First-Year Flash: High Point's Huss Atop List of Winningest First-Year Coaches

High Point's Alan Huss (27-9), despite inheriting a program with losing record last season, was runaway leader this year for winningest "first-time" head coach after winning Big South Conference regular-season crown and finishing runner-up in CBI. Huss, a former assistant at New Mexico and Creighton, came close to joining select circle of first-year bench bosses cracking the 30-win plateau but sustained seven defeats by fewer than six points. If Arizona had reached the 2022 Final Four, former Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd would have become the all-time winningest rookie head coach.

More than half of the winningest first-year head coaches since Gonzaga's Mark Few in 1999-00 subsequently moved on to other similar jobs. Following are rookie NCAA Division I head coaches with the best winning percentages going back to 1963-64 when Tates Locke became Bob Knight's predecessor at Army:

Season First-Year Head Coach School W-L Pct. Predecessor
1963-64 Tates Locke Army 19-7 .731 George Hunter
1964-65 Gary Thompson Wichita State 21-9 .700 Ralph Miller
1965-66 Lou Carnesecca St. John's 18-8 .692 Joe Lapchick
1965-66 Bob Knight Army 18-8 .692 Tates Locke
1966-67 Tommy Bartlett Florida 21-4 .840 Norm Sloan
1967-68 John Dromo Louisville 21-7 .750 Peck Hickman
1968-69 Tom Gola La Salle 23-1 .958 Jim Harding
1969-70 Terry Holland Davidson 22-5 .815 Lefty Driesell
1970-71 Richard "Digger" Phelps Fordham 26-3 .897 Ed Conlin
1971-72 Chuck Daly Penn 25-3 .893 Dick Harter
1972-73 Norm Ellenberger New Mexico 21-6 .778 Bob King
1973-74 Lute Olson Long Beach State 24-2 .923 Jerry Tarkanian
1974-75 Tom Apke Creighton 20-7 .741 Eddie Sutton
1974-75 Wayne Yates Memphis State 20-7 .741 Gene Bartow
1975-76 Bill Blakeley North Texas State 22-4 .846 Gene Robbins
1976-77 Jim Boeheim Syracuse 26-4 .867 Roy Danforth
1976-77 Charlie Schmaus Virginia Military 26-4 .867 Bill Blair
1977-78 Gary Cunningham UCLA 25-3 .893 Gene Bartow
1978-79 Bill Hodges Indiana State 33-1 .971 Bob King
1979-80 Bob Dukiet St. Peter's 22-9 .710 Bob Kelly
1979-80 Dave "Lefty" Ervin La Salle 22-9 .710 Paul Westhead
1980-81 Pat Foster Lamar 25-5 .833 Billy Tubbs
1981-82 Jim Boyle St. Joseph's 25-5 .833 Jim Lynam
1982-83 Ed Tapscott American University 20-10 .667 Gary Williams
1983-84 Rick Huckabay Marshall 25-6 .806 Bob Zuffelato
1984-85 Newton Chelette Southeastern Louisiana 18-9 .667 Ken Fortenberry
1985-86 Pete Gillen Xavier 25-5 .833 Bob Staak
1986-87 Pete Herrmann Navy 26-6 .813 Paul Evans
1987-88 Rick Barnes George Mason 20-10 .667 Joe Harrington
1988-89 Kermit Davis Idaho 25-6 .806 Tim Floyd
1989-90 Jim Anderson Oregon State 22-7 .759 Ralph Miller
1990-91 Alan LeForce East Tennessee State 28-5 .848 Les Robinson
1991-92 Blaine Taylor Montana 27-4 .871 Stew Morrill
1992-93 Fran Fraschilla Manhattan 23-7 .767 Steve Lappas
1993-94 Kirk Speraw Central Florida 21-9 .700 Joe Dean Jr.
1994-95 George "Tic" Price New Orleans 20-11 .645 Tim Floyd
1995-96 Mike Heideman Wisconsin-Green Bay 25-4 .862 Dick Bennett
1996-97 Bill Carmody Princeton 24-4 .857 Pete Carril
1997-98 Bill Guthridge North Carolina 34-4 .895 Dean Smith
1998-99 Tevester Anderson Murray State 27-6 .818 Mark Gottfried
1999-00 Mark Few Gonzaga 26-9 .743 Dan Monson
2000-01 Thad Matta Butler 24-8 .750 Barry Collier
2001-02 Stan Heath Kent State 29-6 .829 Gary Waters
2002-03 Brad Brownell UNC Wilmington 24-7 .774 Jerry Wainwright
2003-04 Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh 31-5 .861 Ben Howland
2004-05 Mark Fox Nevada 25-7 .781 Trent Johnson
2005-06 Rob Jeter Wisconsin-Milwaukee 22-9 .710 Bruce Pearl
2006-07 Anthony Grant Virginia Commonwealth 28-7 .800 Jeff Capel III
2007-08 Brad Stevens Butler 30-4 .882 Todd Lickliter
2008-09 Ken McDonald Western Kentucky 25-9 .735 Darrin Horn
2009-10 Shaka Smart Virginia Commonwealth 27-9 .750 Anthony Grant
2010-11 B.J. Hill Northern Colorado 21-11 .656 Tad Boyle
2011-12 Steve Prohm Murray State 31-2 .939 Billy Kennedy
2012-13 Kevin Ollie Connecticut 20-10 .667 Jim Calhoun
2013-14 Brad Underwood Stephen F. Austin 32-3 .914 Danny Kaspar
2014-15 David Richman North Dakota State 23-10 .697 Saul Phillips
2015-16 Matt McCall Chattanooga 29-5 .853 Will Wade
2016-17 Paul Weir New Mexico State 28-6 .824 Marvin Menzies
2017-18 Bob Richey Furman 23-10 .697 Niko Medved
2018-19 Sam Scholl San Diego 21-15 .583 Lamont Smith
2019-20 Eric Henderson South Dakota State 22-10 .688 T.J. Otzelberger
2020-21 Terrence "TJ" Johnson Texas State 18-7 .720 Danny Kaspar
2021-22 Tommy Lloyd Arizona 33-4 .892 Sean Miller
2022-23 Jon Scheyer Duke 27-9 .750 Mike Krzyzewski
2023-24 Alan Huss High Point 27-9 .750 G.G. Smith

College Exam: Day #14 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper again to wipe butts of Manhattan NYC Mayor Eric Adams, DA Alvin Bragg, NY Governor Kathy Hochul and NY State AG Letitia James after they were told to leave funeral by family of slain police officer, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 14 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only school to compile a losing record in a season it won on the road against a conference rival later capturing the NCAA championship. Hint: The school is a former national titlist itself, but had just one winning league mark in 12 years from 1977-78 through 1988-89.

2. Name the only school to compile a conference record of more than 10 games below .500 in a season it defeated a league rival becoming NCAA champion. Hint: The school, which finished in first or second place in league competition four consecutive seasons in early 1930s, had 44 consecutive non-winning records in conference play before securing its first tourney appearance.

3. Name the only school to trail by at least 10 points at halftime of a tournament game and end up winning the contest by more than 20. Hint: A prominent network broadcaster played for the team. The next year, the school became the only one in tourney history to win back-to-back overtime games by double-digit margins.

4. Who is the only coach to lose in back-to-back seasons to teams seeded 14th or worse? Hint: He captured an NCAA championship later that decade.

5. Name the only double-digit seeded team to reach the Final Four until Virginia Commonwealth achieved the feat last year. Hint: It's the worst-seeded school to defeat a #1 seed, a conference rival that defeated the team a total of three times that year during the regular season and postseason league tournament. The next year, the university became only school to reach back-to-back regional finals as a double-digit seed.

6. Name the only school to win a regional final game it trailed by more than 15 points at halftime. Hint: The school lost its next game at the Final Four to a team that dropped a conference game against the regional final opponent by a double-figure margin. Three years later, it became the only school to score more than 100 points in a championship game and win national final by more than 21 points.

7. Who is the only team-leading scorer to be held more than 25 points under his season average in a Final Four game? Hint: He scored 39 points against the same opponent earlier in the season to help end the third-longest winning streak in major-college history. He is the only player to lead the playoffs in scoring and rebounding in back-to-back seasons although he wasn't named to the All-Tournament team one of those years despite becoming the only player to lead a tourney in scoring by more than 60 points. In addition, he is the only player in tournament history to collect more than 40 points and 25 rebounds in same game.

8. Name the only school to lead the nation in scoring offense and win the NCAA title in the same season. Hint: The top four scorers were undergraduates for the only titlist to win all of its NCAA Tournament games by more than 15 points.

9. Name the only school to play in as many as three overtime games in a single tournament. Hint: One of the three overtime affairs was a national third-place game.

10. Who is the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player to go scoreless in two NCAA Tournament games in a previous year? Hint: His NBA scoring average decreased each of last nine seasons in the league after becoming Rookie of the Year.

Answers (Day 14)
Day 13 Questions and Answers
Day 12 Questions and Answers
Day 11 Questions and Answers
Day 10 Questions and Answers
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Breaking New Ground: Alabama Turns Tide Making 1st Final Four Appearance

West Regional winner Alabama advanced to Final Four for the first time in school history. Last year, Florida Atlantic, Miami (Fla.) and San Diego State became the first trio to participate in their first Final Four since Jacksonville, New Mexico State and St. Bonaventure each made their only national semifinal appearance in 1970.

When Gonzaga and South Carolina met at the 2017 Final Four, they were the first set of newcomers to oppose each other at the F4 in 40 years since UNLV defeated UNC Charlotte in the 1977 national third-place game. Newbies Memphis State and Providence clashed in the 1973 semis.

Prior to Connecticut in 1999, the last team to win a championship in its initial national semifinal appearance was Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso) in 1966. Following in reverse order are the "first-timer" schools - two of them coached by Hugh Durham setting standard for Jim Larranaga to duplicate - making their first impression on the Final Four since 1970:

Year Final Four Newcomer NCAA Tourney Appearance Head Coach Final Four Outcome
2024 Alabama 25th Nate Oats TBD
2023 Florida Atlantic 2nd Dusty May Lost in semifinal.
2023 Miami (Fla.) 12th Jim Larranaga Lost in semifinal.
2023 San Diego State 15th Brian Dutcher Lost in final.
2019 Auburn 10th Bruce Pearl Lost in semifinal.
2019 Texas Tech 17th Chris Beard Lost in final.
2017 Gonzaga* 20th Mark Few Lost in final.
2017 South Carolina 9th Frank Martin Lost in semifinal.
2011 Virginia Commonwealth 10th Shaka Smart Lost in semifinal.
2010 Butler* 10th Brad Stevens Lost in final.
2006 George Mason 4th Jim Larranaga Lost in semifinal.
2001 Maryland* 18th Gary Williams Lost in semifinal.
1999 Connecticut* 21st Jim Calhoun Won NCAA championship.
1997 Minnesota 7th Clem Haskins Lost in semifinal.
1996 Massachusetts 6th John Calipari Lost in semifinal.
1996 Mississippi State 4th Richard Williams Lost in semifinal.
1994 Florida* 4th Lon Kruger Lost in semifinal.
1990 Georgia Tech* 7th Bobby Cremins Lost in semifinal.
1989 Seton Hall 2nd P.J. Carlesimo Lost in final.
1988 Arizona* 7th Lute Olson Lost in semifinal.
1983 Georgia 1st Hugh Durham Lost in semifinal.
1981 Virginia* 2nd Terry Holland Won third-place game.
1979 Indiana State 1st Bill Hodges Lost in final.
1979 Penn 9th Bob Weinhauer Lost consolation game.
1978 Notre Dame 15th Digger Phelps Lost consolation game.
1977 UNC Charlotte 1st Lee Rose Lost consolation game.
1977 UNLV* 3rd Jerry Tarkanian Won third-place game.
1976 Rutgers 2nd Tom Young Lost consolation game.
1975 Syracuse* 5th Roy Danforth Lost consolation game.
1974 Marquette* 9th Al McGuire Lost in final.
1973 Memphis State* 4th Gene Bartow Lost in final.
1973 Providence* 5th Dave Gavitt Lost consolation game.
1972 Florida State 2nd Hugh Durham Lost in final.
1971 Western Kentucky 7th John Oldham Won third-place game.

*School subsequently returned to Final Four.

Junior Achievement: Knecht is 1st Juco Named NCAA Consensus A-A Since '91

Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht became the seventh junior college recruit in the 21st Century to earn All-American status for a four-year institution. Highlighting achievement further, Knecht is the first juco (Northeastern CO) to become an NCAA consensus first-team All-American since UNLV forward Larry Johnson in 1990-91. In the aftermath of watered down academic requirements, that's a stark contrast to an era when at least one former J.C. player was named an NCAA All-American 21 consecutive seasons from 1963-64 through 1983-84.

