From Penthouse to Outhouse: No Chance Nova Notches Losing Mark Next Year
April 5th, 2018 - 21:45
There is virtually no chance that Villanova, featuring nary a senior among the Wildcats' top nine players, runs the risk of joining Stanford '42 and Michigan State '79 as the only defending NCAA champions compiling a losing record the next season. Following is a chronological list of reigning titlists suffering more than a dozen setbacks or posting a losing mark overall coming off a national crown:
| NCAA Champion | Coach | Mark Next Year as Reigning Titlist | Conference Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford '42 | Everett Dean | 10-11 in 1942-43 | T2nd in PCC South |
| Indiana '76 | Bob Knight | 14-13 in 1976-77 | 5th in Big Ten |
| Michigan State '79 | Jud Heathcote | 12-15 in 1979-80 | 9th in Big Ten |
| North Carolina State '83 | Jim Valvano | 19-14 in 1983-84 | 7th in ACC |
| Louisville '86 | Denny Crum | 18-14 in 1986-87 | 1st in Metro |
| North Carolina '09 | Roy Williams | 20-17 in 2009-10 | T9th in ACC |
| Connecticut '14 | Kevin Ollie | 20-15 in 2014-15 | T5th in American Athletic |
NOTE: Everett Shelton-coached Wyoming '43 went 10-18 in 1944-45 after failing to field a team in 1943-44 during World War II.