Known as "The Little General", Hickey was a perfectionist and strict disciplinarian. He became famous among coaches for his detailed preparation, use of diagrams, and scouting reports. Hickey became the coach at Creighton University in 1935 and won the NIT title there in 1943. He led Creighton to four Missouri Valley Conference titles. He began coaching at St. Louis University in 1947 and ran a three-lane fast break offense. His St. Louis teams never had a losing season and Hickey led a team featuring Hall of Famer Ed Macauley to the 1948 NIT Championship. In 1958 he became basketball coach and athletic director at Marquette University where he won the NCAA Championship in 1959 and again in 1961. Hickey was named USBWA Coach of the Year in 1959. He authored numerous basketball articles and ran clinics in the U.S. and around the world.

Died December 5, 1980