There were four years when a minimum of four former jucos became NCAA Division I All-Americans the same campaign (1955, 1970, 1971 and 1982). A total of only 13 two-time All-Americans are represented on the following alphabetical list of NCAA All-Americans who previously played for a junior college:

All-American Pos. Four-Year University Junior College(s)
Don Barksdale C UCLA '47 Marin (Calif.)
Jim Barnes C Texas Western '64 Cameron (Okla.)
Ron Behagen F Minnesota '73 Southern Idaho
Walter Berry F-C St. John's '86 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Gale Bishop F-C Washington '36 Yakima (Wash.) Valley
Daron "Mookie" Blaylock G Oklahoma '89 Midland (Tex.)
Ron Brewer G Arkansas '78 Westark (Ark.)
Fred Brown G Iowa '81 Southeastern (Iowa)
Don Burness F Stanford '42 Menlo Park (Calif.)
Bob Burrow C Kentucky '55 and '56 Lon Morris (Tex.)
Lawrence Butler G Idaho State '79 Western Texas
Jerry Chambers F-C Utah '66 Trinidad State (Colo.)
Lester Conner G Oregon State '82 Los Medanos (Calif.)/Chabot (Calif.)
Michael Cooper G New Mexico '78 Pasadena (Calif.) City
Jae Crowder F Marquette '12 South Georgia Tech/Howard County (TX)
Howie Dallmar G Pennsylvania '45 Menlo Park (Calif.)
Mel Daniels C New Mexico '67 Burlington (Iowa)
Walt "Corky" Devlin F George Washington '55 Potomac State (W.Va.)
Chris Duarte G Oregon '21 Northwest Florida State
Cleanthony Early F Wichita State '14 Sullivan County (N.Y.)
Keith Erickson F UCLA '65 El Camino (Calif.)
John Fairchild C-F Brigham Young '65 Palomar (Calif.)
Ken Flower G Southern California '53 Menlo (Calif.)
Darrell Floyd G-F Furman '55 and '56 Wingate (N.C.)
Steve Francis G Maryland '99 Allegany (Md.)
Dick Garmaker F Minnesota '54 and '55 Hibbing (Minn.)
Armon Gilliam F-C UNLV '87 Independence (Kan.)
Artis Gilmore C Jacksonville '70 and '71 Gardner-Webb (N.C.)
Harvey Grant F Oklahoma '88 Independence (Kan.)
Ed Gray G California '97 Southern Idaho
Jack Gray F Texas '34 and '35 North Texas Agricultural
Al Green G Louisiana State '79 Arizona Western
Cornell Green F Utah State '62 Contra Costa (Calif.)
Rickey Green G Michigan '76 and '77 Vincennes (Ind.)
Bob Harris C Oklahoma A&M '49 Murray State (Okla.)
Spencer Haywood F-C Detroit '69 Trinidad State (Colo.)
Tom Henderson G Hawaii '74 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Bobby Joe Hill G Texas Western '66 Burlington (Iowa)
Simmie Hill F West Texas State '69 Cameron (Okla.)
Darington Hobson G-F New Mexico '10 Eastern Utah
Lionel Hollins G Arizona State '75 Dixie (Utah)
Bobby Jackson G Minnesota '97 Western Nebraska
John Johnson F Iowa '70 Northwest (Wyo.)
Larry Johnson F UNLV '90 and '91 Odessa (Tex.)
Vinnie Johnson G Baylor '79 McLennan (Tex.)
Larry Kenon F Memphis State '73 Amarillo (Tex.)
Dalton Knecht F Tennessee '24 Northeastern (Colo.)
Dennis "Mo" Layton G Southern California '71 Phoenix (Ariz.)
Lewis Lloyd F Drake '80 and '81 New Mexico Military Institute
Don Lofgran F-C San Francisco '49 and '50 Grant Tech (Calif.)
Kevin Magee F UC Irvine '81 and '82 Saddleback (Calif.)
Bob McAdoo F-C North Carolina '72 Vincennes (Ind.)
Cliff Meely F-C Colorado '71 Northeastern (Colo.)
Phil "Red" Murrell F Drake '58 Moberly (Mo.) Area
Willie Murrell F Kansas State '64 Eastern Oklahoma A&M
Ken Norman F Illinois '87 Wabash Valley (Ill.)
Ken Owens G Idaho '82 Treasure Valley (Calif.)
Ricky Pierce F Rice '82 Walla Walla (Wash.)
Chris Porter F Auburn '99 Chipola (Fla.)
Paul Pressey G-F Tulsa '82 Western Texas
Jesse "Cab" Renick G Oklahoma A&M '40 Murray State (Okla.)
Mitch Richmond F-G Kansas State '88 Moberly (Mo.) Area
Isaiah "J.R." Rider F UNLV '93 Allen County (Kan.)/Antelope Valley (Calif.)
Alvin Robertson G Arkansas '84 Crowder (Mo.)
Flynn Robinson G Wyoming '65 Casper (Wyo.)
John Rudometkin C-F Southern California '61 and '62 Allan Hancock (Calif.)
Danny Schultz G Tennessee '64 Hiwassee (Tenn.)
Willie Smith G Missouri '76 Seminole (Okla.)
George Stanich G UCLA '50 Sacramento (Calif.)
Ray Steiner G St. Louis '52 Moberly (Mo.) Area
John "Cat" Thompson F Montana State '29 and '30 Dixie (Utah)
Jamaal Tinsley G Iowa State '01 Mount San Jacinto (Calif.)
Vic Townsend G-F Oregon '41 Compton (Calif.)
John Vallely G UCLA '70 Orange Coast (Calif.)
Nick Van Exel G Cincinnati '93 Trinity Valley (Tex.)
Darrell Walker G Arkansas '83 Westark (Ark.)
Grady Wallace F South Carolina '57 Pikeville (Ky.)
Lloyd Walton G Marquette '76 Moberly (Mo.) Area
Sidney Wicks F-C UCLA '70 and '71 Santa Monica (Calif.)
Sam Williams F Iowa '68 Burlington (Iowa)
Sam Worthen G Marquette '80 McLennan (Tex.)
Delon Wright G Utah '15 CC of San Francisco (Calif.)

College Exam: Day #13 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper to wipe George Soros flunky Alvin Bragg's attorney butt, seeking translator to try to understand Plagiarist Bidumb or cowering in fetal position from listening to #TheView's self-anointed vixens, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 13 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only team-leading scorer of a Final Four team to go scoreless when the school was eliminated from championship contention at the national semifinals? Hint: He was a center who along with four teammates averaged between 11 and 12.5 points per game.

2. Who is the only player to twice lead the nation in scoring average while playing for teams advancing to the Final Four? Hint: He is the only team-leading scorer to twice be more than 10 points below his season scoring mark when his school was eliminated at the Final Four.

3. Name the only school to lose two national championship games by at least 18 points after leading the finals at halftime. Hint: The two opponents, 17 years apart, combined to win 66 of 68 games those seasons.

4. Name the only school to make as many as eight consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from the year it participated in the event for the first time. Hint: The school's last playoff victory wasn't during this streak, but it later handed UCLA its first West Regional defeat in 14 years.

5. Name the only school to lose as many as 15 opening-round games in the NCAA Tournament. Hint: The university also lost a first-round game in 1984 after winning a qualifying round contest when playoff field was 53 teams.

6. Who is the only athlete to collect more than 3,000 major league hits, including 465 homers, after playing the entire basketball game for a school when it appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Hint: The outfielder appeared in 12 All-Star Games and two World Series after never playing in minors.

7. Who is the only player to have a single-digit point total in a national semifinal game and then increase his output by more than 20 points in the championship game? Hint: The center for two years between two three-time consensus first-team All-Americans shot just over 40% from the floor for the season entering title game where he had a game-high and career-high point total.

8. Who is the only player to have a decrease of more than 25 points from his national semifinal game scoring total to his championship game output? Hint: He was a member of the first undefeated NCAA champion and subsequently became an NBA first-round draft choice.

9. Name the only school to defeat two eventual Final Four teams by double-digit margins in their conference tournament. Hint: The school was handily eliminated in the NCAA playoffs by one of the two Final Four teams it decisively defeated in their league tourney.

10. Name the only school to reach the NCAA championship game in back-to-back seasons it was defeated by double-digit margins in its conference tournament. Hint: The school swept its home-and-home series in regular-season conference competition against the teams defeating it in league tourney.

Answers (Day 13)
Day 12 Questions and Answers
Day 11 Questions and Answers
Day 10 Questions and Answers
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Playing Race Card: Second Time in Last 45 Years Half of A-As Are Caucasian

Since MJ couldn't handle him one-and-one, heaven knows how Daddy Ball Game would treat average white player. If not a generous dose of humility, "Slow" Hoops Daddy Lavar Ball probably needs a history lesson. The hoop lowdown might not rise to the level of aggressive African-American commentary on Donald Trump or previous POTUS #AudacityofHype lecturing Christians rather than unprincipled marauders. Nonetheless, it could be time to proclaim white players matter. Many white-privilege provocateurs, who should seek reparations of their own for being exposed to race hustlers such as MSDNC's Joyless Reid and "Not So" Sharpton clamoring for "R-E-S-P-I-C-T," seem to care as much about the basketball topic, however, as far-left zealots are outraged about Muslim terrorists murdering saints and believers. Perhaps they should dwell a mite more on how in hell giving $1,400 to jailed prisoner helped with COVID-19 relief.

Is this DEI in reverse? A milestone won't trigger White History Month, but 2023-24 marked the second time in 45 seasons at least half of the list of NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans were white players. From 1980 through 2012, less than one-fifth of the NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans were Caucasian. Struggling as much as Marxist BLM founder purchasing luxury homes in white neighborhoods, Plagiarist Biledumb ascending Stair Farce One, #MSLSD's "Resist We Much" RevAl and #JoylessReid plus confused Congresswoman #(Mad)Maxine Waters may consider this repulsive racist research. However, they probably should be more concerned about paying fair share of taxes on filing deadline day, candor about hacked computer and concocting conspiratorial claptrap more worthy of April Fool's Day about CIA planting drugs in the hood.

All of America needs more critical thinking than critical race theory. Unless there are some closet Rachel Dolezals in the identity mix or Jussie Smollett's air-head attorney is accurate about an outbreak of white-face escapades, Gonzaga (Dan Dickau, Blake Stepp, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, Kyle Wiltjer, Corey Kispert, Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren) was alone boasting the most white consensus All-Americans thus far in 21st Century with eight. It might be accurate-but-unacceptable information to cancel-culture leftists indoctrinating students in public schools with critical race theory, but the Zags in each of the last two seasons are the first school to feature a set of white consensus All-Americans in same season since Missouri's Steve Stipanovich and Jon Sundvold in 1982-83.

