Kevin Mackey, who led Cleveland State to historic NCAA upset over Indiana, dead at 80

Kevin Mackey, who coached Cleveland State to an improbable victory over Bob Knight-led Indiana in the 1986 NCAA Tournament on the way to a berth in the Sweet 16 but whose college coaching career ended abruptly under the cloud of drug abuse, has died.

He was 80.

Mackey died of a sudden heart attack Tuesday, according to his son, Brian.

Mackey, who earlier coached at the high school level in Boston, had been an assistant at Boston College where he was known as a master recruiter when he was named head coach of Cleveland State in 1983.

He went 14-16 his first season with the Vikings, then had six straight winning years. He compiled a seven-year record of 144-67 at the school.

In 1985-86, the 14th-seeded Vikings went 29-4 and led by Ken “Mouse” McFadden beat No. 3 seed Indiana 83-79 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in what remains to this day one of the tourney’s biggest shockers.

The team beat No. 6 seed Saint Joseph’s 75-69 in the second round before being bounced out 71-70 by No. 7 seed Navy, featuring David Robinson, in the Sweet 16.

But his time at Cleveland State ended in 1990 just days after he signed a lucrative two-year contract with the school after he admitted using crack cocaine. Mackey was arrested on July 13, 1990, on a charge of driving while intoxicated as he left a suspected drug house.

Acting on a tip from a caller that Mackey was sleeping on a couch inside the house, police watched for more than five hours until Mackey and a woman left in Mackey’s car. Mackey was arrested when he was seen driving erratically and left of center, police said at the time.

Mackey enrolled in a Houston treatment center operated by former NBA player John Lucas, and spent three months in rehabilitation programs.

“I can’t go anywhere and speak without talking about John Lucas, who saved my life,” Mackey said in June 1991. “He’s my best friend. His program is great.”

He later coached minor league basketball and worked as a scout for the Indiana Pacers at the behest of Larry Bird, but he never returned to the college ranks.

Funeral arrangements were still being planned.