more than 20 wins per season. Missouri State improved in each of the three seasons with Williams on staff, including a school-record turnaround in wins from just 11 wins during the 2008-09 season to 24 wins in 2009-2010. That season, the Bears won the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament .The program captured its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference regular season title and earned an NIT berth during the 2010-2011 season.
From 2005-2008, Williams served on Matt Painter’s staff at Purdue as the Boilermakers’ supervisor of basketball operations. Purdue improved from last in the Big 10 in 2005-06 to second place in 2006-07, in the process setting a school record for turnaround from nine wins in 2005-06 to 24 wins in 2006-07.
Williams enjoyed a standout playing career under Bruce Weber (Painter was an assistant) at SIU Carbondale from 1999-2003, where he is the school’s second-leading scorer all-time with 2,012 career points. He is the only player in school history to have led the team in scoring in four straight seasons. The Salukis made NCAA appearances in 2002 (advancing to the Sweet Sixteen) and 2003.
He finished his career No. 13 all-time in Missouri Valley Conference scoring. Williams was a two-time All-MVC selection and was the MVC Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He was the league’s Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in 2000. In 2007, Williams was named the MVC-All-Centennial team, honoring the 50 greatest players in league history.
Williams was inducted into the SIU Carbondale Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and was named to SIUC’s 25-man All-Century team in 2013.
Williams is the all-time leading scorer at Mt. Vernon Township High School and also is a member of the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.
He also is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Williams and his wife, Jessica, have four children, Kennedy (6), Hudson (3), and one-year-old twins Cooper and Colton