It might not reign purple important as a photograph of Prince in a junior high basketball uniform to African-American Studies majors but we could be in the midst of a modest resurgence for the white player represented each year thus far this century. After all, Duke was the nation's only school to supply a white first-team All-American in a nine-year span from 1987-88 through 1995-96 (Danny Ferry in 1989, Christian Laettner in 1992 and Bobby Hurley in 1993). For those monitoring such identity demographics or who might be a dues-paying member of an alternative version of NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Caucasian Players), following is a list of white NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since Indiana State's Larry Bird was unanimous national player of the year in 1979:

Year Ratio White NCAA Consensus All-Americans
1979 6 of 12 Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st), Duke's Mike Gminski (1st), North Carolina's Mike O'Koren (2nd), Dayton's Jim Paxson (2nd), Duke's Jim Spanarkel (2nd) and Notre Dame's Kelly Tripucka (2nd)
1980 3 of 10 Duke's Mike Gminski (2nd), Kentucky's Kyle Macy (1st) and North Carolina's Mike O'Koren (2nd)
1981 4 of 11 Brigham Young's Danny Ainge (1st), Virginia's Jeff Lamp (2nd), Notre Dame's Kelly Tripucka (2nd) and Utah's Danny Vranes (2nd)
1982 1 of 10 Notre Dame's John Paxson (2nd)
1983 4 of 14 Notre Dame's John Paxson (2nd), Missouri's Steve Stipanovich (2nd), Missouri's Jon Sundvold (2nd) and Indiana's Randy Wittman (2nd)
1984 2 of 11 Brigham Young's Devin Durrant (2nd) and St. John's Chris Mullin (2nd)
1985 3 of 11 Southern Methodist's Jon Koncak (2nd), St. John's Chris Mullin (1st) and Georgia Tech's Mark Price (2nd)
1986 2 of 11 Indiana's Steve Alford (1st) and Michigan State's Scott Skiles (2nd)
1987 1 of 10 Indiana's Steve Alford (1st)
1988 2 of 11 Duke's Danny Ferry (2nd) and Brigham Young's Michael Smith (2nd)
1989 2 of 11 Duke's Danny Ferry (1st) and Stanford's Todd Lichti (2nd)
1990 0 of 12
1991 1 of 10 Duke's Christian Laettner (2nd)
1992 2 of 10 Duke's Christian Laettner (1st) and UCLA's Don MacLean (2nd)
1993 3 of 12 Duke's Bobby Hurley Jr. (1st), Vanderbilt's Billy McCaffrey (2nd) and North Carolina's Eric Montross (2nd)
1994 1 of 11 North Carolina's Eric Montross (2nd)
1995 0 of 10
1996 1 of 11 Utah's Keith Van Horn (2nd)
1997 2 of 10 Kansas' Raef LaFrentz (1st) and Utah's Keith Van Horn (1st)
1998 2 of 10 Notre Dame's Pat Garrity (2nd) and Kansas' Raef LaFrentz (1st)
1999 2 of 10 Northwestern's Evan Eschmeyer (2nd) and Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak (2nd)
2000 2 of 12 Texas' Chris Mihm (1st) and Notre Dame's Troy Murphy (1st)
2001 3 of 10 Villanova's Michael Bradley (2nd), Stanford's Casey Jacobsen (1st) and Notre Dame's Troy Murphy (1st)
2002 3 of 10 Gonzaga's Dan Dickau (1st), Duke's Mike Dunleavy (2nd) and Stanford's Casey Jacobsen (2nd)
2003 2 of 10 Kansas' Nick Collison (1st) and Creighton's Kyle Korver (2nd)
2004 2 of 10 Oregon's Luke Jackson (2nd) and Gonzaga's Blake Stepp (2nd)
2005 2 of 11 Utah's Andrew Bogut (1st) and Duke's J.J. Redick (1st)
2006 3 of 12 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (2nd), Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (1st) and Duke's J.J. Redick (1st)
2007 2 of 10 Nevada's Nick Fazekas (2nd) and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st)
2008 3 of 11 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st), Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd) and UCLA's Kevin Love (1st)
2009 2 of 11 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st) and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd)
2010 3 of 11 Kansas' Cole Aldrich (2nd), Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd) and Duke's Jon Scheyer (2nd)
2011 2 of 11 Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (1st) and Notre Dame's Ben Hansbrough (2nd)
2012 2 of 10 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st) and North Carolina's Tyler Zeller (2nd)
2013 5 of 10 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st), Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk (1st), Duke's Mason Plumlee (2nd), Kansas' Jeff Withey (2nd) and Indiana's Cody Zeller (2nd)
2014 2 of 11 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st) and Michigan's Nik Stauskas (2nd)
2015 3 of 11 Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky (1st), Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle (2nd) and Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer (2nd)
2016 2 of 11 Utah's Jakob Poeltl (2nd) and Iowa's Jarrod Uthoff (2nd).
2017 1 of 10 Duke's Luke Kennard (2nd).
2018 1 of 11 Saint Mary's Jock Landale (2nd).
2019 1 of 10 Wisconsin's Ethan Happ (2nd).
2020 2 of 10 Iowa's Luka Garza (1st) and Oregon's Payton Pritchard (1st).
2021 4 of 10 Iowa's Luka Garza (1st), Gonzaga's Corey Kispert (1st), Michigan's Hunter Dickinson (2nd) and Gonzaga's Drew Timme (2nd).
2022 2 of 11 Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren (2nd) and Drew Timme (2nd).
2023 3 of 10 Purdue's Zach Edey (1st), Gonzaga's Drew Timme (1st) and Arizona's Azuolas Tubelis (2nd)
2024 5 of 10 Purdue's Zach Edey (1st), Tennesse's Dalton Knecht (1st), Kansas' Hunter Dickinson (2nd), Duke's Kyle Filipowski (2nd) and Marquette's Tyler Kolek (2nd)

MAC Attacks Streak: No Member in 66 Years Compiled Unbeaten League Mark

Two years ago, South Dakota State (18-0) became the first Summit League member to compile an unblemished conference record since the league's inaugural season in 1982-83. Oral Roberts duplicated SDSU's feat in the SL in 2022-23.

Indiana, the last NCAA Division I school to go undefeated (32-0 in 1975-76), is also the last team to go unbeaten in Big Ten Conference play. The Mid-American (65 straight years) is the only league posting a longer active streak than the Big Ten without an undefeated team in conference competition.

Analyst Dick Vitale, rather than chronically currying favor with the big boys energizing ESPN elitism, should always be promoting the MAC. After all, he has firsthand experience dealing with league rigors, losing his first six games against MAC members when coaching independent Detroit.

After SDSU's success in the SL in 2021-22, the Big East Conference and Northeast Conference remained as leagues never having an undefeated club since their alliances were formed in the early 1980s. Upon the Pac-12 bowing out with no undefeated league team during its final 46 seasons of existence, following are the other five longest current streaks of at least 40 campaigns without a member going unbeaten in league competition:

Conference (Years) Last Unbeaten Team in League Play Coach (Overall Record)
Mid-American (66) Miami (Ohio) in 1957-58 Dick Shrider (18-9)
Big Ten (48) Indiana in 1975-76 Bob Knight (32-0)
Pac-12 (46) UCLA in 1977-78 Gary Cunningham (25-3)
Big East (45) None since inaugural season (1979-80) never achieved in league
Northeast (43) None since inaugural season (1981-82) never achieved in league
Coastal Athletic Association (41) William & Mary in 1982-83 Bruce Parkhill (20-9)

Buyer's Remorse: Will Mark Pope and Kyle Smith Succeed at New Outposts?

It isn't "just a knife fight (according to social scholars)" and doesn't always pan out for a big-time university after hiring a coach from a fellow power-league member. Poaching within a conference (say John Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas in the SEC), takes things to an even higher level. Naturally, it's too early to judge whether Mark Pope (Brigham Young to alma mater Kentucky) and Kyle Smith (Washington State to Stanford) this year plus Ed Cooley (Providence to Georgetown) and Micah Shrewsberry (Penn State to Notre Dame) last year will thrive at their new outposts. If not, they'll "fall" in line with the following alphabetical list of prominent coaches who struggled at their new digs after bolting one power conference member for another?

Coach Summary of Career After Switching Jobs Between Current Power-League Members
Tom Davis 58-59 record with Stanford from 1982-83 through 1985-86 after leaving Boston College
Bill E. Foster 54-141 with Northwestern from 1986-87 through 1992-93 after leaving South Carolina
Pat Kennedy 67-85 with DePaul from 1997-98 through 2001-02 after leaving Florida State
Dave Leitao 63-60 with Virginia from 2005-06 through 2008-09 after leaving DePaul
Kevin O'Neill 36-47 with Tennessee from 1994-95 through 1996-97 after leaving Marquette
Oliver Purnell 54-105 with DePaul from 2010-11 through 2014-15 after leaving Clemson
George Raveling 115-118 with Southern California from 1986-87 through 1993-94 after leaving Iowa
Tubby Smith 46-50 with Texas Tech from 2013-14 through 2015-16 after leaving Minnesota
Kevin Stallings 24-41 with Pittsburgh in 2016-17 and 2017-18 after leaving Vanderbilt
Bob Weltlich 77-98 with Texas from 1982-83 through 1987-88 after leaving Mississippi

Dribble Handoff: Power-League Members Keeping Coaching Chain In-House

In a typical season, about 1/5 of the NCAA DI head coaches are "next man up" in-house promotions. After Jake Diebler was elevated by Ohio State prior to the Buckeyes bowing in NIT quarterfinals, the following eight active mentors serve as promoted bench boss for a power-conference member:

Head Coach (Years as Aide) Power-League School Stint as Assistant at Same University Under Predecessor
Matt Painter (1) Purdue 2004-05 under Gene Keady
Rodney Terry (2) Texas 2021-22 and 2022-23 under Chris Beard
Jake Diebler (5) Ohio State 2019-20 under Chris Holtmann
Hubert Davis (9) North Carolina 2012-13 through 2020-21 under Roy Williams
Jon Scheyer (9) Duke 2013-14 through 2021-22 under Mike Krzyzewski
Adrian Autry (12) Syracuse 2011-12 through 2022-23 under Jim Boeheim
Tom Izzo (12) Michigan State 1983-84 through 1994-95 under Jud Heathcote
Greg Gard (15) Wisconsin 2001-02 to 2015-16 under Bo Ryan

NOTE: Terry served as interim head coach for more than half of 2022-23 campaign and Diebler was in similar capacity final month of 2023-24.

College Exam: Day #12 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper to wipe derriere of George Soros butt boy NYC attorney Alvin Bragg, trying to help Supreme Court Justice define a woman or cowering in fetal position awaiting directive from deity Dr. Fraudci, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 12 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only championship team player to have a season scoring average of less than six points per game entering a Final Four but tally more than 30 points in the national semifinals and final? Hint: He is the only player with a single-digit season scoring average to score more than 25 points in an NCAA championship game.

2. Who is the only player to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive NCAA playoff games? Hint: He is the only player to rank among top five in scoring average in both NCAA Tournament and NBA playoffs. He was denied a championship ring in his only Final Four appearance when a player who would become an NBA teammate tipped in decisive basket in the closing seconds.

3. Name the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player who wasn't among the top five scorers on his team. Hint: The only other player to earn the award who wasn't among top four scorers on his team attended same university.

4. Who is the only individual to be named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NIT Most Valuable Player? Hint: As a freshman, he shared one of the awards with a teammate.

5. Who is the only U.S. Congressman to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee after playing in the NCAA Tournament championship game? Hint: Starting out as a Democrat, he became a 12-term Republican Congressman from Illinois.

6. Who is the only individual to be named Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in back-to-back seasons? Hint: He holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most points by a rookie.

7. Name the freshman who had the highest season scoring average for a team to reach the NCAA Tournament championship game until Carmelo Anthony achieved the feat for 2003 champion Syracuse. Hint: The word "Boss" is tattooed to his chest for a good reason because he also led his team in assists as freshman.

8. Who is the only freshman to score more than 30 points in a national semifinal or championship game before failing to score more than half that total in his next four playoff outings? Hint: He didn't score more than 15 points in any of his next four NCAA playoff games, all defeats, and averaged a modest 8.2 points per game in an eight-year NBA career with an all-time pro season high of 11.4 ppg and game high of 28.

9. Who is the only freshman on a Final Four team to score more than 20 points in as many as four tournament games? Hint: He did not play in the national championship game and his school lost in the NCAA playoffs to opponents with double-digit seeds each of four seasons before he arrived.

10. Name the only season-leading scorer of a titlist to be held more than 14 points below his average in the NCAA championship game. Hint: He was named national player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is one of four Final Four Most Outstanding Players held scoreless in their NCAA Tournament debuts in a previous season. He is also the only individual to become a member of three NCAA titlists after playing one season in junior college.

Answers (Day 12)
Day 11 Questions and Answers
Day 10 Questions and Answers
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
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Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Personal Items: Did You Knows Regarding 2024 Tourney Sweet 16 Coaches

There is a tendency to overindulge at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Anyone digesting the following assortment of incisive facts on the 16 NCAA Division I Tournament regional semifinalist 16 coaches should find that variety is the spice of this occasionally irreverent smorgasbord. Remember: If a morsel isn't appetizing, don't be a glutton for punishment in trying to comprehend what makes the coaching community tick. Just proceed directly to the next tidbit. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a few factoids you can savor among the following 2024 Sweet 16 mentors:

ALABAMA: Detroit-area prep coach Nate Oats joined Bobby Hurley's Buffalo staff directly with junior college recruit Justin Moss in 2013 before Moss became Mid-American Conference Player of the Year the next season and one year before center Raheem Johnson aligned with the Bulls as another J.C. signee. Moss and Johnson played under Oats at Romulus H.S.

ARIZONA: Tommy Lloyd's son, Liam, averaged 1.5 ppg for Grand Canyon the previous two seasons before transferring to Northern Arizona and averaging 6 ppg plus 2.2 apg as a starter. During the construction of their home in Spokane while Gonzaga's associate head coach, his family lived in the childhood residence of Zags legend and Hall of Famer John Stockton. Lloyd, known for his international recruiting, spent several months backpacking on several continents before commencing his coaching career in the late 1990s.

