The Thrill is Gone: Seven Ex-F4 Schools Winless in Tourney Previous 19 Years

March 13th, 2020 - 10:00

Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, 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, seven former Final Four participants - New Mexico State, Oregon State, Princeton, St. John's, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the previous 19 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 29 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an 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 11 years with only one appearance
Charlotte (11) no appearance previous 13 years; winless previous 17 years
DePaul (22) appeared once previous 18 years; one victory previous 29 years
George Washington (11) one victory previous 24 years
Georgia (12) one victory previous 22 years
Holy Cross (13) posted first win since 1953 four seasons ago in play-in game
Idaho State (11) winless previous 41 years
New Mexico State (23) winless previous 25 years
Old Dominion (12) one victory previous 23 years
Oregon State (17) winless previous 36 years
Penn (24) one victory previous 38 years
Pepperdine (13) one victory previous 36 years
Princeton (25) winless previous 20 years
St. John's (30) winless previous 19 years
San Francisco (16) appeared once previous 36 years
Santa Clara (11) no appearance previous 22 years
Seattle (11) winless since 1964
Southern Methodist (12) winless previous 30 years
Texas-El Paso (17) winless previous 26 years
Utah State (21) one victory previous 48 years
Weber State (15) winless previous 19 years
Wyoming (15) one victory previous 31 years