College Exam: Day #8 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, 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 8 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. Name the only school to reach the Final Four three consecutive years on two separate occasions in the 20th Century. Hint: In the first three-year stretch, it became the only school to lose three straight national semifinal games. In the second three-year stretch, the school was involved in only times two teams from same state met each other in championship game.
2. What was the only year two undefeated teams reached the Final Four? Hint: One of the squads had a perfect ending after winning in the national semifinals and championship game by an average of 16 points, while the other club that was unbeaten lost in national semifinals and third-place game by an average of 15 points.
3. Who is the shortest player to lead an NCAA champion in scoring average? Hint: He was part of a three-guard starting lineup, averaging under 5-10 in height, playing the entire championship game for the only current Division I school to capture an NCAA title despite never having an NCAA consensus first- or second-team All-American.
4. Who is the only U.S. Olympic basketball coach to win the NCAA and NIT titles with different schools? Hint: He never participated in a national postseason tournament with the third university he coached (Michigan State).
5. Who was the only coach to direct two different schools to the Final Four twice apiece in the 20th Century? Hint: He is the only coach to compile a record of more than four games under .500 in Final Four contests and only coach to guide three teams to national fourth-place finishes.
6. Who is the only coach of a championship team other than Rick Pitino to subsequently coach another university and compile a winning NCAA playoff record at his last major-college job? Hint: He is the only coach to win a national title at a school where he stayed less than five seasons.
7. Of the coaches to reach the national semifinals at least twice, who is the only one to compile an undefeated Final Four record? Hint: He won both of his championship games against the same school. He is also the only NCAA consensus first-team All-American to later coach his alma mater to an NCAA title.
8. Name the only school to lead UCLA at halftime in the 22 Final Four games for the Bruins' 11 titlists. Hint: The school leading one of the 11 UCLA champions at intermission of a Final Four game was coached by a John Wooden protege.
9. Of the coaches hired by NBA teams after winning an NCAA championship, who is the only one to compile a non-losing NBA playoff record? Hint: He is one of four different men to coach an undefeated NCAA championship team.
10. Name the only school to defeat a team by as many as 27 points in a season the opponent wound up winning the national title. Hint: The school is also the only one to defeat an eventual national titlist twice in same season by at least 12 points.
False Starts: BYU, Mizzou & Utah State Prone to Early Exits in NCAA Tourney
North Carolina A&T appeared in the NCAA playoffs the most times (nine) without winning a tournament game until prevailing in 2013 First Four. But N.C. A&T still has a long way to go to join the ranks of "quick-exit" schools such as troubled trio Brigham Young, Missouri and Utah State. BYU, Mizzou and USU have combined for 54 opening-round reversals in NCAA tourney.
Connecticut, after absorbing nine opening-round losses in 17 years from 1951 through 1967, had the most opening-round setbacks for an extended period. But the Huskies didn't incur an opening-round reversal for 28 years until suffering two in a recent five-year span before leaving again early in this season's playoffs. Similarly, St. John's suffered eight opening-round losses in a 20-year stretch from 1973 through 1992.
Maryland was the first school to incur at least 10 NCAA Tournament defeats but never absorb an opening-round setback until the Terrapins lost to Santa Clara in 1996. Mizzou's loss against former Big Eight/Big 12 rival Oklahoma, eight years after toothless Tigers were embarrassed by Norfolk State despite being favored by more than 20 points, left them among the following schools most prone to sustaining an opening-round NCAA tourney defeat:
School (Playoff Losses) NCAA Tournament Opening-Round Defeats Brigham Young (33) 20 (1950-57-65-69-72-79-80-87-90-92-95-01-03-04-07-08-09-14-15-21) Princeton (29) 17 (1952-55-60-63-69-76-77-81-89-90-91-92-97-01-04-11-17) Utah State (22) 18 (1939-63-71-75-79-80-83-88-98-00-03-05-06-09-10-11-19-21) Temple (33) 16 (1944-64-67-70-72-79-90-92-95-98-08-09-10-12-16-19) Missouri (28) 16 (1944-78-81-83-86-87-88-90-93-99-00-11-12-13-18-21) St. John's (32) 15 (1961-68-73-76-77-78-80-84-88-92-98-02-11-15-19) West Virginia (27) 14 (1955-56-57-58-62-65-67-83-86-87-92-09-12-16)
Transferring Talent: Grimes and Mitchell Become A-As After Switching Schools
"Stepping onto a brand new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation which is not nurturing." - Maya Angelou
Whether schools are simply filling out a roster with a backup or chasing a pot of gold at the end of a Larry Bird-created rainbow jumper, they seem to be looking around every corner and under every rock for a transfer. Bird left a potential powerhouse at Indiana but never played for the Hoosiers before becoming national player of the year with Indiana State. The majority of All-American transfers depart from universities that currently are power-league members.
How many All-Americans actually played varsity basketball for two different four-year schools? The average is about one every two years. Duke and Kansas, two of the five schools with the most All-Americans in history, had their first transfer in that category during the previous decade - Duke guard Seth Curry (Liberty) and KU center Jeff Withey (Arizona). Baylor guard Davion Mitchell secured A-A status this season after leaving Auburn following mediocre freshman campaign in 2018-19. Ditto Quentin Grimes, who transferred from Kansas to Houston.
Mississippi State lost a transfer All-American when Ben Hansbrough departed for Notre Dame but the Bulldogs had their own player in this category earlier this century after Lawrence Roberts left Baylor. In an era when transfers have almost become an obsession for various reasons, there was a modest uptick in the ratio with seven All-Americans in this category in a six-year span from 2000 through 2005 before Louisville's Luke Hancock (George Mason) became Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Following is an alphabetical list of A-As who began their collegiate career at another four-year school:
*Attended junior college between four-year school stints.
NOTE: Burgess was an Air Force veteran.
Playing Race Card: More Than 3 White Consensus A-As 2nd Time in 38 Years
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 presidential prowess of Donald Trump or previous POTUS lecturing Christians rather than unprincipled marauders. Nonetheless, it could be time to proclaim white players matter after there were two white NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans for the third time in last 13 campaigns. Many white-privilege provocateurs, who should seek reparations of their own for being exposed to race hustlers such as "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 helps with COVID-19 relief.
A milestone didn't trigger White History Month during the previous decade, but 2013 marked the first time in 34 years 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 Biden ascending Stair Force 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 and Drew Timme) was alone boasting the most white consensus All-Americans thus far in 21st Century with seven. It might be accurate-but-unacceptable information to cancel-culture leftists indoctrinating students in public schools with critical race theory, but the Zags 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:
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).
College Exam: Day #7 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, 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 7 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. Name the only coach to grace the NCAA playoffs in five decades. Hint: He achieved the feat with four different universities.
2. Who is the only player to score a team-high point total in his prominent school's first NCAA Tournament victory the same year he earned All-American honors as a quarterback for a national football champion? Hint: He later became executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after coaching two different universities when they participated in the Rose Bowl.
3. Who is the only individual to be more than 10 games below .500 in his initial campaign as a major-college head coach and subsequently guide a team to a national championship? Hint: He won his last 10 NCAA Tournament games decided by fewer than five points. In his last two playoff appearances with the former titlist, it became the only school to receive at-large bids in back-to-back years with as many as 14 defeats entering the tourney.
4. Name the only school to be denied three NCAA Tournament berths because it was on probation. Hint: The three times the school didn't participate in the national playoffs because of NCAA probation were from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
5. Who was the only player to score more than 40 points in his first tournament game? Hint: The university left the Division I level for 28 years and was UCLA's first victim when the Bruins started a 38-game winning streak in the playoffs. He and his twin brother were infielders together with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
6. Name the only school to deploy just five players in an entire championship game. Hint: The school, participating in the playoffs for the first time that year, set a record for largest winning margin with a 69-point victory in its first-round game. The school is the only former NCAA champion never to compete against legendary coaches Bob Knight and Dean Smith.
7. Who is the only individual to go as many as 25 years between coaching teams in the NCAA Tournament? Hint: His first two playoff teams were eliminated in their tourney openers by eventual championship game participants.
8. Name the only school to have more than one two-time first-team All-American never reach the Final Four. Hint: One of the players is the only three-time first-team All-America to fail to appear in the NCAA playoffs. The school is the only top four seed to lose a first-round game by more than 20 points.
9. Who is the only player to have season scoring averages of fewer than 10 points per game in back-to-back years he was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team? Hint: His school reached the national championship game each season and had two different centers named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Also, he is part of the only set of brothers to play together in two NCAA title games. One of their teammates became a marquee coach.
10. Who is the only individual to play for an NCAA basketball champion and in a major league baseball World Series? Hint: He was primarily a relief pitcher for six different teams in 13 big league seasons from 1975 through 1989.