CLEMSON: Brad Brownell played for DePauw University (Ind.) under former Indiana State coach Royce Waltman.

CONNECTICUT: One of Dan Hurley's assistants at previous pitstops Wagner and Rhode Island was brother Bobby Hurley, an All-American guard for Duke's back-to-back NCAA titlists in 1991 and 1992 and current Arizona State coach.

CREIGHTON: Following graduation from Northern Iowa, Greg McDermott played one season of professional basketball in Switzerland. McDermott led the Panthers in field-goal shooting three consecutive seasons from 1985-86 through 1987-88 when he was a combined 59.5% from the floor. He ranked 16th in the nation in that category as a junior.

DUKE: Jon Scheyer was raised in his father's Jewish religion and became a Bar Mitzvah. Scheyer was known as the "Jewish Jordan" and his Illinois high school state championship squad (Glenbrook North; prep alma mater of Northwestern coach and fellow Blue Devils guard Chris Collins) is the nation's only one known to have included an all-Jewish starting lineup. He received a scholarship offer from then Marquette coach Tom Crean as an eighth-grader before playing in high school under former Illini coach Bruce Weber's brother.

GONZAGA: Mark Few never was a head coach at any level before inheriting that position after Dan Monson departed for Minnesota. Few was an assistant for two different Oregon high schools before becoming an aide with the Zags under Dan Fitzgerald and Monson. Few's wedding vows in 1994 were exchanged with Rev. Norm Few, the father of the groom.

HOUSTON: Kelvin Sampson was a three-year baseball letterman for Pembroke (N.C.) State.

ILLINOIS: Brad Underwood, as a juco recruit, took a visit to Oklahoma State, where his player host at the time was current Kansas bench boss Bill Self. Underwood's son, Tyler, played sparingly under his father with OSU and the Illini.

IOWA STATE: T.J. Otzelberger was an assistant coach with the Cyclones under his three predecessors - Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm. Otzelberger's wife, Alison Lacey, was a three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection for ISU women's basketball program.

MARQUETTE: When Shaka Smart graduated, he was the career assists leader for Kenyon College, a liberal arts school in Ohio.

NORTH CAROLINA: Hubert Davis is the nephew of Walter Davis, another Tar Heel and NBA player. NBA first-round draft choices 15 years apart combined to play for nine different pro franchises. Hubert's rookie campaign (1992-93) came the year after Walter retired. Each of them was runner-up in scoring a UNC Final Four squad (Hubert in 1991 and Walter in 1977). Hubert averaged 13.6 ppg in 12 playoff games while Walter averaged 14.1 ppg in eight tourney contests.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Kevin Keatts joined Rick Pitino's staff directly with George Mason transfer Luke Hancock in 2011. Hancock had played for him at Hargrave Military Academy (Va.). The next season, forward Montrezl Harrell aligned with the Cardinals after the Hargrave product de-committed from Virginia Tech following coach Seth Greenberg's firing.

PURDUE: Matt Painter's father attended Big Ten Conference rival Indiana.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Brian Dutcher's contract buyout is only $1 million, not in the $6 million range for any other college, if he has a chance to coach his alma mater (Minnesota). His three sisters and wife also attended Minnesota, where his father, Jim, coached for 11 seasons from mid-1970s to mid-1980s and still resides.

TENNESSEE: Texas' turnaround in 1998-99 (19-13 record after going 14-17 in 1997-98 under Tom Penders) enabled Rick Barnes to become the only active coach to take two different schools to the NCAA playoffs in his maiden voyage with them after they posted a losing mark the previous campaign. He previously achieved the feat with Providence in the late 1980s. Barnes posted the nation's best winning percentage by a first-year major college head coach in 1987-88 when he went 20-10 (.667) in his lone season with George Mason.

Familiar Territory: Cuonzo Martin Returns to Old Stomping Grounds at MSU

Cuonzo Martin, rehired by Missouri State, boasts an opportunity to achieve something rare in the major-college coaching community. The Bears reeled Martin back in despite a trend where resurrected mentors failed to come anywhere close to duplicating success during previous tenure. Although eight of them posted losing marks during initial stint, Ronnie Arrow (South Alabama), Jim McCafferty (Loyola LA) and Ritchie McKay (Liberty) are the only three of the 41 mentors a total of 43 times in this "Comeback Club" category over the last 60-plus years to compile a higher winning percentage the second time around.

A couple of years ago, Xavier's Sean Miller reupped to align with Lou Carnesecca (St. John's) and Lake Kelly (Austin Peay State) as the only coaches to win NCAA playoff games in two different stints with the same school. Martin is the seventh active coach on the following alphabetical list of coaches returning to their former major-college stomping grounds if their tenures weren't interrupted solely by World War II:

Two-Time Coach DI College First Stint W-L Pct. Second Stint W-L Pct.
Ronnie Arrow South Alabama 1988-95 114-93 .551 2008-13 97-68 .588
Tom Asbury Pepperdine 1989-94 125-59 .679 2009-11 28-68 .292
Lou Carnesecca St. John's 1966-70 104-35 .748 1974-92 422-165 .719
Ed Conroy The Citadel 2007-10 49-76 .392 since 2023 21-42 .333
Paul Cormier Dartmouth 1985-91 87-95 .478 2011-16 55-116 .322
Kermit Davis Idaho 1989 and 1990 50-12 .806 1997 13-17 .433
Mike Dement UNC Greensboro 1992-95 55-56 .495 2006-12 69-125 .356
Joe Dooley East Carolina 1996-99 57-52 .523 2019-22 44-67 .396
Homer Drew Valparaiso 1989-2002 235-185 .560 2004-11 136-120 .531
Marshall Emery Delaware State 1977-79 30-50 .375 1986-88 18-66 .214
Dan Fitzgerald Gonzaga 1979-81 51-29 .638 1986-97 203-140 .592
Blair Gullion Washington (Mo.) 1948-52 65-41 .613 1954-59 69-61 .531
Lou Henson New Mexico State 1967-75 173-71 .709 1998-2005 136-105 .564
Ben Jobe Southern (La.) 1987-96 191-100 .656 2002 and 2003 16-40 .286
Phil Johnson San Jose State 1999 12-16 .429 2003-05 19-67 .221
Donald Kellett Penn 1944 and 1945 22-9 .710 1947 and 1948 24-22 .522
Lake Kelly Austin Peay State 1972-77 110-52 .679 1986-90 79-70 .530
Joe Lapchick St. John's 1937-47 181-54 .770 1957-65 154-75 .672
Dave Leitao DePaul 2003-05 58-34 .630 2016-21 66-113 .369
Abe Lemons Oklahoma City 1956-73 309-181 .631 1984-90 123-84 .594
Cuonzo Martin Missouri State 2009-11 61-41 .598 since 2025 TBD TBD
Thad Matta Butler 2001 24-8 .750 since 2023 32-33 .492
Jim McCafferty Loyola (La.) 1950 9-15 .375 1955-57 38-36 .514
Dave McDowell Kent State 1949-51 56-20 .737 1956 and 1957 15-29 .341
Ritchie McKay Liberty 2008 and 2009 39-28 .582 since 2016 205-99 .674
Doc Meanwell Wisconsin 1912-17 92-9 .911 1921-34 154-90 .631
Sean Miller Xavier 2005-09 120-47 .719 since 2023 43-28 .606
Robert Moreland Texas Southern 1976-2001 399-352 .531 2008 7-25 .219
Joe Mullaney Providence 1956-69 271-94 .742 1982-85 48-70 .407
Buzz Peterson Appalachian State 1997-2000 79-39 .669 2010 24-13 .649
Steve Prohm Murray State 2012-15 104-29 .782 since 2023 29-34 .460
Bill Reinhart George Washington 1936-42 100-38 .725 1950-66 216-201 .518
Elmer Ripley Georgetown 1928 and 1929 24-6 .800 1939-43 68-39 .636
Elmer Ripley Georgetown 1939-43 68-39 .636 1947-49 41-37 .526
Jack Rohan Columbia 1962-74 154-161 .489 1991-95 43-87 .331
Lorenzo Romar Pepperdine 1997-99 42-44 .488 2019-24 76-112 .404
Glen Rose Arkansas 1934-42 154-47 .766 1953-66 171-154 .526
John "Honey" Russell Seton Hall 1937-43 101-32 .759 1950-60 194-97 .647
Joe Scott Air Force 2001-04 51-63 .447 since 2021 39-77 .336
Larry Shyatt Wyoming 1998 19-9 .679 2012-16 98-69 .587
Norm Sloan Florida 1961-66 85-63 .574 1981-89 150-131 .534
Ken Trickey Oral Roberts 1970-74 118-23 .837 1988-93 96-93 .508
Billy Tubbs Lamar 1977-80 75-46 .620 2004-06 46-43 .517
Butch van Breda Kolff Lafayette 1952-55 68-34 .667 1985-88 64-51 .557
Butch van Breda Kolff Hofstra 1956-62 112-43 .723 1989-94 79-81 .494
Donald White Rutgers 1946-56 98-145 .403 1963 7-16 .304
Davey Whitney Alcorn State 1971-89 395-199 .665 1997-2003 115-93 .553

NOTES: VBK also had two stints at Hofstra, but Hofstra wasn't at the major-college level his first stint there. . . . OCU de-emphasized its program to the NAIA level after Lemons returned. . . . ORU wasn't always at the Division I level for either of Trickey's stints.

Foreign Invasion: Zach Edey is Latest All-American From Beyond U.S. Borders

Foreign All-American Zach Edey (Purdue/Ontario, Canada) is much more than bit player in a modern-day immigrant version of "Coming to America." Edey might not be a lottery pick in the NBA draft, but he is expected to be selected unlike recent foreign All-Americans Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky). Following is an alphabetical list of more than 40 hoop-prince All-Americans spending most or all of their formative years in a country beyond U.S. borders:

Foreigner Pos. College Native Country Year(s) All-American NBA Draft Status
Deandre Ayton C Arizona Bahamas 2018 1st pick overall by Phoenix
Udoka Azubuike C Kansas Nigeria 2020 27th by Utah Jazz
R.J. Barrett G-F Duke Ontario, Ontario 2019 3rd by New York
Charles Bassey C Western Kentucky Nigeria 2021 53rd by Philadelphia
Andrew Bogut* C Utah Australia 2005 1st by Milwaukee
Dillon Brooks F Oregon Ontario, Canada 2017 2nd by Houston
Kofi Cockburn C Illinois Jamaica 2021 and 2022 undrafted
Kresimir Cosic C Brigham Young Yugoslavia 1972 and 1973 66th by L.A. Lakers
Chris Duarte G Oregon Dominican Republic 2021 13th by Indiana
Tim Duncan* C Wake Forest Virgin Islands 1995 through 1997 1st by San Antonio
Zach Edey C Purdue Ontario, Canada 2023 and 2024 TBD
Melvin Ejim F Iowa State Ontario 2014 undrafted
Patrick Ewing* C Georgetown Jamaica 1982 through 1985 1st by New York
Adonal Foyle C Colgate West Indies 1997 8th by Golden State
Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga Japan 2019 9th by Washington
Buddy Hield G Oklahoma Bahamas 2015 and 2016 6th by New Orleans
Al Horford F-C Florida Dominican Republic 2007 3rd by Atlanta
Kris Joseph F Syracuse Quebec 2012 51st by Boston
Jock Landale C Saint Mary's Australia 2018 undrafted
Lauri Markkanen C Arizona Finland 2017 1st by Minnesota
Bennedict Mathurin G Arizona Quebec 2022 6th by Indiana
Jamal Murray G Kentucky Ontario 2016 7th by Denver
Dikembe Mutombo C Georgetown Zaire 1991 4th by Denver
Eduardo Najera F Oklahoma Mexico 2000 38th by Houston
Jordan Nwora F Louisville Nigeria 2020 45th by Milwaukee Bucks
Hakeem Olajuwon C Houston Nigeria 1983 and 1984 1st by Houston
Kelly Olynyk C Gonzaga British Columbia 2013 13th by Dallas
Kevin Pangos G Gonzaga Ontario 2015 undrafted
Filip Petrusev C Gonzaga Serbia 2020 withdrew and returned to Serbia
Jakob Poeltl C Utah Austria 2016 9th by Toronto
Juan "Pepe" Sanchez G Temple Argentina 2000 undrafted
Detlef Schrempf F Washington Germany 1985 8th by Dallas
Rony Seikaly C Syracuse Greece 1988 9th by Miami
Doron Sheffer G Connecticut Israel 1996 36th by L.A. Clippers
Ben Simmons F Louisiana State Australia 2016 1st by Philadelphia
Nik Stauskas G Michigan Ontario 2014 8th by Sacramento
Hasheem Thabeet C Connecticut Tanzania 2009 2nd by Memphis
Mychal Thompson F-C Minnesota Bahamas 1977 and 1978 1st by Portland
Oscar Tshiebwe* C Kentucky Congo 2022 and 2023 undrafted
Azuolas Tubelis F-C Arizona Lithuania 2023 undrafted
Greivis Vasquez G Maryland Venezuela 2010 28th by Memphis
Andrew Wiggins G-F Kansas Ontario 2014 1st by Cleveland

*Named National Player of the Year.

