Boys Gone Mild: Buddy Hield Isn't Only Big Scorer to Do Little at Final Four

A feeble nine-point output for National Player of the Year Buddy Hield in a drubbing by Villanova wasn't the first time Oklahoma had its leading scorer struggle in the national semifinals. In 2002, guard Hollis Price provided an anemic six points when the Sooners were eliminated by Indiana. But at least Price didn't end his college career on such a sour note as he still had another year of eligibility.

Many observers remember "Danny and the Miracles" in 1988 when national POY Danny Manning sparked Kansas to an NCAA crown. But they probably don't remember he managed only four points two years earlier as the Jayhawks' top scorer when they were upended by Duke. Similarly, North Carolina floor general Phil Ford became national POY in 1977-78 after he was limited to six points by Marquette in the 1977 NCAA playoff final.

An impact performer such as Hield or fellow national POY Chris Mullin (St. John's in 1985) shouldn't have their celebrated careers defined in any way by a F4 flame-out. Including six straight seasons in the mid-1980s, following is a list of team-leading scorers held to fewer than half of their scoring average when their teams were eliminated from title contention by losing at the Final Four since the NCAA playoff field was expanded beyond 16 teams in 1953:

Year Team-Leading Scorer Average F4 School Sub-par Output in Final Four Defeat
2016 Buddy Hield 25.0 ppg Oklahoma 9 points vs. Villanova in semifinals
2011 Matt Howard 16.4 ppg Butler 7 points vs. Connecticut in national final
2005 Francisco Garcia 15.7 ppg Louisville 4 points vs. Illinois in semifinals
2002 Hollis Price 16.5 ppg Oklahoma 6 points vs. Indiana in semifinals
2001 Jason Richardson 14.7 ppg Michigan State 6 points vs. Arizona in semifinals
1987 Billy Donovan 20.6 ppg Providence 8 points vs. Syracuse in semifinals
1986 Danny Manning 16.7 ppg Kansas 4 points vs. Duke in semifinals
1985 Chris Mullin 19.8 ppg St. John's 8 points vs. Georgetown in semifinals
1984 Melvin Turpin 15.2 ppg Kentucky 5 points vs. Georgetown in semifinals
1983 Michael Young 17.3 ppg Houston 6 points vs. North Carolina State in national final
1982 Rob Williams 21.1 ppg Houston 2 points vs. North Carolina in semifinals
1977 Phil Ford 18.7 ppg North Carolina 6 points vs. Marquette in national final
1974 Danny Knight 12.4 ppg Kansas scoreless vs. Marquette in semifinals
1968 Elvin Hayes 36.8 ppg Houston 10 points vs. UCLA in semifinals
1961 Jack Egan 21.9 ppg St. Joseph's 8 points vs. Ohio State in semifinals
1960 Tom "Satch" Sanders 21.4 ppg NYU 8 points vs. Ohio State in semifinals
1955 Burdette Haldorson 21.0 ppg Colorado 9 points vs. San Francisco in semifinals