The Thrill is Gone: Beavers Breaking Free From NCAA Tourney Famine Logjam

January 13th, 2016 - 19:54

A significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances, eight former Final Four participants - Holy Cross, Houston, New Mexico State, Oregon State, Princeton, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the previous 17 years.

DePaul, Oregon State and San Francisco each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the previous 26 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). Wayne Tinkle-coached Oregon State is showing signs this season that the Beavers' playoff drought could be reaching an end unless a tripping-a-referee brain-fart by Jarmal Reid, a player recruited by previous mentor Craig Robinson, costs them an at-large invitation. With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, Clemson and Iowa could be joining OSU in leaving the following alphabetical list of schools with at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:

School (Playoff Appearances) Recent NCAA Tournament Travails
Boston College (18) winless previous eight years with only one appearance
Charlotte (11) no appearance previous 10 years; winless previous 14 years
Clemson (11) one victory previous 18 years
DePaul (22) appeared once previous 15 years; one victory previous 26 years
George Washington (11) one victory previous 21 years
Georgia (12) one victory previous 19 years
Holy Cross (12) winless since 1953
Houston (19) winless previous 31 years
Idaho State (11) winless previous 38 years
Iowa (24) two victories previous 16 years
Minnesota (12) one victory previous 18 years
New Mexico State (20) winless previous 22 years
Old Dominion (11) one victory previous 20 years
Oregon State (16) winless previous 33 years
Penn (23) one victory previous 35 years
Pepperdine (13) one victory previous 33 years
Princeton (24) winless previous 17 years
San Francisco (16) appeared once previous 33 years
Santa Clara (11) no appearance previous 19 years
Seattle (11) winless since 1964
Southern Methodist (11) winless previous 27 years
Texas-El Paso (17) winless previous 23 years
Utah State (20) one victory previous 45 years
Weber State (14) winless previous 16 years
Wyoming (15) one victory previous 28 years