College Exam: Day #11 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge

Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper to wipe butts of woeful New York attorneys, wondering how many translators are required for world leaders to try to understand Plagiarist Biledumb or cowering in fetal position from latest Dr. Fraudci deity directive, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 11 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only one of the 60 or so two-time consensus first-team All-Americans since 1946 never to participate in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT? Hint: His school was a total of 10 games over .500 in Big Ten Conference competition in his junior and senior seasons. He never played on a team to win playoff series in his nine-year NBA career.

2. Who is the only player to score more than 20,000 pro points yet never reach the conference finals in the NBA playoffs after playing at least two seasons of varsity basketball at a major college and never participating in the NCAA Division I playoffs? Hint: The college he attended made its NCAA Tournament debut the first year after he left school early to become third pick overall in NBA draft.

3. Who is the only coach since the tourney field expanded to at least 48 teams to take two different universities to the playoffs when the schools appeared in the tournament for the first time? Hint: His last name begins with a "F" and he no longer is Division I head coach.

4. Name the only school with a losing record to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs by winning a regular-season conference title. Hint: The league started a postseason tournament two years later and the school in question has lost all six times it reached conference tourney championship game.

5. Name the only major university to have two graduates score more than 17,000 points in the NBA after playing at least three varsity seasons in college and failing to appear in the NCAA Tournament. Hint: The school has had three other players score more than 10,000 points in the NBA after never appearing in NCAA playoffs.

6. Name the only former titlist to have an all-time playoff record 10 games below the .500 mark. Hint: Longtime network broadcaster Curt Gowdy played in the tournament for the school.

7. Name the only state with three schools to compile tournament records at least nine games below .500. Hint: The three institutions from same state are members of different conferences.

8. Who was the only player shorter than Bobby Hurley, Duke's 6-0 guard, to play for a championship team and be selected as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player? Hint: There was another Final Four MOP who was also shorter than 6-0, but he played for a national third-place finisher in the mid-1950s.

9. Who is the only individual to play in an NCAA Tournament championship game and later coach his alma mater to a final? Hint: He served as an assistant to the coach with the most NCAA playoff victories and a college teammate is one of the winningest coaches of all time.

10. Name the only one of the schools with multiple national titles to have two teams participate in the NCAA playoffs as defending champions but lose their opening-round game. Hint: Both of the opening-round setbacks for the school when it was defending champion occurred in East Regional.

Answers (Day 11)
Day 10 Questions and Answers
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

All-American Boys: Minor is Only Major League Hoops A-A in Last 43 Years

Will there be an NCAA Division I basketball All-American in 21st Century sufficiently versatile to eventually play major-league baseball? Ryan Minor (Oklahoma) is the only hoops All-American in the last 43 years to subsequently become a major leaguer. The absence of another such versatile athlete is a stark contrast from when Seattle "bonus-baby" twins Eddie and Johnny O'Brien were among six different major-college A-As in six-season span from 1951-52 through 1956-57 to each end up performing at MLB level by 1960.

The two most prominent two-way athletes from the 1950s in this increasingly rare category clearly are Frank Howard (Ohio State) and Dick Groat (Duke). Is there any doubt Michael Jordan (North Carolina) should rank #23? As Opening Day for the 2024 MLB season unfolds, following is a baseball ranking of the 25 major-college basketball All-Americans who played Organized Ball:

Rank Hoop All-American College A-A Year(s) Summary of Organized Baseball Career
1. Frank Howard Ohio State 1956-57 Four-time American League All-Star outfielder-first baseman hit .273 with 382 home runs and 1,119 RBI with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers in 16 seasons from 1958 through 1973. Hit .341 with 84 homers and 269 RBI in three minor-league campaigns in the Dodgers' organization. He also managed the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in early 1980s.
2. Dick Groat Duke 1950-51 and 1951-52 Eight-time National League All-Star shortstop hit .286 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants in 1,929 games in 14 seasons (1952 and 1955 through 1967; served in U.S. military in 1953 and 1954). He did not play an inning of minor-league baseball.
3. Frankie Baumholtz Ohio University 1940-41 Outfielder hit .290 in 1,019 games with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies in 10 N.L. seasons (1947 through 1949 and 1951 through 1957). Hit .345 in three minor-league campaigns.
4. Joe Gibbon Mississippi 1956-57 Lefthander compiled a 61-65 pitching record and 3.52 ERA in 419 MLB games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros during 13 N.L. seasons from 1960 through 1972. Posted a 31-26 mark in three minor-league campaigns in the Pirates' organization.
5. Johnny O'Brien Seattle 1951-52 and 1952-53 Infielder/pitcher played six seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1959) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves. Hit .250 and compiled a 1-3 pitching record in 339 MLB games. Hit .294 in three minor-league campaigns in farms systems of the Cards and Cincinnati Reds.
6. Louis "Bosey" Berger Maryland 1931-32 Infielder hit .236 with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in six A.L. seasons (1932 and 1935 through 1939). Played six minor-league seasons in farm systems of Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and New York Yankees.
7. Eddie O'Brien Seattle 1952-53 Infielder-outfielder played five seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1958) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .236 in 231 MLB games. He also won his lone decision while pitching in five contests. O'Brien hit .260 and compiled an 11-11 pitching record in two minor-league campaigns.
8. Danny Ainge Brigham Young 1978-79 through 1980-81 Utilityman hit .220 with the Toronto Blue Jays in three years from 1979 through 1981. Hit .237 in three minor-league seasons at AAA level. Selected in 15th round of 1977 MLB amateur draft out of high school (one round ahead of INF-OF Tony Phillips and two rounds ahead of OF-1B Gary Redus).
9. Ryan Minor Oklahoma 1994-95 and 1995-96 Rookie third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles replaced Cal Ripken Jr. in their lineup on September 20, 1998, ending Ripken's major league record of 2,632 consecutive games played. Minor hit .185 in three years with them before hitting .158 in lone campaign with the Montreal Expos in 2001. He hit .266 with 95 HRs and 356 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Orioles, Expos, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers and Florida Marlins. Selected in 15th round by Orioles out of high school in 1992 MLB amateur draft (ahead of OF Jose Cruz), 7th round by New York Mets in 1995 (one round ahead of RHP A.J. Burnett) and 33rd round by Orioles in 1996.
10. Charles "Cotton" Nash Kentucky 1961-62 through 1963-64 First baseman went 3-for-16 (.188) in three brief A.L. stints with the Chicago White Sox (1967) and Minnesota Twins (1969 and 1970). He collected 170 homers and 540 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Twins and Texas Rangers.
11. Dick Ricketts Jr. Duquesne 1953-54 and 1954-55 Compiled a 1-6 pitching record and 5.82 ERA in his only MLB season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959. Registered a 99-91 mark in 10 minor-league campaigns in farm systems of the Cards, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
12. Dave DeBusschere Detroit 1959-60 through 1961-62 Righthander compiled a 3-4 pitching record for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963. Posted a 40-21 mark in three minor-league seasons.
13. Don Grate Ohio State 1943-44 and 1944-45 Righthander pitched briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 and 1946 (1-1 record with 9.37 ERA). Compiled a 43-28 minor-league mark in the farm systems of the Phillies, Boston Braves, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators. Also played outfield in farm systems of Senators and New York Giants in 1953, 1956 and 1957.
14. Ernie Andres Indiana 1937-38 and 1938-39 Hit .098 in 15 games as a third baseman with the Boston Red Sox in 1946. Played five minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Red Sox, New York Giants, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He posted a .287 batting average in three years at AA level with Louisville, including 100 RBI in 1941.
15. George Lacy Richmond 1934-35 Catcher for 10 minor-league seasons from 1936 to 1948 in farm systems of the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Boston Braves. He also was a minor-league manager for the Braves and Washington Senators (237-178 record from 1946 through 1949).
16. R. Gail Bishop Washington State 1942-43 Outfielder in the Boston Braves' farm system played four minor-league seasons from 1946 through 1949. In 1947, he hit .365 with 37 extra-base safeties in Sunset League (Class C).
17. Bill Sharman Southern California 1949-50 OF-3B hit .281 in Brooklyn Dodgers' farm system in five minor-league seasons from 1950 through 1953 and 1955. Model of consistency hit from .286 to .292 in four of the campaigns.
18. Jay Arnette Texas 1959-60 Outfielder hit .269 with 17 homers and 144 RBI in Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system in four seasons from 1961 through 1964. He hit .295 in Class A his last two campaigns.
19. Rolland "Rollie" Seltz Hamline MN 1945-46 Infielder hit .266 in St. Louis Cardinals' organization in four minor-league seasons from 1943 through 1946. He hit .296 with a total of 37 homers and 142 RBI in his last two years at Class B level.
20. Andy Phillip Illinois 1941-42, 1942-43 and 1946-47 Reached the Class AAA level in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. OF-1B also played in the Cleveland Indians' farm system. In 1949, he collected 22 doubles, 8 homers and 47 RBI with Winston-Salem Cardinals in Carolina League (Class B).
21. Jim Jarvis Oregon State 1964-65 Second baseman hit .288 with three minor-league teams in Philadelphia Phillies' organization in 1966.
22. Ferdinand "Fred" Pralle Kansas 1937-38 OF hit .303 for the Pittsburgh Pirates' Class D team in Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League in 1946.
23. Michael Jordan North Carolina 1982-83 and 1983-84 Outfielder hit .202 with 114 strikeouts in 127 games in Chicago White Sox' farm system in 1994 with Birmingham (AA Southern League).
24. Trajan Langdon Duke 1997-98 and 1998-99 Third baseman, a sixth-round selection by San Diego Padres out of high school in 1994 MLB amateur draft (ahead of eventual All-Stars Ronnie Belliard, Carl Pavano, Placido Polanco and J.D. Drew), hit .189 in 50 games in their farm system in three years.
25. Wardell "Dell" Curry Virginia Tech 1985-86 Lost only start as pitcher (yielded one run while fanning four batters in three innings) with Gastonia (Class A South Atlantic League) in the Texas Rangers' farm system in 1991. He was a 37th-round selection by Rangers in 1982 MLB amateur draft out of high school and 14th round in 1985 by Baltimore Orioles in 1985 (eight rounds ahead of RHP John Smoltz).

How the West Has Lost: BYU & USU Each is 19 Games Below .500 in Playoffs

Amid Boise State still being winless after 10 playoff outings, the West remains the worst. Such a viewpoint shouldn't be a surprise unless you put stock in creepy porn lawyer #Avenaughty as a #Dimorat presidential candidate, hideous Hunter's laptop is Russian disinformation or always believe contrived comments from Muslim Brotherhood apologist/former CIA chief John "NBC News' Snoopy" Brennan. Brigham Young and Utah State - more games below .500 than any institutions in NCAA playoff history (both 19) - bowing out of the NCAA playoffs before the Sweet 16 is almost a tradition. Also weighing heavily out West, Wyoming is the only former national champion (1943) to compile an all-time NCAA playoff record more than five games below .500 (9-21).

Everett Shelton, coach of Wyoming's titlist, is the only championship team bench boss to finish with a non-winning playoff record (4-12 from 1941 through 1958) and was more games under .500 in NCAA Division I Tournament competition than any coach in history until supplanted by Fran Dunphy (3-17 with Penn and Temple from 1993 through 2019). Also, Shelton is the only coach to lose three consecutive regional final games (1947, 1948 and 1949).

Joining Dunphy and Shelton among the eight coaches more than six games under .500 in NCAA playoff play are Rick Byrd (1-8 with Belmont from 2006 through 2019), Pete Carril (4-11 with Princeton from 1969 through 1996), Don Corbett (0-7 with North Carolina A&T from 1982 through 1988), Hugh Greer (1-8 with Connecticut from 1951 through 1960), Stew Morrill (1-9 with Montana and Utah State from 1991 through 2011) and Mike Vining (0-7 with Louisiana-Monroe from 1982 through 1996).

