Regal Record Doesn't Mean School is Bound For Final Four or Regional Final

March 17th, 2021 - 11:31

A regal regular-season record persuades pollsters, arm alumni with arrogance and impress Division I committee members dispensing seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Four years ago, Gonzaga learned it doesn't guarantee ultimate postseason success because the "Road to the Final Four" is filled with quality opponents.

Over the first 43 tourneys since the last undefeated team (Indiana '76), 26 schools entered the NCAA playoffs undefeated or with one setback after the Zags and Winthrop joined category this year. None of the previous squads in this group went on to win the national title. Less than half of them reached a regional final. The following chronological list entered the NCAA tourney either unbeaten or with only one setback since IU went undefeated in 1975-76:

Year School Coach Pre-Tourney Playoff Mark Eliminated By (Score)
1977 Arkansas Eddie Sutton 26-1 0-1 Wake Forest (86-80)
1977 San Francisco Bob Gaillard 29-1 0-1 UNLV (121-95)
1979 #1 seed Indiana State Bill Hodges 29-0 4-1 Michigan State (75-64)
1980 #8 Alcorn State Davey Whitney 27-1 1-1 Louisiana State (98-88)
1980 #1 DePaul Ray Meyer 26-1 0-1 UCLA (77-71)
1981 #1 DePaul Ray Meyer 27-1 0-1 St. Joseph's (49-48)
1981 #1 Oregon State Ralph Miller 26-1 0-1 Kansas State (50-48)
1982 #1 DePaul Ray Meyer 26-1 0-1 Boston College (82-75)
1987 #1 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian 33-1 4-1 Indiana (97-93)
1988 #1 Temple John Chaney 29-1 3-1 Duke (63-53)
1990 #4 La Salle Speedy Morris 29-1 1-1 Clemson (79-75)
1991 #1 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian 30-0 4-1 Duke (79-77)
1996 #1 Massachusetts John Calipari 31-1 4-1 Kentucky (81-74)
1996 #3 Texas Tech James Dickey 28-1 2-1 Georgetown (98-90)
1997 #1 Kansas Roy Williams 32-1 2-1 Arizona (85-82)
1998 #5 Princeton Bill Carmody 26-1 1-1 Michigan State (63-51)
1999 #1 Duke Mike Krzyzewski 32-1 5-1 Connecticut (77-74)
2004 #1 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli 27-1 3-1 Oklahoma State (64-62)
2004 #1 Stanford Mike Montgomery 29-1 1-1 Alabama (70-67)
2005 #1 Illinois Bruce Weber 32-1 5-1 North Carolina (75-70)
2008 #1 Memphis John Calipari 33-1 5-1 Kansas (75-68 in OT)
2014 #1 Wichita State Gregg Marshall 34-0 1-1 Kentucky (78-76)
2015 #1 Kentucky John Calipari 34-0 4-1 Wisconsin (71-64)
2017 #1 Gonzaga Mark Few 32-1 5-1 North Carolina (71-65)
2021 #1 Gonzaga Mark Few 26-0 TBD reached Final Four
2021 #12 Winthrop Pat Kelsey 23-1 0-1 Villanova (73-63)