David vs. Goliath: Fans Attracted to Mid-Major Stories of Biblical Proportions
If upper-crust elite schools smugly look down their noses, they might find their opponents boast the upper hand by looking down the barrel of a gun. Just ask former Final Four schools Florida, Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, Virginia and Texas after they were upset by Loyola of Chicago, Oral Roberts (two of wins), North Texas, Ohio University and Abilene Christian. In 2013, two mid-major at-large entrants reached a regional final (La Salle and Wichita State) after also failing to capture a regular-season league title. Generous doses of humility frequently occur. Seven years ago, #3 seeds Duke and Syracuse were embarrassed by Mercer and Dayton, respectively. They join Marquette among 20 former national champions losing multiple times in the tourney against members of lower-profile conferences seeded five or more places worse than the major university currently a member of one of the consensus power-six leagues.
Kansas has a high of seven setbacks (EWU nearly made it #8) as a total of 12 former NCAA titlists have lost three or more such contests. Two years ago, Baylor joined KU and four other power-league members (Florida, Georgetown, Indiana and Vanderbilt) in losing playoff games in back-to-back seasons thus far in the 21st Century against mid-major foes with double-digit seeds. In wake of reigning national champion Virginia's departure, has part-time ACC commish/publicist Jay Bilas mentioned on ESPN about 14 ACC members collectively having been victimized by such illegal mid-major aliens crossing over power-league border as much as any power alliance?
Who did they play (mid-majors in NCAA playoff competition) and who did they beat (power-league members seeded five or more slots better)? Well, a total of 91 different lower-profile schools and current members of 24 different mid-major conferences (all but Northeast) have won 163 such games since seeding was introduced in 1979. But heaven forbid if Loyola or ORU had dropped their conference tournament championship contest. The nation likely would have missed out on witnessing nation's leading scorer while bowing down at the power-league altar worshiping mediocrity. The mid-major school with the most "David vs. Goliath" playoff victories cited in the following list was Richmond with six until Gonzaga tied the Spiders after two such triumphs in 2016:
ACC (33 defeats against mid-major opponents seeded five or more places worse) - Boston College (lost against #12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005); Clemson (#13 Southwest Missouri State in 1987 and #11 Western Michigan in 1998); Duke (#11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2007, #15 Lehigh in 2012 and #14 Mercer in 2014); Florida State (#13 Middle Tennessee State in 1989); Georgia Tech (#13 Richmond in 1988 and #13 Southern in 1993); Louisville (#12 Ball State in 1990, #12 Butler in 2003 and #13 Morehead State in 2011); Miami (#11 Loyola of Chicago in 2018); North Carolina (#9 Penn in 1979, #14 Weber State in 1999 and #11 George Mason in 2006); North Carolina State (#14 Murray State in 1988); Notre Dame (#14 UALR in 1986, #11 Winthrop in 2007 and #11 Old Dominion in 2010); Pittsburgh (#10 Kent State in 2002, #13 Bradley in 2006 and #8 Butler in 2011); Syracuse (#7 Navy in 1986, #11 Rhode Island in 1988, #15 Richmond in 1991, #13 Vermont in 2005 and #11 Dayton in 2014); Virginia (#12 Wyoming in 1987, #12 Gonzaga in 2001, #16 UMBC in 2018 and #13 Ohio University in 2021); Wake Forest (#13 Cleveland State in 2009)
BIG EAST/including AAC member Cincinnati from previous league configuration (20) - Cincinnati (lost to #12 Harvard in 2014 and #7 Nevada in 2018); Connecticut (#11 George Mason in 2006 and #13 San Diego in 2008); Creighton (#11 Rhode Island in 2017); DePaul (#12 New Mexico State in 1992); Georgetown (#10 Davidson in 2008, #14 Ohio University in 2010, #11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 and #15 Florida Gulf Coast in 2013); Marquette (#12 Tulsa in 2002 and #12 Murray State in 2019); Providence (#12 Pacific in 2004 and #11 Dayton in 2015); St. John's (#10 Gonzaga in 2000 and #11 Gonzaga in 2011); Seton Hall (#7 Western Kentucky in 1993 and #11 Gonzaga in 2016); Villanova (#14 Old Dominion in 1995 and #10 Saint Mary's in 2010)
BIG TEN (31) - Illinois (lost to #14 Austin Peay State in 1987, #12 Dayton in 1990, #14 Chattanooga in 1997, #12 Western Kentucky in 2009 and #8 Loyola of Chicago in 2021); Indiana (#14 Cleveland State in 1986, #13 Richmond in 1988, #11 Pepperdine in 2000 and #13 Kent State in 2001); Iowa (#14 Northwestern State in 2006); Maryland (#12 College of Charleston in 1997); Michigan (#11 Loyola Marymount in 1990 and #13 Ohio University in 2012); Michigan State (#14 Weber State in 1995, #11 George Mason in 2006 and #15 Middle Tennessee State in 2016); Minnesota (#12 Middle Tennessee State in 2017); Nebraska (#14 Xavier in 1991 and #11 Penn in 1994); Ohio State (#12 Utah State in 2001, #9 Wichita State in 2013, #11 Dayton in 2014 and #15 Oral Roberts in 2021); Purdue (#11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011, #12 UALR in 2016 and #13 North Texas in 2021); Wisconsin (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #11 Georgia State in 2001, #7 UNLV in 2007, #10 Davidson in 2008 and #12 Cornell in 2010)
BIG 12 (26) - Baylor (lost to #14 Georgia State in 2015 and #12 Yale in 2016); Iowa State (#15 Hampton in 2001 and #14 UAB in 2015); Kansas (#9 Texas-El Paso in 1992, #8 Rhode Island in 1998, #14 Bucknell in 2005, #13 Bradley in 2006, #9 Northern Iowa in 2010, #11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 and #7 Wichita State in 2015); Kansas State (#11 Tulane in 1993, #13 La Salle in 2013 and #13 UC Irvine in 2019); Oklahoma (#13 Southwestern Louisiana in 1992, #13 Manhattan in 1995, #13 Indiana State in 2001, #11 Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006 and #12 North Dakota State in 2014); Oklahoma State (#12 Princeton in 1983, #10 Temple in 1991 and #12 Tulsa in 1994); Texas (#11 Northern Iowa in 2016 and #14 Abilene Christian in 2021); Texas Tech (#11 Southern Illinois in 2002); West Virginia (#14 Stephen F. Austin in 2016)
PACIFIC-12 (21) - Arizona (lost to #14 East Tennessee State in 1992, #15 Santa Clara in 1993, #12 Miami of Ohio in 1995, #11 Wichita State in 2016 and #13 Buffalo in 2018); California (#12 Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1994 and #13 Hawaii in 2016); Oregon State (#10 Lamar in 1980, #11 Evansville in 1989 and #12 Ball State in 1990); Southern California (#13 UNC Wilmington in 2002); Stanford (#14 Siena in 1989 and #10 Gonzaga in 1999); UCLA (#12 Wyoming in 1987, #13 Penn State in 1991, #12 Tulsa in 1994, #13 Princeton in 1996 and #12 Detroit in 1999); Utah (#10 Miami of Ohio in 1999 and #11 Gonzaga in 2016); Washington State (#12 Penn in 1980)
SEC (33) - Alabama (lost to #11 Lamar in 1983, #11 South Alabama in 1989, #10 Kent State in 2002 and #12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005); Auburn (#12 Richmond in 1984); Florida (#12 Creighton in 2002, #12 Manhattan in 2003, #8 Butler in 2011 and #15 Oral Roberts in 2021); Georgia (#14 Chattanooga in 1997 and #11 Southern Illinois in 2002); Kentucky (#7 UAB in 1981, #11 Middle Tennessee State in 1982 and #9 UAB in 2004); Louisiana State (#13 Navy in 1985 and #11 UAB in 2005); Mississippi (#13 Valparaiso in 1998); Mississippi State (#12 Eastern Michigan in 1991, #12 Butler in 2003, #7 Xavier in 2004 and #12 Liberty in 2019); Missouri (#13 Xavier in 1987, #11 Rhode Island in 1988, #14 Northern Iowa in 1990 and #15 Norfolk State in 2012); South Carolina (#15 Coppin State in 1997 and #14 Richmond in 1998); Tennessee (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #7 Wichita State in 2006 and #11 Tennessee in 2018); Vanderbilt (#13 Siena in 2008, #13 Murray State in 2010 and #12 Richmond in 2011)
NOTES: Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were members of the Big Eight until 1997. Mizzou left the Big 12 for SEC in 2013. . . . Notre Dame was an independent in 1986. . . . Florida State, Louisville and Tulane were members of the Metro Conference in 1989, 1990 and 1993, respectively. . . . Butler was a member of the Horizon League in 2003 and 2011. . . . Dayton was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate in 1990. . . . DePaul was a member of the Great Midwest in 1992. . . . Texas-El Paso and Utah were members of the WAC in 1992 and 1999, respectively. . . . Marquette and Louisville were members of Conference USA in 2002 and 2004, respectively. . . . Tulsa was a member of Missouri Valley in 1994 and 2002. . . . Xavier was a member of Midwestern Collegiate in 1987 and 1991 and Atlantic 10 in 2004. . . . Boston College was a member of the Big East in 2005. . . . Defeats for Maryland (ACC), Louisville (Big East), Pittsburgh (Big East) and Syracuse (Big East) came when they were members of another power league.