More than half of the following 11 schools more than 10 games below .500 in NCAA tourney competition are from west of the Mississippi River:

School Playoff Record Games Below .500 Mark Summary of Tournament Tumult
Brigham Young 15-34 minus 19 only one of victories was by fewer than six points
Utah State 7-26 minus 19 lost 20 of last 22 playoff games
New Mexico State 11-28 minus 17 lost 12 straight games until ending streak this year after winning seven of 11 contests from 1968 through 1970
Princeton 15-30 minus 15 lost eight of first nine games from 1952 through 1963 and five straight contests since 1998 until reaching 2023 Sweet 16
Iona 1-16 minus 15 15 straight setbacks with first four of them by fewer than four points from 1980 through 1998
Miami (Ohio) 6-19 minus 13 only victory in 10-game span from 1969 through 1992 was in OT against defending NCAA champion Marquette in 1978
Murray State 5-18 minus 13 lost 11 games in a row from 1988 through 2006
Penn 13-26 minus 13 lost last 10 games and 15 of last 16 after entering 1979 Final Four with winning playoff record (11-9)
Wyoming 9-21 minus 12 1943 NCAA titlist before losing 12 of 13 games from 1947 through 1967
Montana 2-13 minus 11 won inaugural game in 1975 but lost last four contests since 2012 by an average of 26 points
Weber State 6-17 minus 11 seven of last nine defeats since 1979 were by fewer than 12 points

Down But Not Out: Iowa State's Turnaround From Going Winless in Big 12

In the seeding era, Iowa State is the ninth school to promptly revive its program and participate in the NCAA Tournament within five years after going winless in a power conference (0-18 in Big 12 three seasons ago before reached Sweet 16 in 2022 and losing to Pitt in opening round last season). The only other school in this quick-turnaround category to earn as good a seed (#2) was Georgia Tech, which reached the 1985 East Regional final after going winless in ACC four years earlier. Following is a chronological list of power-league members going from outhouse to penthouse within five campaigns since seeding was introduced in 1979:

Winless Power-League Member Conference (Season) Ensuing NCAA Playoff Appearance (Record)
Southern California 0-14 in Pac-8 (1975-76) #7 seed in 1978-79 (1-1)
Georgia Tech 0-14 in ACC (1980-81) #2 seed in 1984-85 (3-1)
Wake Forest 0-14 in ACC (1985-86) #5 seed in 1990-91 (1-1)
Texas Tech 0-16 in SWC (1989-90) #12 seed in 1992-93 (0-1)
Miami (Fla.) 0-18 in Big East (1993-94) #11 seed in 1997-98 (0-1)
Texas A&M 0-16 in Big 12 (2003-04) #12 seed in 2005-06 (1-1)
Texas Christian 0-18 in Big 12 (2013-14) #6 seed in 2017-18 (0-1)
Pittsburgh 0-18 in ACC (2017-18) #11 seed in 2022-23 (2-1)
Iowa State 0-18 in Big 12 (2020-21) #11 seed in 2021-22 (reached Sweet 16), #6 seed in 2022-23 (lost to Pitt) and #2 seed in 2023-24 (2-0 entering Sweet 16)

Deal or No Deal: Long-Term Contracts Don't Mean Much to NCAA DI Coaches

Should I stay or should I go? It's a good thing universities play in mammoth arenas because the egos of their "Pompous Pilots" wouldn't fit any other place. Reverberations will be felt for years after Arkansas' romance prying John Calipari loose from Kentucky.

Much of the excess in the canonization of coaches is perpetuated by coaches-turned-television commentators who shamelessly fawn over their former colleagues. Instead, the analysts should be more concerned about encouraging mentors to spare fans the pious blather about school loyalty and the sanctity of a contract.

Granted, it's survival of the fittest amid the offer-you-can't-refuse backdrop. But in many instances, schools have been little more than convenient steppingstones for "larger-than-life" coaches along their one-way street to success. It's understandable in many instances why mercenaries are leaving the minute they're appointed because coaches are in a distasteful "hired-to-be-fired" vocation, where a pink slip is only one losing season or poor recruiting class away.

If not about the money and perks, why did obsessive Buzz Williams reportedly file FOIA requests annually for the contracts of every basketball and football coach for every NCAA Division I public institution to discern how an agreement should be created?

Whatever the case, it's a black eye on the sport when loyalty seems to have become too much of a one-way street. At times, it makes one wonder how the bench bosses can look themselves in the mirror. Five of Tulsa's six coaches in one stretch - Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Steve Robinson, Bill Self and Buzz Peterson - abandoned ship for more prestigious positions despite each of them having at least three years remaining on their deals.

More than 70 different active coaches had at least three years remaining on their pacts when leaving for greener pastures. New Stanford bench boss Kyle Smith (from Columbia/San Francisco/Washington State) joined Calipari and the following alphabetical list of mentors departing three or four schools before their contracts expired:

Deal or no deal? The length of contracts doesn't seem to carry any weight as a factor in the equation as long as your brain cells or ethical standards don't put any stock into length of an existing pact. Dusty May had nine years remaining on his pact with FAU upon departing for Michigan. Following is an alphabetical list detailing coaches reportedly still having contractual obligations of more than five seasons when they left a school for greener pastures during their careers:

College Exam: Day #10 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper to wipe butts of dimwit attorneys Alvin Bragg, Letitia James and Fani Willis, wondering if Plagiarist Biledumb is male version of bike-riding witch stealing Toto in Wizard of Oz or cowering in fetal position waiting on marching orders from deity Dr. Fraudci, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 10 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only All-American to coach three different schools in the NCAA playoffs? Hint: He was the leading scorer for an NCAA champion.

2. Who is the only coach to take three different schools to a regional final in a 10-year span? Hint: He is the only individual to meet two different schools in the playoffs he had previously coached to the Final Four. He had a chance to become the first coach to guide three different universities to national semifinals, but retired and turned reins over to his son.

3. Who is the only seven-foot player to lead a Final Four in scoring and win a conference high jump title in the same year? Hint: He is the only player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists in same season.

4. Of the total of 10 different teams in the 1980s to defeat a school twice in a season the opponent eventually won the national title, name the only one of the 10 to fail to win its NCAA Tournament opener. Hint: The team had the misfortune of opening playoffs on home court of its opponent.

5. Of the Final Four teams in the last several decades to have standouts whose high school coach was reunited with a star player as a college assistant, name the only school to win a national championship. Hint: The high school coach who tagged along with his prep All-American as a college assistant was also first minority player to play for his alma mater.

6. Who is the only coach to take a team more than two games below .500 one season to the national title the next year? Hint: He is the only championship team coach to finish his college career with a losing record. He is also the only major-college coach to stay at a school at least 25 seasons and finish with a losing career record at that institution.

7. Who is the only coach to reach the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament and NIT at least five times apiece? Hint: Of the coaches to win basketball championships at every major level (the NCAA, NIT and Summer Olympics), he is the only one to capture the "Triple Crown" in a span of less than 10 years.

8. Of the players to score more than 225 points in the playoffs and/or average in excess of 25 points per tournament game (minimum of six games), who is the only individual to score more than 22 points in every postseason contest? Hint: He is the only player from group to have a single-digit differential between his highest-scoring game and his lowest-scoring game.

9. Who is the only one of the first 20 players to accumulate at least 235 points in NCAA playoff competition to fail to score at least 25 points in a tournament game? Hint: He is the only one of the more recent Most Outstanding Players to score fewer than 28 points in two Final Four games and his highest-scoring playoff performance couldn't avert a defeat in the only one of his four years he didn't participate in Final Four.

10. Among the all-time leading scorers in NCAA Tournament history, who is the only player in this group to go scoreless in a playoff game? Hint: He scored less than 10 points in six consecutive tournament games before averaging 20 points per game in his last 11 playoff outings.

Answers (Day 10)
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Short & Sweet: Sprinkle Won 80% of Games in Only Season With Utah State

Danny Sprinkle won 80% of his games in only season (28-7 record) with Utah State before seeking greener pastures at Washington. But a surprising number of previous "won-and-done" mentors posted even higher winning percentages in "short-and-sweet" one-year stints since the generally recognized start of the modern era of college basketball in the early 1950s.

Kyle Neptune nearly joined loser list of one-year wonders (16-16 with Fordham before succeeding Hall of Famer Jay Wright at Villanova). Fordham improved by 14 games in Digger Phelps' only season with the Rams in 1970-71, a mark that stood for one-year wonders until Chris Beard broke it with a 15-game improvement after UALR (30-5) went 13-18 in 2014-15. Buzz Peterson, the only coach to win a national postseason championship in his only season at a school (Tulsa), is among the following "one-and-done" coaches - including 2024 Sweet 16 bench bosses Rick Barnes (with George Mason), Matt Painter (Southern Illinois) and Brad Underwood (Oklahoma State) - who won more than 60% of their games in one-year tenures in the last 70 years:

Coach School Single Season W-L Pct. Reason for One-Year Stint
Lute Olson Long Beach State 1973-74 24-2 .923 Became coach at Iowa.
Digger Phelps Fordham 1970-71 26-3 .897 Became coach at Notre Dame.
Chris Beard UALR 2015-16 30-5 .857 Became coach at UNLV.
Carl Tacy Marshall 1971-72 23-4 .852 Became coach at Wake Forest.
Keno Davis Drake 2007-08 28-5 .848 Became coach at Providence.
Matt Painter Southern Illinois 2003-04 25-5 .833 Became coach at Purdue.
Stan Heath Kent State 2001-02 29-6 .829 Became coach at Arkansas.
Paul Weir New Mexico State 2016-17 28-6 .824 Became coach at New Mexico.
Danny Sprinkle Utah State 2023-24 28-7 .800 Became coach at Washington.
Thad Matta Butler 2000-01 24-8 .750 Became coach at Xavier.
Bill Fitch Bowling Green 1967-68 18-7 .720 Became coach at Minnesota.
Jim Harding* La Salle 1967-68 20-8 .714 Forced out by administration.
Buzz Peterson Tulsa 2000-01 26-11 .703 Became coach at Tennessee.
Bob Vanatta Army 1953-54 15-7 .682 Became coach at Bradley.
Larry Shyatt Wyoming 1997-98 19-9 .679 Became coach at Clemson.
Rick Barnes George Mason 1987-88 20-10 .667 Became coach at Providence.
Corey Gipson Northwestern State 2022-23 22-11 .667 Became coach at Austin Peay.
Ron Greene Mississippi State 1977-78 18-9 .667 Became coach at Murray State.
Art Tolis New Orleans 1987-88 21-11 .656 Forced out by administration.
Steve Lutz Western Kentucky 2023-24 22-12 .647 Became coach at Oklahoma State.
Scott Drew Valparaiso 2002-03 20-11 .645 Became coach at Baylor.
Louis Orr Siena 2000-01 20-11 .645 Became coach at Seton Hall.
Bob Huggins Kansas State 2006-07 22-13 .629 Became coach at West Virginia.
Grant McCasland Arkansas State 2016-17 20-12 .625 Became coach at North Texas.
Brad Underwood Oklahoma State 2016-17 20-13 .606 Became coach at Illinois.

*Harding became coach for Minnesota (ABA) for portion of 1968-69 season.

Purdue's Zach Edey Latest NCAA Leading Scorer Not Averaging > 30 PPG

Need an example showing how scoring is down in college basketball? Disregard the freak set of circumstances in 2008-09 when eventual NBA MVP Stephen Curry went scoreless against Loyola (Md.). Unsure if it is a byproduct of doomed civilization stemming from eco-fascist climate change, but only one NCAA Division I player averaged in excess of 30 points per game in the 21st Century (since LIU's Charles Jones in 1996-97). He was Campbell's Chris Clemons, who achieved the feat four seasons ago (30.1 ppg).

Nine years ago, Eastern Washington's Tyler Harvey (23.1 ppg) finished with the lowest average for the national scoring leader since Yale's Tony Lavelli posted 22.4 ppg in 1948-49. As a means of comparison to an era when scorers flourished, an average of 36 players annually posted higher scoring marks than Harvey in a six-season span from 1967-68 through 1972-73, including a high of 44 in 1969-70 when LSU's Pete Maravich nearly doubled Harvey with 44.5 ppg despite the absence of the three-point field goal.

