CLEVELAND — Kevin Mackey, whose tenure as head men's basketball coach at Cleveland State forever made him a legend on the shores of Lake Erie, has died at the age of 79.

3News confirmed Mackey's passing Wednesday afternoon. A cause of death is not known at this time.

Mackey coached the Vikings for seven years and helped lift the fledgling program to national prominence, going 142-69 during his tenure with a pair of conference championships. Though he left the school under a cloud of controversy, fans and alumni alike always remembered him fondly for his role in one of the most improbable moments in Cleveland sports history: a run all the way to the Sweet 16 of the 1986 NCAA Tournament.

Born and raised in Boston, Mackey first made a name for himself as head coach at the city's Don Bosc

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