Shock Treatment: Oral Roberts Restores Faith by Edging Tower of Power OSU
Expect the unexpected like #15 seed Oral Roberts healing their fans' faith by upsetting national tower of power Ohio State. In the first six years of the NCAA Tournament seeding process from 1979 through 1984 when the playoff field ranged from 40 to 53 teams, the bottom of the bracket racket included a total of 13 No. 1 and 2 seeds losing their openers. Notwithstanding the misleading media's spin, the NCAA tourney hasn't been saturated with authentic upsets since the playoff field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985. On the other hand, there were only five years in that span failing to provide a first-round shocker from the bottom of the bracket (1994, 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2017). Who could have added to the chaos this year if not for cancellation?
Teams seeded 13th or worse defeated teams seeded among the top four in a regional a total of 62 times in the last 36 tourneys after ORU, North Texas, Ohio University and Abilene Christian emerged victorious in opening-round games this year. At least the power-league member reversals weren't as ugly as a couple of sorry SEC setbacks when Navy overwhelmed LSU by 23 points in 1985 and Siena smothered Vanderbilt by 21 in 2008.
Arizona's similar stunning defeat against Santa Clara in 1993 materialized despite the Wildcats reeling off 25 unanswered points in a stretch bridging the last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. Gary Waters is the only coach to win two opening-round games in this category while in charge of two different schools (Kent State in 2001 and Cleveland State in 2009).
Until Virginia's 1 vs. 16 debacle three years ago, Michigan State was the only #2 seed to lose its playoff opener after spending a portion of the regular season atop the AP national poll. Following is a rundown of the first 62 first-round knockouts by the bottom of the bracket (#13 through #16 seeds) since the NCAA field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985:
#16 seed (1 victory)
| Year | #16 Seed Winner | Coach | #1 Seed Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Maryland-Baltimore County | Ryan Odom | Virginia | 74-54 |
#15 seed (9 victories)
| Year | #15 Seed Winner | Coach | #2 Seed Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Richmond | Dick Tarrant | Syracuse | 73-69 |
| 1993 | Santa Clara | Dick Davey | Arizona | 64-61 |
| 1997 | Coppin State | Ron "Fang" Mitchell | South Carolina | 78-65 |
| 2001 | Hampton | Steve Merfeld | Iowa State | 58-57 |
| 2012 | Lehigh | Dr. Brett Reed | Duke | 75-70 |
| 2012 | Norfolk State | Anthony Evans | Missouri | 86-84 |
| 2013 | Florida Gulf Coast | Andy Enfield | Georgetown | 78-68 |
| 2016 | Middle Tennessee State | Kermit Davis Jr. | Michigan State | 90-81 |
| 2021 | Oral Roberts | Paul Mills | Ohio State | 75-72 (OT) |
#14 seed (21 victories)
#13 seed (31 victories)
Slow Start: Baylor A-A Davion Mitchell Averaged Only 3.7 PPG as Freshman
In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, Baylor's Davion Mitchell (3.7 points per game in 2018-19) failed to generate national headlines in his freshman season before blossoming into an All-American after transferring from Auburn. He is a textbook example why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics.
Mitchell isn't the only All-American who endured growing pains. The following alphabetical list of players averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:
Eventual All-American Pos. A-A School Freshman Scoring Average Cole Aldrich C Kansas 2.8 ppg in 2007-08 Lorenzo Charles F North Carolina State 2.2 ppg in 1981-82 Rakeem Christmas F Syracuse 2.8 ppg in 2011-12 Keith Edmonson G Purdue 1.3 ppg in 1978-79 Aaron Gray C Pittsburgh 1.7 ppg in 2003-04 Erick Green G Virginia Tech 2.6 ppg in 2009-10 Tom Gugliotta F North Carolina State 2.7 ppg in 1988-89 Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga 2.6 ppg in 2016-17 Roy Hamilton G UCLA 1.2 ppg in 1975-76 Jeff Jonas G Utah 2.8 ppg in 1973-74 Frank Kaminsky C-F Wisconsin 1.8 ppg in 2011-12 Ted Kitchel F Indiana 1.7 ppg in 1979-80 Bob Kurland C Oklahoma A&M 2.5 ppg in 1942-43 Tom LaGarde C North Carolina 2.2 ppg in 1973-74 Jock Landale C Saint Mary's 2.1 ppg in 2014-15 Kenyon Martin C Cincinnati 2.8 ppg in 1996-97 Luke Maye F North Carolina 1.2 ppg in 2015-16 John Pilch G Wyoming 2.4 ppg in 1946-47 Thomas Robinson F Kansas 2.5 ppg in 2009-10 Steve Scheffler C Purdue 1.5 ppg in 1986-87 Russ Smith G Louisville 2.2 ppg in 2010-11 Earl Tatum G-F Marquette 1.5 ppg in 1972-73 Kurt Thomas F-C Texas Christian 0.8 ppg in 1990-91 Al Thornton F Florida State 2.8 ppg in 2003-04 B.J. Tyler G Texas 2.9 ppg in 1989-90 with DePaul Scottie Wilbekin G Florida 2.4 ppg in 2010-11 Jeff Withey C Kansas 1.3 ppg in 2009-10 NOTES: Oregon's Wally Borrevik (1.8 ppg in 1940-41), Wisconsin's Gene Englund (2.3 ppg in 1938-39), California's Darrall Imhoff (0.9 ppg in 1957-58), Kansas' Dean Kelley (0.8 in 1950-51), Purdue's Bob Kessler (2.3 ppg in 1933-34), Notre Dame's Leo Klier (2.7 in 1942-43), Oklahoma A&M's Gale McArthur (2.96 ppg in 1948-49), Notre Dame's Bob Rensberger (1.5 ppg in 1940-41) and Stanford's George Yardley (2.9 ppg in 1947-48) averaged fewer than three points per game as sophomores when freshmen weren't eligible to play varsity basketball before becoming All-Americans. . . . Withey originally attended Arizona.
Gonzaga Only Non-Power Conference Member With Consensus All-Americans
NBA success in several years likely will reveal voter shortcomings as top-ranked Gonzaga was the only non-power conference member to supply NCAA consensus All-Americans this campaign. The Zags have a striking number of 10 different players accorded such consensus A-A status thus far this century. They joined Illinois (2004-05) as the only two schools in last 72 seasons to feature three consensus All-Americans in same season since Kentucky in 1948-49. Following is a chronological list of mid-level NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since the ACC was introduced in 1953-54:
Youth Movement: Cade Cunningham Joins Elite List of Fabulous Freshmen
Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham achieved a distinction luminaries Mark Aguirre, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Patrick Ewing, Phil Ford, Tyler Hansbrough, James Harden, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Bernard King, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Derrick Rose, Ralph Sampson and Russell Westbrook failed to do. Cunningham became an NCAA consensus first-team All-American as a freshman. He is the 25th yearling on the following chronological list in this rare-air category named first-team A-A:
| Freshman First-Team All-American | Pos. | College | Year | Freshman All-American Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnie Ferrin | F | Utah | 1944 | C1 |
| Tom Gola | C-F | La Salle | 1952 | C1 |
| Keith Lee | C | Memphis State | 1982 | C1, AP2 |
| Wayman Tisdale | F-C | Oklahoma | 1983 | AP1, C1, USBWA1, UPI2, NABC3 |
| Chris Jackson | G | Louisiana State | 1989 | AP1, UPI1, USBWA1, NABC2 |
| Kenny Anderson | G | Georgia Tech | 1990 | NABC1, AP3 |
| Kevin Durant | F | Texas | 2007 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Greg Oden | C | Ohio State | 2007 | AP1, NABC2, USBWA2 |
| Michael Beasley | F | Kansas State | 2008 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Kevin Love | C | UCLA | 2008 | AP1, USBWA1, NABC2 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | C | Kentucky | 2010 | AP1, NABC2, USBWA2 |
| John Wall | G | Kentucky | 2010 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Jared Sullinger | F-C | Ohio State | 2011 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Anthony Davis | C | Kentucky | 2012 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Jabari Parker | F | Duke | 2014 | USBWA1 |
| Jahlil Okafor | C | Duke | 2015 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| D'Angelo Russell | G | Ohio State | 2015 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Ben Simmons | F-G | Louisiana State | 2016 | NABC1, USBWA1, AP2 |
| Lonzo Ball | G | UCLA | 2017 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Deandre Ayton | C | Arizona | 2018 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Marvin Bagley III | F-C | Duke | 2018 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Trae Young | G | Oklahoma | 2018 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| R.J. Barrett | G | Duke | 2019 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Zion Williamson | F | Duke | 2019 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
| Cade Cunningham | G | Oklahoma State | 2021 | AP1, NABC1, USBWA1 |
College Exam: Day #6 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, 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 6 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 was the only player to lead nation in scoring average in same season he played for a team reaching NCAA Tournament championship game? Hint: He was the first player to score more than 30 points in a Final Four game and the only individual to crack the 30-point plateau in national semifinals and final in same season. He was also the only Big Eight Conference player to lead nation in scoring.
