When top-seeded UNC Wilmington defeated second-seeded Charleston 78-69 in Monday night’s CAA title game, the Seahawks did more than merely clinch their second straight NCAA tournament bid.

They also bolstered the chances that their head coach emerges as a trendy candidate for schools with vacancies this spring.

Third-year UNC Wilmington coach Kevin Keatts has engineered an impressive turnaround notable both for its effectiveness and its immediacy.

In the eight years before Keatts arrived, UNC Wilmington endured seven sub-.500 seasons and six seasons of 20 losses or more. In the three years since Keatts took over, the Seahawks have won at least a share of the league title every season and now landed back-to-back NCAA tournament bids.

Three starters and several key reserves returned this season from a team that won 25 games last year and led Duke into the second half in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. UNC Wilmington thrived despite having a target on its back, winning a school-record 29 games and finishing in the top 40 in the RPI.

Keatts’ success could make him a potential candidate at a handful of power-conference schools, from jobs that are already vacant like NC State to ones that could soon open like Clemson and Georgia. His successful track record, recruiting prowess and attractive style of play can also only boost his chances.

The first head coaching job of Keatts’ career was at Hargrave Military Academy, where he won two national titles, produced dozens of Division I prospects and compiled a fantastic 262-17 record. He parlayed that success into a spot on Rick Pitino’s staff at Louisville, where he helped the Cardinals win the 2013 national title and established himself as a dynamic recruiter with a sharp eye for talent.

When Keatts arrived at UNC Wilmington, his top priority was whipping his returning players into good enough shape to play his quick-strike, up-tempo style. He also quickly got to work identifying prospects who could bolster a roster that lost 23 games the previous season.

The hallmark of Keatts’ success at UNC Wilmington has been a guard-heavy roster that relies on its ability to spread the floor, identify mismatches and and attack them. The past two Seahawks teams have featured four-guard lineups, but the difference this year has been the presence of a legitimate post presence in the middle.

Six-foot-7 sophomore Devontae Cacok has evolved from an out-of-shape role player as a freshman to an interior force as a sophomore. Not only is he averaging 12.2 points and 9.5 rebounds this season, he’s also shooting an absurd 79.5 percent from the field, easily the best in the nation.

[Tourney Pick’em is open! Sign up now | Bracket Big Board]

With high-scoring guards C.J. Bryce, Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram surrounding Cacok, UNC Wilmington boasts plenty of perimeter firepower. Bryce led the Seahawks with 24 points against Charleston on Monday night, while Cacok delivered 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Now UNC Wilmington moves on to the NCAA tournament, where the Seahawks figure to be a very dangerous 11 or 12 seed.

Resurrecting the UNC Wilmington program has already made Keatts an attractive option for schools in search of a new coach. Winning a game or two in the NCAA tournament this month could only boost Keatts’ stock further.

More college basketball content:

– – – – – – –

Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @JeffEisenberg