Glenn Robinson Jr. (30.3 ppg for Purdue in 1993-94) was the only player from a power six league to pace the country in scoring in a 41-year span from 1971-72 through 2011-12 (South Carolina was independent in 1980-81 and TCU was SWC member in 1994-95). Purdue center Zach Edey is on his way to joining the following list citing the high and low games for players during the season when they led DI in scoring average:

Year Leading NCAA DI Scorer School Avg. High Game Low Game
1936 Hank Luisetti Stanford 14.3 31 (Utah State)
1937 Hank Luisetti Stanford 17.1 unavailable
1938 Chester Jaworski Rhode Island State 21.0 unavailable
1939 Chester Jaworski Rhode Island State 22.6 unavailable
1940 Stan Modzelewski Rhode Island State 23.1 40 (Connecticut)
1941 Stan Modzelewski Rhode Island State 18.5 unavailable
1942 Stan Modzelewski Rhode Island State 21.4 unavailable
1943 George Senesky St. Joseph's 23.4 44 (Rutgers-Newark) 4 (Elizabethtown PA)
1944 Ernie Calverley Rhode Island State 26.7 48 (Maine)
1945 George Mikan DePaul 23.3 53 (Rhode Island State)
1946 George Mikan DePaul 23.1 37 (Indiana State)
1947 Bob Brown Miami (Ohio) 19.9 39 (Evansville)
1948 Murray Wier Iowa 21.0 34 (Illinois) 5 (Purdue)
1949 Tony Lavelli Yale 22.4 52 (Williams MA) 8 (Stanford/Villanova)
1950 Paul Arizin Villanova 25.3 41 (Seton Hall)
1951 Bill Mlkvy Temple 29.2 73 (Wilkes PA)
1952 Clyde Lovellette Kansas 28.4 44 (St. Louis) 13 (Iowa State)
1953 Frank Selvy Furman 29.5 63 (Mercer) 15 (Manhattan)
1954 Frank Selvy Furman 41.7 100 (Newberry SC) 25 (Newberry SC)
1955 Darrell Floyd Furman 35.9 67 (Morehead State) 20 (Newberry SC/Washington & Lee VA)
1956 Darrell Floyd Furman 33.8 62 (The Citadel) 18 (Davidson)
1957 Grady Wallace South Carolina 31.2 54 (Georgia) 14 (North Carolina State)
1958 Oscar Robertson Cincinnati 35.1 56 (Seton Hall/Arkansas) 16 (Drake)
1959 Oscar Robertson Cincinnati 32.6 45 (NYU) 13 (Houston)
1960 Oscar Robertson Cincinnati 33.7 62 (North Texas) 13 (Duquesne)
1961 Frank Burgess Gonzaga 32.4 52 (UC Davis)
1962 Billy McGill Utah 38.8 60 (Brigham Young)
1963 Nick Werkman Seton Hall 29.5 42 (St. Francis PA) 11 (Boston College)
1964 Howard Komives Bowling Green State 36.7 50 (Niagara) 25 (Toledo)
1965 Rick Barry Miami FL 37.4 59 (Rollins FL) 17 (Florida State)
1966 Dave Schellhase Purdue 32.5 57 (Michigan) 23 (UCLA)
1967 Jimmy Walker Providence 30.4 47 (Holy Cross) 5 (Villanova)
1968 Pete Maravich Louisiana State 43.8 59 (Alabama) 17 (Tennessee)
1969 Pete Maravich Louisiana State 44.2 66 (Tulane) 20 (Tennessee)
1970 Pete Maravich Louisiana State 44.5 69 (Alabama) 20 (Georgetown/Marquette)
1971 Johnny Neumann Mississippi 40.1 63 (Louisiana State) 17 (Louisiana State)
1972 Dwight "Bo" Lamar Southwestern Louisiana 36.3 51 (Louisiana Tech/Lamar)
1973 William "Bird" Averitt Pepperdine 33.9 57 (Nevada-Reno) 10 (Clemson)
1974 Larry Fogle Canisius 33.4 55 (St. Peter's) 18 (South Carolina)
1975 Bob McCurdy Richmond 32.9 53 (Appalachian State)
1976 Marshall Rogers Texas-Pan American 36.8 58 (Texas Lutheran)
1977 Freeman Williams Portland State 38.8 71 (Southern Oregon) 11 (Gonzaga)
1978 Freeman Williams Portland State 35.9 81 (Rocky Mountain MT) 14 (New Mexico)
1979 Lawrence Butler Idaho State 30.1 41 (SDSU/Boise State/UNLV) 12 (Georgia)
1980 Tony Murphy Southern 32.1 50 (Mississippi Valley State)
1981 Zam Fredrick South Carolina 28.9 43 (Georgia Southern)
1982 Harry Kelly Texas Southern 29.7 51 (Texas College)
1983 Harry Kelly Texas Southern 28.8 60 (Jarvis Christian TX)
1984 Joe Jakubick Akron 30.1 42 (Illinois-Chicago) unavailable
1985 Xavier McDaniel Wichita State 27.2 44 (West Texas State) 13 (Ohio University)
1986 Terrance Bailey Wagner 29.4 49 (Brooklyn) 15 (Fairleigh Dickinson)
1987 Kevin Houston Army 32.9 53 (Fordham) 18 (Holy Cross)
1988 Hersey Hawkins Bradley 36.3 63 (Detroit) 17 (Tulsa)
1989 Hank Gathers Loyola Marymount 32.7 49 (Nevada) 22 (Pepperdine)
1990 Greg "Bo" Kimble Loyola Marymount 35.3 54 (St. Joseph's) 21 (UNLV/Gonzaga)
1991 Kevin Bradshaw U.S. International 37.6 72 (Loyola Marymount)
1992 Brett Roberts Morehead State 28.1 53 (Middle Tennessee State)
1993 Greg Guy Texas-Pan American 29.3 38 (Jacksonville) 13 (Lamar)
1994 Glenn Robinson Jr. Purdue 30.3 49 (Illinois) 15 (Wisconsin)
1995 Kurt Thomas Texas Christian 28.9 45 (Illinois-Chicago) 13 (Virginia Tech)
1996 Kevin Granger Texas Southern 27.0 unavailable
1997 Charles Jones Long Island 30.1 46 (St. Francis PA) 16 (UAB)
1998 Charles Jones Long Island 29.0 53 (Medgar Evers NY) 16 (Mount St. Mary's)
1999 Alvin Young Niagara 25.1 44 (Siena) 3 (Iona)
2000 Courtney Alexander Fresno State 24.8 43 (UAB) 11 (Wisconsin)
2001 Ronnie McCollum Centenary 29.1 44 (Northwestern State) 14 (Louisiana State)
2002 Jason Conley Virginia Military 29.3 42 (Western Carolina) 17 (Eastern Mennonite VA)
2003 Ruben Douglas New Mexico 28.0 43 (Wyoming) 12 (Pepperdine)
2004 Keydren Clark St. Peter's 26.7 39 (Hofstra) 17 (Loyola/BSC/Niagara)
2005 Keydren Clark St. Peter's 25.8 43 (College Of Charleston) 14 (Tennessee Tech/Rider)
2006 Adam Morrison Gonzaga 28.1 44 (Loyola Marymount) 11 (San Diego)
2007 Reggie Williams Virginia Military 28.1 45 ((Virginia Intermont) 9 (Army)
2008 Reggie Williams Virginia Military 27.8 43 (Southern Virginia) 10 (Richmond)
2009 Stephen Curry Davidson 28.6 44 (Oklahoma/North Carolina State) 0 (Loyola MD)
2010 Aubrey Coleman Houston 25.6 38 (Tulane) 10 (Texas-San Antonio)
2011 Jimmer Fredette Brigham Young 28.9 52 (New Mexico) 13 (Creighton/Fresno Pacific)
2012 Reggie Hamilton Oakland 26.2 41 (Valparaiso) 11 (Arkansas)
2013 Erick Green Virginia Tech 25.0 35 (Virginia/Wake Forest) 12 (Brigham Young)
2014 Doug McDermott Creighton 26.7 45 (Providence) 7 (George Washington)
2015 Tyler Harvey Eastern Washington 23.1 42 (Idaho) 9 (Sacramento State)
2016 James Daniel III Howard University 27.1 39 (William & Mary) 15 (Norfolk State)
2017 Marcus Keene Central Michigan 30.0 50 (Miami OH) 12 (Miami OH)
2018 Trae Young Oklahoma 27.4 48 (Oklahoma State) 11 (Kansas)
2019 Chris Clemons Campbell 30.1 48 (Hampton) 14 (Hampton)
2020 Markus Howard Marquette 27.8 51 (Southern California) 6 (Maryland)
2021 Max Abmas Oral Roberts 24.5 41 (Western Illinois) 8 (Southwestern Christian)
2022 Peter Kiss Bryant 25.2 37 (Sacred Heart) 9 (Houston)
2023 Antoine Davis Detroit 28.2 42 (IUPUI/Milwaukee) 14 (Oakland)
2024 Zach Edey Purdue 25.2 40 (Tennessee) 10 (Illinois)

NOTE: Leaders are unofficial from 1935-36 through 1946-47.

Scheyer Joins List of Former A-As With Winning NCAA Playoff Coaching Marks

A modest total of 14 individuals have emerged victorious as both an All-American player and head coach in NCAA Tournament competition. Michigan's Juwan Howard is the only one of them to compile winning NCAA tourney records at least two games above .500 in each category. But Howard, missing the tourney the past two years, was dismissed by the Wolverines. Duke's Jon Scheyer and Nevada's Steve Alford were the only former A-As coaching teams in this year's tourney.

Indiana's Branch McCracken, who directed the Hoosiers to NCAA tourney titles in 1940 and 1953, is the only one of the first 69 All-Americans becoming major-college mentors to finish his coaching career compiling a higher winning percentage as coach. But McCracken and Whitey Baccus, Tom Churchill, Jack Gray, Moose Krause plus John Wooden were A-As before the NCAA Tournament was introduced in 1939. More than 40 All-Americans who became major-college coaches either did not play or coach in NCAA playoffs. Five Duke graduates are among the following alphabetical list of 24 individuals participating in national tourney as an All-American player and bench boss (nine of them guiding their alma mater):

All-American/Tourney Coach Playoff Record as Player Playoff Record as Head Coach
Steve Alford 8-2 with Indiana 11-13 with Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico, UCLA and Nevada
Tommy Amaker 8-4 with Duke 4-5 with Seton Hall and Harvard
Alfred "Butch" Beard 1-3 with Louisville 0-1 with Howard University
Henry Bibby 12-0 with UCLA 3-3 with Southern California
Jimmy Collins 7-4 with New Mexico State 0-3 with Illinois-Chicago
Bob Cousy 5-1 with Holy Cross 2-2 with Boston College
Howie Dallmar 3-0 with Stanford 1-1 with Penn
Johnny Dawkins 6-3 with Duke 3-2 with Stanford and UCF
Patrick Ewing Sr. 15-3 with Georgetown 0-1 with Georgetown
Larry Finch Sr. 3-1 with Memphis State 6-6 with Memphis State
Sidney Green 0-1 with UNLV 0-1 with Florida Atlantic
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway 1-1 with Memphis State 2-2 with Memphis
Clem Haskins 2-2 with Western Kentucky 11-8 with Western Kentucky and Minnesota
Walt Hazzard 6-4 with UCLA 1-1 with UCLA
Juwan Howard 13-3 with Michigan 5-2 with Michigan
Bobby Hurley Jr. 18-2 with Duke 2-4 with Buffalo and Arizona State
Danny Manning 13-3 with Kansas 0-2 with Tulsa and Wake Forest
Chris Mullin 6-4 with St. John's 0-1 with St. John's
Jeff Mullins 6-2 with Duke 0-3 with UNC Charlotte
Jeff Ruland 1-2 with Iona 0-3 with Iona
Jon Scheyer 9-3 with Duke 4-2 with Duke
John Shumate 2-1 with Notre Dame 0-1 with Southern Methodist
John Thompson Jr. 0-1 with Providence 34-19 with Georgetown
Mike Woodson 2-2 with Indiana 2-2 with Indiana

Elite Hate: Six Power-Conference Members Never Advancing to Regional Final

First things first! This admonition for handful of prominent schools is finally winning an NCAA playoff regional semifinal game. Nebraska didn't get out of starter's block again while Northwestern and Texas A&M failed to capitalize on an opportunity to erase that resume blemish this year. The Aggies made a herculean comeback against #1 seed Houston before losing in overtime, nixing trip to Sweet 16 and possibly advance to initial "Elite Eight."