2. Of the 60 or so different players to score at least 2,500 points and/or rank among the top 25 in career scoring average, who was the only one to have a winning NCAA playoff record in his career plus post higher scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting playoff averages than he compiled in regular season? Hint: The player scored at least 17 points in all 10 of his NCAA playoff games.
3. Who was the only football Heisman Trophy winner to play in the basketball Final Four? Hint: He won the Most Outstanding Player Award in a Liberty Bowl after setting a school record for longest run from scrimmage.
4. What was the only Final Four match-up to have both coaches opposing his alma mater? Hint: It's happened twice. The protege was an assistant at his alma mater for 10 years.
5. Who is the only coach to oppose his alma mater more than twice at the Final Four? Hint: He is also the only coach in the 20th Century to twice win conference and NCAA tournaments in same year.
6. Who is the only unbeaten coach in NCAA playoff history? Hint: He is the only NCAA basketball championship coach to also be baseball coach at the same school when it won a College World Series game.
7. Who was the only coach with more than 30 NCAA Tournament victories to earn those wins at more than one school until Lute Olson (Iowa and Arizona) joined him in 1998? Hint: Three schools for the first coach were slapped with an NCAA probation during his stints there.
8. Who is the only coach in back-to-back years to win at least one NCAA playoff game in his first season with two different schools? He coached Butler the previous campaign. Hint: He was an assistant under three coaches who directed two different schools to the NCAA Tournament (Charlie Coles, Tates Locke and Herb Sendek).
9. Name the only school to gain an at-large invitation despite losing all of its conference road games. Hint: Three years earlier, the school received an at-large bid despite losing four league road games by at least 25 points.
10. Of the individuals to both play and coach in the NCAA Tournament, who leads that group in both scoring and rebounding totals? Hint: He was the leading scorer in biggest blowout in regional final history.
Player Outcasts: Multiple-Year 1st-Team All-Americans MIA in NCAA Playoffs
It doesn't take a genius to deduce All-American players are all-important to teams. Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis (third-team selection by NABC and USBWA) is the only one of this year's 19 A-As not participating in 2021 NCAA playoffs. Since the national tourney expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975, only three consensus first-team All-Americans never appeared in the NCAA playoffs - Houston guard Otis Birdsong (1977), Minnesota center Mychal Thompson (1978) and LSU swingman Ben Simmons (2016) - until Dayton's Obi Toppin became standout #4 in this category due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Terry Dischinger averaged 28.3 ppg in his three-year varsity career with Purdue in the early 1960s, but he is the only two-time consensus first-team All-American since World War II never to compete in the NCAA Tournament or NIT. Dischinger also endured a star-scorned nine-year NBA career without playing on a squad winning a playoff series. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year as a member of the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962-63 despite playing in only 57 games as he skipped many of the road contests to continue his education. His dedication to the classroom paid off as he became an orthodontist.
Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham averaged 24.8 ppg in his three-year varsity career with North Carolina in the mid-1960s, but he also never appeared in the NCAA tourney or NIT. How good were the players in that era if Cunningham never was a consensus first-team All-American? Auburn's Charles Barkley (defeated by Richmond in 1984) and Florida State's Dave Cowens (East Tennessee State in 1968) were All-Americans but each lost his only NCAA playoff game against a mid-major opponent. Following is a look at Dischinger and three other multiple-year NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans since the mid-1950s never to participate in the NCAA Tournament:
| Two- or Three-Time NCAA Consensus First-Team A-A | Pos. | School | Years 1st-Team A-A | NIT Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Dischinger | F | Purdue | 1961 and 1962 | DNP |
| Sihugo Green | G | Duquesne | 1955 and 1956 | 6-2 |
| Pete Maravich | G | Louisiana State | 1968 through 1970 | 2-2 |
| Chet Walker | F | Bradley | 1961 and 1962 | 3-1 |
No multiple-season All-American failed to appear in national postseason competition since the NCAA tourney expanded to at least 40 entrants in the late 1970s. Notre Dame guard Kevin O'Shea is the only four-time A-A never to appear in the NCAA playoffs and National Invitation Tournament. While not an NCAA consensus first-team selection multiple times like Dischinger, following is an alphabetical list including O'Shea and six additional three-time All-Americans never participating in a "Big Dance" (NCAA playoffs and NIT):
| Three- or Four-Time All-American | Pos. | School | Seasons as A-A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Ebert | C | Ohio State | 1952 through 1954 |
| Fred Hetzel | F-C | Davidson | 1963 through 1965 |
| Kevin O'Shea | G | Notre Dame | 1947 through 1950 |
| Robert Parish | C | Centenary | 1974 through 1976 |
| Frank Selvy | F | Furman | 1952 through 1954 |
| Meyer "Whitey" Skoog | F-G | Minnesota | 1949 through 1951 |
| Doug Smart | F-C | Washington | 1957 through 1959 |
NOTE: NCAA playoff field ranged from 22 to 25 entrants during 16-year span from 1955 through 1970.
Racial Profiling: Majority of HBCU NCAA Triumphs Come in Preliminary Round
After Richmond shocked Jim Boeheim-coached Syracuse in 1991 and Santa Clara kayoed Lute Olson's Arizona squad in 1993, the next three #15 seed victories over #2 seeds came at the hands of historically-black colleges and universities - Coppin State over South Carolina in 1997, Hampton over Iowa State in 2001 and Norfolk State over Missouri in 2012.
However, no HBCU institution has reached the Sweet 16. Perceived in most quarters as picking-on-patsies fodder, the truth about black crime in basketball is that it's a big sin many fans don't know or can't recall the high degree of success historically-black colleges and universities enjoyed at the small-college level. For instance, Norfolk State appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 10 times in a 12-year span from 1984 until finishing third in the 1995 tourney. But most of these HBCU institutions currently are imprisoned at the NCAA Division I level, where they are little more than indentured servants doing the bidding of their major-university masters almost always getting whipped on the road during non-conference competition.
What many observers should know is seven different historically black colleges and universities advancing to the NCAA DI level captured a total of nine NAIA and NCAA College Division Tournament championships in a 21-year span from 1957 through 1977 (Tennessee State from 1957 through 1959, Grambling '61, Prairie View A&M '62, Winston-Salem State '67, Morgan State '74, Coppin State '76 and Texas Southern '77). Coppin State is the lone school in this group to go on and post a triumph in the NCAA Division I playoffs.
Winson-Salem State saw what life looked like on the DI side of the fence and abandoned ship after only one season. All but two of the 25 HBCUs endured at least one season with 20 defeats in a six-year span from 2003-04 through 2008-09. The pair that emerged unscathed during that stretch were Hampton (worst record was 13-17 in 2003-04) and Norfolk State (11-19 in 2006-07).
Despite both leagues prevailing in the same year for the first time in 2021, conference members from the Mid-Eastern Athletic and Southwestern Athletic have won only 10% of their NCAA Division I Tournament games. Alcorn State registered the first three of the following modest total of 13 HBCU wins in the DI tourney versus non-HBCU competition (eight in preliminary-round competition; SWAC's Texas Southern matched up against MEAC's North Carolina Central in First Four in 2018) since the SWAC and MEAC moved up to the Division I level in 1979-80 and 1980-81, respectively:
1980 Midwest First Round: #8 Alcorn State 70 (Baker/Smith team-high 18 points), #9 South Alabama 62 (Rains 22)
1983 Midwest Preliminary Round: Alcorn State 81 (Phelps 18), Xavier 75 (Fleming 16)
1984 Midwest Preliminary Round: Alcorn State 79 (Phelps 21), Houston Baptist 60 (Lavodrama 14)
1993 West First Round: #13 Southern (LA) 93 (Scales 27), #4 Georgia Tech 78 (Mackey 27)
1997 East First Round: #15 Coppin State 78 (Singletary 22), #2 South Carolina 65 (McKie 16)
2001 West First Round: #15 Hampton 58 (Williams 16), #2 Iowa State 57 (Rancik/Shirley 10)
2004 Preliminary Round: Florida A&M 72 (Woods 21), Lehigh 57 (Tempest 13)
2010 Preliminary Round: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61 (Smith 14), Winthrop 44 (Corbin 13)
2012 West First Round: #15 Norfolk State 86 (O'Quinn 26), #2 Missouri (Dixon 22)
2013 Preliminary Round: North Carolina A&T 73 (Underwood 19), Liberty 72 (Marshall 22)
2015 Preliminary Round: Hampton 74 (Chievous/Johnson 15), Manhattan 64 (Richards 17)
2021 Preliminary Round: Texas Southern 60 (Walker III 19), Mount St. Mary's 52 (Chong Qui 14)
2021 Preliminary Round: Norfolk State 54 (Hawkins 24), Appalachian State 53 (Forrest 18)
Peon to Pedestal: Small-School Transfers Bolster Winthrop's Winning Ways
After previously toiling in obscurity, former small-college standouts Adonis Arms (from Northwest Nazarene ID) and Chandler Vaudrin (Walsh OH) are on center stage in the NCAA Division I Tournament as Winthrop's top two scorers. Arms and Vaudrin aren't the only small-school transfer players to go from nowhere to prospect of Cloud Nine in the NCAA DI playoffs. Elsewhere, former GLVC Freshman of the Year Tate Hall has been a key contributor for Loyola of Chicago the past two seasons after swingman transferred from University of Indianapolis and former GAC Tournament MVP Chris Parker from Henderson State AR is a reliable performer with Liberty.
Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Nevada and Wisconsin featured small-college transfers in regular rotations of previous NCAA tourney squads. There was even a coach in recent tourney who was in this rare category as a player - Montana's Travis DeCuire (Chaminade HI to his current pit stop).
Of course, the most prominent player in history in this category is all-time great Elgin Baylor (Seattle), the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1958. Consider this alphabetical list of the more than 40 transfers going from non-Division I schools to bright lights of the NCAA Division I Tournament:
Desi Barmore, F (Southeast Missouri State 79/Alabama 81 and Fresno State 82-83)
Averaged 5.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg at DI level after averaging 15.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg with SEMO as a freshman. Appeared in 1982 NCAA playoffs with FSU, scoring eight points in 58-40 second-round West Regional semifinal defeat against eventual national runner-up Georgetown.
Scott Barnes, C (Eastern Montana 81-82/Fresno State 84-85)
Averaged 9.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg for Eastern Montana before averaging 11.7 ppg and 6.6 rpg for Fresno State. Barnes was an All-PCAA second-team selection as a senior when he led the Bulldogs in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds against Karl Malone-led Louisiana Tech when Fresno bowed to the Bulldogs in the first round of 1984 NCAA playoffs.
Elgin Baylor, F (College of Idaho 55/Seattle 57-58)
Averaged 31.3 ppg and 18.9 rpg for College of Idaho (now Albertson College) before averaging 31.2 ppg and 19.8 rpg for Seattle. He was an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American and Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a junior in 1957-58 after averaging 27 points in five playoff games.
Andrew Benson, F (Prairie View A&M/Houston 67)
Averaged 2.4 ppg and 1.7 rpg for UH's national third-place team.
Davion Berry, G-F (Cal State Montery Bay 10-11/Weber State 13-14)
Big Sky Conference MVP scored a game-high 24 points in 68-59 opening-game defeat against Arizona in 2014.
Don Boldebuck, C (Nebraska Wesleyan 52-53/Houston 55-56)
Averaged more than 20 ppg for Nebraska Wesleyan before averaging 23 ppg and 17 rpg in leading UH in scoring and rebounding both of his seasons with the Cougars. He paced them in scoring in both of their NCAA playoff games in 1956.
Mike Born, G (Nebraska-Omaha 85-86/Iowa State 88-89)
Averaged 10.5 ppg for Nebraska-Omaha before averaging 8.6 ppg and 2.5 apg for two NCAA Tournament teams at Iowa State. Scored six points in each of his NCAA playoff games.
Jim Boylan, G (Assumption MA 74-75/Marquette 77-78)
Fifth-leading scorer for 1977 NCAA Tournament champion. He scored 14 points in the tourney final against Phil Ford-led North Carolina.
Bryan Bracey, F (Wisconsin-Platteville 97/Oregon 00-01)
Played one game with UWP before transferring to a junior college. Averaged 13.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg with the Ducks, appearing in NCAA tourney as a junior (10 points and 6 rebounds in 72-71 opening-round East Regional defeat in OT against Seton Hall).
Gary Brell, F (North Dakota State 68/Marquette 70-71)
Averaged 15.2 ppg and 12.9 rpg for NDSU before averaging 12.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg with MU. As a senior, he distributed a game-high eight assists in 60-59 NCAA tourney defeat against Ohio State before grabbing nine rebounds in 91-74 win against Kentucky in Mideast Regional third-place game.
Jon Bryant, G (St. Cloud State MN 96-97/Wisconsin 99-00)
All-North Central Conference selection and team MVP with 17.3 ppg as a sophomore after being named NCC Freshman of the Year when he hit 57.4% of his three-point attempts. Third-leading scorer for the Badgers burst on the national scene with seven three-pointers, including four in a zone-busting 1 1/2-minute stretch late in the game, to help the Badgers rally to a 66-56 over Fresno State in the first round of 2000 West Regional.
Ronnie Clark, G (Florida Southern 00/Colorado State 02-04)
Sunshine State Conference freshman of the year was CSU's third-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer in 2003 when the Rams played Duke tough before bowing in the opening round.
Terry Connolly, F (Shepherd WV 87-88/Richmond 90-91)
Averaged 8.2 ppg each of his two seasons with Spider NCAA playoff teams. Member of first #15 seed to defeat a #2 seed (Syracuse in 1991).
Barry Davis, F (Sam Houston State 73/Texas A&M 75-76)
Freshman on Sam Houston State's top-ranked NAIA team. Juco recruit became two-time All-SWC selection, delivering team-high 16 points and game-high 15 rebounds in 87-79 setback against Cincinnati in 1975 Midwest Regional.
Travis DeCuire, G (Chaminade HI 90/Montana 92-94)
Led Chaminade in scoring with 10.9 ppg as a freshman in 1989-90. Averaged 6.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 5 apg for the Grizzlies, including Big Sky Conference-leading 7.1 apg as a senior. Competing against eventual Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, DeCuire scored six points in a 78-68 reversal against Florida State in 1992 NCAA playoffs.
Chris Flemmings, G (Barton NC 13-14/UNC Wilmington 16-17)
Conference Carolinas MVP in 2013-14 with 19.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg before posting team highs of 16.2 ppg and 5.8 rpg for UNCW's 2016 NCAA playoff team losing against Duke despite his 18 points. Flemmings also tallied a team-high 18 points in 76-71 setback against Virginia in 2017 NCAA playoffs.
Freddie Gillespie, F-C (Carleton MN 17/Baylor 19-20)
All-MIAC second-team selection in 2016-17 when leading league in blocked shots. Part-time starter for the Bears in 2018-19 averaged six points and three rebounds in two NCAA playoff games.
Landon Goesling, G (St. Edward's TX 15-18/Houston 19)
Led Heartland Conference with 22.9 ppg in 2017-18. Played briefly for UH in one NCAA playoff game in 2019.
Robert Gray, F (Cal Poly Pomona 72-73/Wichita State 75-76)
Averaged 13 ppg and 5.8 rpg with WSU. As a senior, he collected 10 points and team-high tying 7 rebounds in opening-round defeat against eventual NCAA Tournament runner-up Michigan.
Keenan Gumbs, F (Schreiner TX 15-18/Liberty 19)
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2018. Part-time starter for Liberty's 2019 team posting the school's first-ever NCAA playoff victory. He scored six points in each of two tourney contests.
Mike Hansen, G (Tennessee-Martin 89/Louisiana State 91-93)
Scored 40 points vs. LSU as a freshman when leading UTM in scoring (20 ppg) and assists. Erupted for 31 points against both Tennessee and Illinois as a sophomore when he was the Tigers' third-leading scorer (12.7 ppg) before his playing time decreased significantly his final two seasons. Member of three LSU teams participating in the NCAA playoffs.
John Harrell, G (North Carolina Central 76/Duke 78-79)
Averaged 15.7 ppg and led N.C. Central in assists in 1975-76. Averaged 5.1 ppg for Duke's NCAA Tournament runner-up in 1977-78 before playing sparingly the next season.
E.J. Harrison, G (Western Connecticut State 95-96/Connecticut 98-99)
Averaged 1.9 ppg for UConn's 1999 NCAA titlist after averaging team-high 19.3 ppg and 2.7 spg for WCSU in 1995-96. He scored 12 points and had team-high three steals in '99 tourney opener against UTSA and team-high three assists in second-round win over New Mexico.
Art Helms, F (Southwest Missouri State 53-54/Houston 56)
Averaged 13.7 ppg for SWMS before averaging 13.1 ppg and 10.1 rpg for UH's first NCAA playoff team (grabbed team-high 10 rebounds in tourney debut against SMU).
Curtis High, G (Tennessee-Martin 81-82/Nevada-Reno 84-85)
Tennessee-Martin's second-leading scorer as a freshman (14.3 ppg) and sophomore (12.6 ppg). Led UNR in scoring and assists as a junior (13.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) and senior (17.8 ppg, 6 apg) for two NCAA tourney squads. All-Big Sky Conference first-team selection in 1984-85. Scored a team-high 21 points in 1984 first-round loss to Detlef Schrempf-led Washington.
Roy Howard, F (Tarleton State TX 89/Texas-El Paso 91-93)
Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Freshman of the Year when he led Tarleton State in scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg). UTEP's second-leading rebounder as a senior (6.5 rpg). Averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg for 1992 NCAA playoff team upsetting #1 seed Kansas in Midwest Regional.
Doug Jemison, F (Wright State OH 75/San Francisco 78-79)
Averaged 7.1 ppg for WSU before attending a junior college. Averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for two USF NCAA tourney teams (teammate of All-American Bill Cartwright led Dons in rebounding in two of four playoff games and in blocked shots one contest).
Avery Johnson, G (Cameron OK 85/Southern LA 87-88)
Averaged a modest 4.3 ppg for Cameron before leading the nation in assists with Southern for two NCAA tourney teams. Distributed a total of 17 assists in NCAA playoff games against Temple and Kentucky. Shares NCAA single-game record for most assists with 22. Went on to become principal playmaker for the San Antonio Spurs' NBA champion before coaching in the pros prior to accepting a similar job at Alabama.
Ron Lacey, G (Northeastern Oklahoma State 87-88)/Northeastern 90-91)
Runner-up in scoring for the Huskies' 1991 NCAA playoff team. He collected 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in opening-round setback against Dean Smith-coached North Carolina.
Fred Lewis, F (Tampa 88/South Florida 90-92)
Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year when he averaged 15.2 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game for USF. He was the Bulls' second-leading rebounder all three seasons, including two NCAA playoff teams.
Bob Lochmueller, F (Oakland City IN/Louisville 50-52)
Averaged 15 ppg in his career with the Cardinals, leading their first NCAA Tournament team in scoring as a junior (19 ppg). Grabbed game-high 18 rebounds in 1951 NCAA playoff loss against in-state rival Kentucky.
Tony Massop, C (Sacramento State 87/Kansas State 89-90)
Averaged 10.3 ppg and 8 rpg as a sophomore at Sacramento State. Averaged 5.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a junior and 8.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg as a senior for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. He was the Wildcats' leading rebounder in 1989-90.
Boyd McCaslin, F (Hobart NY 45/Dartmouth 46/Michigan 48-49)
All-Ivy League second-team selection went on to participate in Michigan's first NCAA playoff game in 1948 after transferring with coach Ozzie Cowles. Originally lettered with Hobart.
Paul Mickey, C (Troy State AL 63/Penn State 65-67)
Averaged 2.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Troy before averaging 9 ppg and 8.7 rpg with the Nittany Lions. Appeared in 1965 NCAA playoffs against Bill Bradley-led Princeton.
Keaton Moffitt, G (Sioux Falls SD 12-13/South Dakota State 15-16)
Posted same scoring average (5.8 ppg) with SF as he did as part-time starter for SDSU's 2016 NCAA DI tourney team. Reserve grabbed three rebounds in 14 minutes of playing time in South Regional 79-74 setback against Maryland.
Bret Mundt, C (Bethel TN/Memphis State 88-89)
Averaged 5.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 1987-88 and 6.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 1988-89 for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. Scored 13 points when the Tigers lost to Purdue in 1988 Midwest Regional.
Tucker Neale, G (Ashland OH 91/Colgate 93-95)
Averaged 23.1 ppg for Colgate's first NCAA playoff team in 1995. Scored game-high 25 points in loss against Kansas.
Carlton Neverson, G (Elmira NY 78/Pittsburgh 79-81)
Averaged 11.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg with Elmira before transferring to Pitt, where he averaged 11.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.3 apg. Appearing in NCAA playoffs as a senior, he scored a team-high 17 points in 74-57 second-round setback against North Carolina after contributing six points in 70-69 win against Idaho.
Anunwa "Nuni" Omot, F (Concordia MN 15/Baylor 17-18)
Member of the Bears' regular rotation much of 2016-17 season as juco recruit. Played briefly in all three NCAA tourney games that year.
Aaron Preece, G (Illinois College/Bradley 49-51)
Sixth-leading scorer for the Braves' 1950 NCAA and NIT runner-up tallied 12 points in each of the NCAA Final Four games.
Cecil Rellford, F (Kentucky State 74/St. John's 76-77)
Averaged 21.7 ppg and 10 rpg for KSU in six games before averaging 11.2 ppg and 6 rpg with St. John's. Averaged 9 ppg and 4.5 rpg in two NCAA playoff setbacks.
Duncan Robinson, F (Williams MA 14/Michigan 16-18)
Averaged 17.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg for DIII Tournament runner-up as a freshman in 2013-14. Four years later, he led the Wolverines' 2018 DI Tournament runner-up in three-pointers with 78. Also competed in NCAA playoffs in 2016 and 2017.
Nevil Shed, F (North Carolina A&T/Texas Western 65-67)
"The Shadow" sank the free throw in 1966 NCAA championship game against Kentucky, giving the Miners a lead they never relinquished. He averaged 10.6 ppg and 7.9 rpg for the national titlist.
Bill Sherwood, C-F (Oglethorpe GA 84-85/Oregon State 87-88)
Averaged 7.7 ppg in 1986-87 and 14.7 ppg in 1987-88 for the Beavers. Outscored teammate Gary Payton with 17 points in OSU's 70-61 loss to Louisville in 1988 Southeast Regional.
Danny Singletary, G (Ohio Valley WV/Coppin State 97-98)
Led National Small College Athletic Association in scoring in mid-1990s with 27.6-ppg average before transferring. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.8 apg and 2.3 spg for Coppin State. Scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half of a shocking 78-65 first-round triumph against South Carolina in 1997 NCAA playoffs before collecting team-high 6 assists and game-high 6 steals in 82-81 setback against Texas.
Gregg Smith, C (North Dakota State 00/Eastern Washington 02-04)
Transferred along with coach Ray Giacoletti following freshman season in 1999-00 (5.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg). Averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg in three-year career with EWU, scoring team-high 16 points against Oklahoma State in his final game (75-56 setback in 2004 East Regional in East Rutherford).
Scott Snider, C (Pacific Lutheran WA 92-93/Gonzaga 95-96)
Led Pacific Lutheran in scoring as a freshman with 11.9 ppg before averaging 14 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a sophomore. Led the WCC in field-goal shooting (62.9%) as a senior when averaging 10.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg after averaging 5.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg the previous year for the Zags' first NCAA Tournament team.
Jerry Stroman, F (Benedict SC 83/Utah 85-86)
All-WAC first-team selection as a senior when leading the Utes in scoring with 18 ppg. He shared team-high scoring total with 18 points in opening-round loss against North Carolina in 1986 NCAA tourney.
Manny Suarez, C (Adelphi NY 16-17/Creighton 18)
Averaged 15.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 2.2 bpg in two-year career with Adelphi. Played briefly for Creighton in 2018 NCAA playoff opening-round defeat against Kansas State.
Johnny Taylor, F (Knoxville TN 94/Tenn.-Chattanooga 96-97)
Averaged 18.2 ppg and 8.1 rpg with UTC before becoming an NBA first-round draft choice. Southern Conference Player of the Year for UTC team upsetting Georgia and Illinois in 1997 Southeast Regional. He averaged 17.7 ppg and 6 rpg in three NCAA playoff games, scoring a game-high 22 points in defeat against Providence.
Chad Townsend, G (St. Edward's TX 95/Murray State 97-98)
Averaged 22.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg in his final season with St. Edward's. All-Ohio Valley Conference second-team selection averaged 13.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg and a school-record 7.1 apg as a junior when he was OVC Tournament MVP. Played in two NCAA tourneys with the Racers, pacing them in assists in both games while averaging 12 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
Joel Tribelhorn, G (Fort Lewis CO 85-87/Colorado State 89)
Finished third on Fort Lewis' career scoring list with 1,390 points after setting school single-season records for most points (635 in 1986-87), highest scoring average (24.4 ppg in 1985-86) and best three-point field-goal shooting (50% in 1986-87). The NAIA All-American second-team selection as a junior became an All-WAC second-team pick as a senior when he was CSU's second-leading scorer (13.8 ppg), led the Rams in field-goal shooting (53.9%) and paced the league in three-point shooting (56.3%). Scored a game-high 20 points when CSU upset Florida, 68-46, in 1989 Midwest Regional.