Some fans hate that their university never has been in a position to secure one more victory and reach the Final Four love-fest. The Aggies are among a total of six existing power-conference members failing to advance to an NCAA Tournament regional final. The frustration list included Miami (Fla.) before the Hurricanes left dubious list with Midwest Regional success at 2022 party. Combining for 82 NCAA playoff appearances (including 2024) and 59-74 record (.444), following is an alphabetical list of the half-dozen "Elite Eight" no-shows from top six leagues:

Power-League Member App. Record Pct. Premier Players for Previous NCAA Tournament Teams
Arizona State 17 15-18 .455 Larry Armstrong, Isaac Austin, Art Becker, Mario Bennett, Joe Caldwell, Jahii Carson, Tony Cerkvenik, Ike Diogu, Jamal Faulkner (transferred to Alabama), James Harden, Tra Holder, Lionel Hollins, Alton Lister, Scott Lloyd, Remy Martin (transferred to Kansas), Kurt Nimphius, Ron Riley, Byron Scott and Rudy White
Boston College 18 22-19 .537 Danya Abrams, Michael Adams, Steve Adelman, John Bagley, Troy Bell, Bob Carrington, Bill Curley, Terry Driscoll, Jared Dudley, Howard Eisley, John Garris, Jay Murphy, James "Scoonie" Penn (transferred to Ohio State), Tyrese Rice and Craig Smith
Mississippi 9 5-9 .357 Keith Carter, Carlos Clark, Terence Davis, Aaron Harper, Marshall Henderson, Marcus Hicks, Stefan Moody, Justin Reed, Ansu Sesay and Elston Turner
Nebraska 8 0-8 .000 Cookie Belcher, Jaron Boone, Derrick Chandler, Bernard Day, Juwan Gary, Venson Hamilton, Carl Hayes, Rich King, Tyronn Lue, Rienk Mast, Terran Petteway, Eric Piatkowski, Shavon Shields, Erick Strickland, Keisei Tominaga, Brice Williams and Andre Woolridge (transferred to Iowa)
Northwestern 3 3-3 .500 Chase Audige, Brooks Barnhizer, Boo Buie, Ryan Langborg, Vic Law, Scottie Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh and Dererk Pardon
Texas A&M 16 14-17 .452 Billy Bob Barnett, John Beasley, Josh Carter, Winston Crite, Barry Davis, Tyler Davis, Mike Heitmann, Danuel House, Jalen Jones, Joseph Jones, Acie Law IV, Bennie Lenox, Khris Middleton, Steve Niles, Sonny Parker, Ronnie Peret, Tyrece Radford, Claude Riley, Vernon Smith, Wade Taylor IV, Robert Williams, Rudy Woods and Rynn Wright

Fall-Americans: Every NCAA Consensus First-Team A-A Survived This Season

All five of them advanced this year following three consecutive campaigns when at least three consensus first-team All-Americans didn't reach the Sweet 16. Two seasons ago marked the first time four available NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans - three from Big Ten - failed to reach the national tournament Sweet 16 since 1975 when field expanded to 32 teams and every entrant had to win at least one game before advancing to regional semifinals.

Four consensus first-teamers didn't reach Sweet 16 in 2000 but one of them was injured (Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin broke his right leg in C-USA Tournament). There had been only one year (2006) when every consensus first-teamer appeared in Sweet 16 since seeding was introduced in 1979.

Creighton's Doug McDermott is the only first-teamer in that span failing to play in second weekend three straight seasons (2012 through 2014) and DePaul's Mark Aguirre is lone first-teamer to be eliminated in opening round in back-to-back years (1980 and 1981). Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire (Arizona) is among the following NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans failing to appear in Sweet 16 since 1975 (listed in reverse order):

Year NCAA Consensus First-Team All-Americans Failing to Reach Sweet 16
2024 none
2023 Zach Edey (Purdue^), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) and Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
2022 Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Keegan Murray (Iowa) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky^)
2021 Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) and Luka Garza (Iowa)
2020 tourney cancelled
2019 Ja Morant (Murray State)
2018 Deandre Ayton (Arizona^) and Trae Young (Oklahoma^)
2017 Josh Hart (Villanova)
2016 Ben Simmons (Louisiana State/dnp), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State^)
2015 D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State)
2014 Doug McDermott (Creighton) and Jabari Parker (Duke^)
2013 Doug McDermott (Creighton), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga) and Otto Porter (Georgetown^)
2012 Doug McDermott (Creighton)
2011 JaJuan Johnson (Purdue)
2010 Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)
2009 Stephen Curry (Davidson/dnp) and James Harden (Arizona State)
2008 Michael Beasley (Kansas State)
2007 Kevin Durant (Texas) and Alando Tucker (Wisconsin)
2006 none
2005 Chris Paul (Wake Forest), Wayne Simien (Kansas^) and Hakim Warrick (Syracuse^)
2004 Andre Emmett (Texas Tech), Ryan Gomes (Providence^) and Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State)
2003 Josh Howard (Wake Forest) and David West (Xavier)
2002 Dan Dickau (Gonzaga^) and Steve Logan (Cincinnati)
2001 Joseph Forte (North Carolina) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame)
2000 A.J. Guyton (Indiana^), Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati), Chris Mihm (Texas) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame/dnp)
1999 Andre Miller (Utah) and Jason Terry (Arizona^)
1998 Raef LaFrentz (Kansas) and Paul Pierce (Kansas)
1997 Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) and Danny Fortson (Cincinnati)
1996 Kerry Kittles (Villanova)
1995 Shawn Respert (Michigan State^) and Damon Stoudamire (Arizona^)
1994 Jason Kidd (California^)
1993 Penny Hardaway (Memphis State^) and Bobby Hurley (Duke)
1992 Harold Miner (Southern California), Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) and Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State)
1991 Kenny Anderson (Georgia Tech), Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State^) and Billy Owens (Syracuse^)
1990 Chris Jackson (Louisiana State), Gary Payton Sr. (Oregon State^) and Lionel Simmons (La Salle)
1989 Chris Jackson (Louisiana State^)
1988 Hersey Hawkins (Bradley^)
1987 David Robinson (Navy^)
1986 Steve Alford (Indiana^), Walter Berry (St. John's) and Len Bias (Maryland)
1985 Johnny Dawkins (Duke) and Xavier McDaniel (Wichita State^)
1984 Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma^)
1983 Dale Ellis (Tennessee), Patrick Ewing Sr. (Georgetown) and Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma)
1982 Terry Cummings (DePaul^) and Quintin Dailey (San Francisco^)
1981 Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Steve Johnson (Oregon State^)
1980 Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Michael Brooks (La Salle^)
1979 Mike Gminski (Duke^)
1978 Larry Bird (Indiana State/dnp), Phil Ford (North Carolina^), Butch Lee (Marquette^) and Mychal Thompson (Minnesota/dnp)
1977 Kent Benson (Indiana/dnp), Otis Birdsong (Houston/dnp) and Bernard King (Tennessee^)
1976 John Lucas Jr. (Maryland/dnp)
1975 David Thompson (North Carolina State/dnp due to probation)

^Lost opening-round game.
NOTE: Martin was injured (broke his right leg in 2000 C-USA Tournament).

Mid-Major Gladness: Gonzaga Reaches Sweet 16 For Ninth Straight Tourney

Gonzaga and San Diego State returned again, but there isn't a chance this year of three mid-major Final Four participants duplicating what Jacksonville, New Mexico State and St. Bonaventure achieved in 1970. After an average of four mid-level schools reached the Sweet 16 in a six-year span from 2006 through 2011, the previous decade could have cemented the premise about mid-major schools deserving additional at-large consideration. But that was before nine mid-level schools - UCF, Gonzaga, New Mexico, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, Saint Mary's, Southern Mississippi, UNLV and Virginia Commonwealth - were eliminated in games against power six conference members by an average of only four points in 2012, the Mountain West Conference flopped in 2013, only two mid-majors reached the Sweet 16 in 2014 and 2015, Northern Iowa and Stephen F. Austin frittered away last-minute leads against power-league opponents in 2016 and Rhode Island squandered a significant lead against Oregon.

Butler, Gonzaga, Virginia Commonwealth and Wichita State advancing to the Final Four the previous decade was invigorating, but the mid-major community missed out on a potential bonanza. Gonzaga reached the second weekend for the ninth consecutive tourney. Following is a look at how at least one mid-major conference member advanced to a regional semifinal or beyond since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985:

Year Mid-Major School Coach Conference Playoff Advancement
1985 Louisiana Tech Andy Russo Southland Sweet 16
1985 Loyola of Chicago Gene Sullivan Midwestern City Sweet 16
1986 Cleveland State Kevin Mackey Mid-Continent Sweet 16
1986 Navy Paul Evans Colonial Regional Final
1986 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Sweet 16
1987 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Final Four
1987 Wyoming Jim Brandenburg Western Athletic Sweet 16
1988 Rhode Island Tom Penders Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1988 Richmond Dick Tarrant Colonial Sweet 16
1988 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1989 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Regional Final
1990 Ball State Dick Hunsaker Mid-American Sweet 16
1990 Loyola Marymount Paul Westhead West Coast Regional Final
1990 Texas Tom Penders Southwest Regional Final
1990 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West NCAA Champion
1990 Xavier Pete Gillen Midwestern Collegiate Sweet 16
1991 Eastern Michigan Ben Braun Mid-American Sweet 16
1991 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1991 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Final Four
1991 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16
1992 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1992 New Mexico State Neil McCarthy Big West Sweet 16
1992 Texas-El Paso Don Haskins Western Athletic Sweet 16
1993 George Washington Mike Jarvis Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1993 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1993 Western Kentucky Ralph Willard Sun Belt Sweet 16
1994 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1995 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1995 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1996 Cincinnati Bob Huggins Conference USA Regional Final
1996 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Final Four
1996 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16
1997 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1997 UT Chattanooga Mack McCarthy Southern Sweet 16
1997 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Regional Final
1998 Rhode Island Jim Harrick Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1998 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic NCAA Title Game
1998 Valparaiso Homer Drew Mid-Continent Sweet 16
1999 Gonzaga Dan Monson West Coast Regional Final
1999 Miami (Ohio) Charlie Coles Mid-American Sweet 16
1999 SW Missouri State Steve Alford Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1999 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2000 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2000 Tulsa Bill Self Western Athletic Regional Final
2001 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2001 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2002 Kent State Stan Heath Mid-American Regional Final
2002 Southern Illinois Bruce Weber Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2003 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16
2004 Nevada Trent Johnson Western Athletic Sweet 16
2004 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2004 UAB Mike Anderson Conference USA Sweet 16
2004 Xavier Thad Matta Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2005 Utah Ray Giacoletti Mountain West Sweet 16
2005 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bruce Pearl Horizon League Sweet 16
2006 Bradley Jim Les Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2006 George Mason Jim Larranaga Colonial Final Four
2006 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2006 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final
2006 Wichita State Mark Turgeon Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2007 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16
2007 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final
2007 Southern Illinois Chris Lowery Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2007 UNLV Lon Kruger Mountain West Sweet 16
2008 Davidson Bob McKillop Southern Regional Final
2008 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA NCAA Title Game
2008 Western Kentucky Darrin Horn Sun Belt Sweet 16
2008 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2009 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2009 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Sweet 16
2009 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2010 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game
2010 Cornell Steve Donahue Ivy League Sweet 16
2010 Northern Iowa Ben Jacobsen Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2010 Saint Mary's Randy Bennett West Coast Sweet 16
2010 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2011 Brigham Young Dave Rose Mountain West Sweet 16
2011 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game
2011 Richmond Chris Mooney Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2011 San Diego State Steve Fisher Mountain West Sweet 16
2011 Virginia Commonwealth Shaka Smart Colonial Final Four
2012 Ohio University John Groce Mid-American Sweet 16
2012 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2013 Florida Gulf Coast Andy Enfield Atlantic Sun Sweet 16
2013 La Salle John Giannini Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2013 Wichita State Gregg Marshall Missouri Valley Final Four
2014 Dayton Archie Miller Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2014 San Diego State Steve Fisher Mountain West Sweet 16
2015 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Regional Final
2015 Wichita State Gregg Marshall Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2016 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2017 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast NCAA Title Game
2018 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2018 Loyola of Chicago Porter Moser Missouri Valley Final Four
2018 Nevada Eric Musselman Mountain West Sweet 16
2019 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Regional Final
2019 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Sweet 16
2021 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast NCAA Title Game
2021 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Final Four
2021 Loyola of Chicago Porter Moser Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2021 Oral Roberts Paul Mills Summit League Sweet 16
2022 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2022 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Regional Final
2022 Saint Peter's Shaheen Holloway Metro Atlantic Athletic Regional Final
2023 Florida Atlantic Dusty May Conference USA Final Four
2023 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Regional Final
2023 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Sweet 16
2023 Princeton Mitch Henderson Ivy League Sweet 16
2023 San Diego State Brian Dutcher Mountain West NCAA Title Game
2024 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast TBD
2024 San Diego State Brian Dutcher Mountain West TBD

NOTE: Brigham Young, Butler, Cincinnati, Houston, Texas, Utah and Xavier subsequently joined a power conference.

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