Jeff Tyson, G (Aquinas MI 72/Western Michigan 74-76)
Played seven games with Aquinas before averaging 15 ppg and 5.4 rpg with WMU. As a senior, he scored a game-high 25 points in 77-67 decision over Virginia Tech in the Chippewas' first-ever NCAA playoff contest.
Roosevelt Wallace, F (Virginia Union/Arkansas 91-92)
Averaged 8.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg for the Razorbacks' 1992 NCAA playoff squad. He played a total of 16 minutes in two tourney tilts.
Phil Zevenbergen, F (Seattle Pacific 83/Washington 86-87)
Attended community college before averaging 10.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg for the Huskies. Grabbed two rebounds in nine minutes in 72-70 setback against Michigan State in first round of 1986 Midwest Regional.
NOTE: Missouri State, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, North Dakota State, Omaha, Prairie View, Sacramento State, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Martin, Troy and Wright State subsequently moved up to NCAA Division I status.
Like Father/Like Son: Drew Brothers in NCAA Playoffs Just Like Dear Old Dad
Four years ago, most media mavens focused on Rick Pitino joined in NCAA Tournament by his son (Richard with Minnesota before recently heading to New Mexico) - the first father-son duo in the same tourney although chip-off-the-old-block Little Richard didn't last long when promptly eliminated from playoffs by Middle Tennessee State. Two seasons ago, Little Richie guided the Gophers to an opening-round triumph against The Ville after UL had its fill of father's flaws and dismissed him before he subsequently returned this year with Iona.
This year's event has Virginia's Tony Bennett, Baylor's Scott Drew, Grand Canyon's Bryce Drew and Arkansas' Eric Musselman following in the NCAA dance-party footsteps of their respective fathers. John Thompson Jr. and John III are the only one of the following 16 father-son combinations to each win more than six NCAA playoff games:
Gene Bartow (Memphis State, UCLA and UAB; 14-12 record in 1973-76-77-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94)/Murry Bartow (UAB and East Tennessee State; 0-4 in 1999 and 2004-09-10)
Dick Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin; 5-6 in 1991-94-95-97-99-00)/Tony Bennett (Washington State and Virginia; 16-8 in 2007-08-12-14-15-16-17-18-19 entering 2021)
Jeff Capel Jr. (North Carolina A&T and Old Dominion; 1-3 in 1994-95-97)/Jeff Capel III (Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma; 4-3 in 2004-08-09)
Tom Davis (Boston College and Iowa; 18-11 in 1981-82-87-88-89-91-92-93-96-97-99)/Keno Davis (Drake; 0-1 in 2008)
Homer Drew (Valparaiso; 2-7 in 1996-97-98-99-00-02-04)/Scott Drew (Baylor; 11-8 in 2008-10-12-14-15-16-17-19 entering 2021) and Bryce Drew (Valparaiso, Vanderbilt and Grand Canyon; 0-4 in 2013-15-16-17 entering 2021)
Clarence Iba (Tulsa; 1-1 in 1955)/Gene Iba (Houston Baptist and Baylor; 0-2 in 1984 and 1988)
Hank Iba (Oklahoma State; 15-7 in 1945-46-49-51-53-54-58-65)/Moe Iba (Nebraska; 0-1 in 1986)
Bob Knight (Indiana and Texas Tech; 45-25 in 1973-75-76-78-80-81-82-83-84-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99 and 2000-02-04-05-07)/Pat Knight (Lamar; 0-1 in 2012)
Ray Meyer (DePaul; 14-16 in 1943-53-56-59-60-65-76-78-79-80-81-82-84)/Joey Meyer (DePaul; 6-7 in 1985-86-87-88-89-91-92)
Don Monson (Idaho; 1-2 in 1981 and 1982)/Dan Monson (Gonzaga, Minnesota and Long Beach State; 3-3 in 1999, 2005 and 2012)
Bill Musselman (Minnesota and South Alabama; 1-2 in 1972 and 1997)/Eric Musselman (Nevada and Arkansas; 2-3 in 2017-18-19 entering 2021)
Dave Odom (Wake Forest and South Carolina; 10-9 in 1991-92-93-94-95-96-97-01-04)/Ryan Odom (UMBC; 1-1 in 2018)
Rick Pitino (Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona; 54-19 in 1983-87-92-93-94-95-96-97-03-04-05-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-17 entering 2021)/Richard Pitino (Minnesota; 1-2 in 2017 and 2019)
Eddie Sutton (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State; 39-26 in 1974-77-78-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-91-92-93-94-95-98-99 and 2000-01-02-03-04-05)/Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts; 0-3 in 2006-07-08)
John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown; 34-19 in 1975-76-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-94-95-96-97)/John Thompson III (Princeton and Georgetown; 9-10 in 2001-04-06-07-08-10-11-12-13-15)
Butch van Breda Kolff (Princeton; 7-5 in 1963-64-65-67)/Jan van Breda Kolff (Vanderbilt and Pepperdine; 1-2 in 1997 and 2000)
Family Guys: FSU and Syracuse See Enhancement of Father-Son Legacies
You can't escape the distinguished DNA. Florida State (Polites) and Syracuse (Boeheims) have families adding to their father-son(s) legacy of NCAA playoff participation for the same school. Meanwhile, Illinois finally had a father-son tourney tandem in the "Big Dance" following last year's cancellation. All-American guard Frank Williams averaged 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in nine NCAA Tournament games for the Illini from 2000 through 2002 before declaring early for NBA draft. Son Da'Monte was a regular for #1 seed.
Princeton is the only mid-major school with a father-son combination collecting total of more than four NCAA playoff triumphs (father Ed Hummer 6/son Ian Hummer 0). BYU also had a couple of additional duos (Craigs and Christensens) among the following father-son combos playing for same school in NCAA tourney (listed by number of family victories):
| Family (Overall Record) | School | Summary of Father's NCAA Playoff Career | Summary of Son's NCAA Playoff Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnsons (21-6) | UCLA | Marques, the national player of the year as a senior, averaged 14.6 ppg and 8.6 rpg in 16 NCAA Tournament games from 1974 through 1977 (13-3 record including three Final Four teams) with high-scoring game of 35 points against Arizona State in 1975. | Kris averaged 9.5 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 11 NCAA Tournament games from 1995 through 1998 (8-3 record; DNP in three contests as freshman) with high-scoring game of 25 points against Michigan in 1998. |
| Ewings (20-5) | Georgetown | Patrick Sr., the national player of the year as a senior, averaged 14.2 ppg and 8 rpg in 18 NCAA Tournament games from 1982 through 1985 (15-3 record including three Final Four teams). | Patrick Jr. averaged 4.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg in seven NCAA Tournament games with the Hoyas in 2007 and 2008 (5-2 record including one Final Four team) after transferring from Indiana. |
| Mills (15-5) | Kentucky | Terry averaged 7.4 ppg and 2 rpg in five NCAA Tournament games from 1969 through 1971 (1-4 record; DNP in 1969 Regional Third-Place game). | Cameron averaged 5.9 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 15 NCAA Tournament games from 1995 through 1998 including three straight Final Four teams (14-1 record; DNP in seven playoff games as freshman and sophomore). As a junior, he led the Wildcats in 3FG%. |
| Valentines (11-5) | Michigan State | Carlton, the Spartans' leading scorer and rebounder as a senior in 1987-88, averaged 3 ppg and 2 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1986 (2-1 record). | Denzel, co-National Player of the Year as a senior after reaching Final Four the previous season, averaged 9.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.9 apg in 13 NCAA Tournament games from 2013 through 2016 (9-4 record). |
| Morningstars (10-6) | Kansas | Roger, runner-up in scoring for 1974 Final Four team, averaged 10.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg in five NCAA Tournament games in 1974 and 1975 after transferring from a junior college (2-3 record). | Brady averaged 5.5 ppg in 11 NCAA Tournament games from 2007 through 2011 (8-3 record; 2008 redshirt DNP in two games as freshman). Scored team-high 18 points against Richmond in 2011. |
| Eiferts (8-5) | Purdue | Greg averaged 1.3 ppg and 2 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1983 and 1984 (1-2 record). | Grady averaged 2.6 ppg in 10 NCAA Tournament games from 2017 through 2019 (7-3 record). |
| Childress (6-5) | Wake Forest | Randolph, an All-American as a senior, averaged 17.6 ppg, 3 rpg and 4.9 apg in 10 NCAA Tournament games in 1991 and from 1993 through 1995 (6-4 record) with high-scoring contest of 25 points against Iowa. | Brandon scored 7 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 2017. |
| Hummers (6-3) | Princeton | Ed, a Final Four teammate of All-American Bill Bradley in 1965 before becoming an All-Ivy League second-team selection, averaged 10.4 ppg and 9.3 rpg in eight NCAA Tournament games in 1965 and 1967 (6-2 record). His brother, John Hummer, scored 28 points in a 1969 NCAA playoff game against St. John's. | Ian, a three-time All-Ivy League selection, collected 11 points and 8 rebounds in two-point loss against Kentucky in 2011 NCAA playoffs. |
| Marbles (6-5) | Iowa | Roy, a three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection, averaged 16.3 ppg and 6 rpg in 10 NCAA Tournament games from 1986 through 1989 (6-4 record) with high-scoring contest of 28 points against UTEP in 1987. | Roy Devyn collected 7 points and 5 assists in one NCAA Tournament game in 2014. |
| Suttons (6-3) | Oklahoma State | Eddie averaged 6.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1958 (2-1 record). | Sean, a transfer from Kentucky, averaged 14.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 4.7 apg in six NCAA Tournament games in 1991 and 1992 (4-2 record). He led the Cowboys in assists and three-point shooting both seasons playing under his father/coach. |
| Coffeys (5-4) | Minnesota | Richard averaged 5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in six NCAA Tournament games in 1989 and 1990 (4-2 record; DNP in 1989 opener) including two outings with more than 10 rebounds. | Amir averaged 20.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 3.3 apg in three NCAA Tournament games in 2017 and 2019 (1-2 record). Scored more than half of the Gophers' points with 27 in a 70-50 setback against Michigan State in 2019. |
| Rautins (5-3) | Syracuse | Leo, who led the Orangemen in rebounds and assists as a senior when named an All-Big East Conference third-team selection, averaged 18.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3 apg in two NCAA Tournament games in 1983 (1-1 record) after transferring from Minnesota. | Andy, an All-Big East Conference second-team selection as a senior, averaged 13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 3.7 apg in six NCAA Tournament games in 2009 and 2010 (4-2 record). |
| Polites (5-4) | Florida State | Michael averaged 9 ppg and 6.3 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1988 and 1991 (1-2 record). | Anthony averaged 3 ppg and 1.7 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games in 2019 (2-1 record) before scoring a career-high 22 points in second-round triumph against #5 seed Colorado in 2021. |
| Brewers (4-3) | Arkansas | Ron, an All-American as a senior for the Hogs' 1978 Final Four team, averaged 19.2 ppg and 4 rpg in six NCAA Tournament games in 1977 and 1978 (4-2 record) with high of 22 points against Cal State Fullerton. | Ronnie, a two-time All-SEC selection, collected 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in one NCAA Tournament game in 2006 before declaring early for the NBA draft. |
| Craigs (4-5) | Brigham Young | Robert, a member of the Cougars' 1951 NIT titlist, averaged 1.3 ppg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1950 and 1951 (1-2 record; DNP in two games in 1951). | Steve, a teammate of All-American Danny Ainge, averaged 6.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.7 apg and 1.2 spg in six NCAA Tournament games from 1979 through 1981 (3-3 record). |
| McKies (4-3) | South Carolina | BJ averaged 20 ppg and 3 rpg in two NCAA Tournament games in 1997 and 1998. | Justin averaged 4 ppg in five NCAA Tournament games for 2017 Final Four team (4-1 record). |
| Wessons (4-4) | Ohio State | Keith averaged 0.8 ppg and 1.8 rpg in four NCAA Tournament games in 1983 and 1987 (2-2 record; redshirt in 1984-85). | Son Andre averaged 3 ppg and 4.3 rpg in four NCAA Tournament games in 2018 and 2019 (2-2 record). Son Kaleb averaged 9.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg in four NCAA Tournament games in 2018 and 2019 (2-2 record). |
| Boeheims (3-3) | Syracuse | Jim averaged 14.5 ppg and 2 rpg in two NCAA Tournament games in 1966 (1-1 record). | Buddy collected 2 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists in one NCAA Tournament game in 2019 before exploding for total of 55 points in his first two outings in 2021. |
| Stephens (3-4) | Purdue | Everette averaged 11.7 ppg and 7 apg in six NCAA Tournament games from 1986 through 1988 (3-3 record) including four contests with at least eight assists. | Kendall, who led the Boilermakers in three-pointers as a freshman and sophomore, scored 5 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 2015 (DNP in 2016) before transferring to Nevada. |
| Christensens (2-5) | Brigham Young | Hal, a member of 1951 NIT titlist, averaged 4.3 ppg and 1.7 rpg in three NCAA Tournament games the same year (1-2 record). He was chosen by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1953 NBA draft before having three sons play for the Cougars (two of them in NCAA playoffs). | Craig was scoreless in three NCAA Tournament games in 1979 and 1981 (1-2 record; DNP in two contests). Kurt was scoreless in one NCAA Tournament game in 1993 (0-1 record; DNP in opener). |
| Haws (2-6) | Brigham Young | Marty, an All-WAC first-team selection as a senior when leading the Cougars in scoring with 18.5 ppg, averaged 9.3 ppg and 3.3 apg in four NCAA Tournament games in 1987, 1988 and 1990 (1-3 record). | Tyler, BYU's all-time scoring leader (2,720 points) who ranked among the nation's top seven scorers each of his last three seasons, averaged 18.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 2.3 apg in four NCAA Tournament games in 2010, 2014 and 2015 (1-3 record) with high-scoring game of 33 against Ole Miss in 2015. |
| Henrys (2-2) | Kansas | Carl, a two-time All-Big Eight Conference selection after transferring from OCU, averaged 11.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in two NCAA Tournament games in 1984 (1-1 record). | Xavier averaged 9.5 ppg and 7 rpg in two NCAA Tournament games as a freshman in 2010 before leaving early for the NBA draft. |
| Kornets (2-4) | Vanderbilt | Frank, an All-SEC second-team selection as a senior before playing a couple of seasons in the NBA, averaged 11.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 2.8 apg in four NCAA Tournament games in 1988 and 1989 (2-2 record). | Luke averaged 11 ppg, 7 rpg and 2.5 bpg in two NCAA Tournament games in 2016 and 2017 (0-2 record). |
| Lindseys (2-3) | Baylor | Dennis scored 5 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 1988. | Jake averaged 3 ppg and 2.8 apg in four NCAA Tournament games in 2016 and 2017 (2-2 record). |
| Perrys (2-2) | Holy Cross | Ronnie Sr. averaged 16.7 ppg in three NCAA Tournament games in 1953 (2-1 record). | Ronnie Jr., a three-time All-American, scored 24 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 1980 (missed 1977 playoffs because of ankle injury). |
| Hammonds (1-4) | Middle Tennessee | Kerry Sr. averaged 13.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg in four NCAA Tournament games in 1985, 1987 and 1989 (1-3 record). | Kerry II collected 10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in one NCAA Tournament game in 2013. |
| Mayes (1-3) | Florida State | Tharon averaged 18.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 2 apg in two NCAA Tournament games in 1988 and 1989. | Xavier Rathan-Mayes averaged 13 ppg, 6 rpg and 4 apg in two NCAA Tournament games in 2017 (1-1 record). |
| Burtts (0-2) | Iona | Steve Sr., a two-time MAAC MVP and the Gaels' all-time leading scorer (2,534 points), collected 28 points and 4 rebounds in one NCAA Tournament game in 1984. | Steve Jr., a three-time All-MAAC selection and the Gaels' runner-up in career scoring (2,034 points), tallied 23 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 2006. |
| Parkinsons (0-2) | Purdue | Bruce, an All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection as a junior, collected 10 points and 2 assists in one NCAA Tournament game in 1977. | Austin grabbed 2 rebounds in one NCAA Tournament game in 2003 (0-1 record; DNP in second round). |
| Paytons (0-4) | Oregon State | Gary Sr., an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American as a senior, averaged 18 ppg, 4 rpg and 7 apg in three NCAA Tournament games from 1988 through 1990 (0-3 record). | Gary II, a juco transfer who became a two-time All-Pac-12 Conference first-team selection/Defensive Player of the Year collected 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in one NCAA Tournament game in 2016. |
| Springers (0-2) | Iona | Gary Sr., a three-time All-MAAC selection, collected 8 points and 8 rebounds in one NCAA Tournament game in 1984. | Gary Jr., an All-MAAC third-team selection as a senior in 2008-09, scored 4 points in one NCAA Tournament game in 2006. |
Stars Burn Out: Premier Programs Missing in Action From NCAA Tournament
At least 10 of the 37 schools appearing in excess of 50 NCAA playoff games failed to participate in the tourney each year since the field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985, including 16 former Final Four schools this season. Fifteen is the average number of schools in this category over the last seven tourneys.
Nearly half of the "star schools" stayed home in 2004, including Houston when the Cougars were in the midst of a 17-year playoff drought from 1993 through 2009. Following is a chronological list of big-name universities who were tourney outcasts since 1985:
1985 (14) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida, Houston, Indiana, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
1986 (12) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida, Houston, Kansas State, Marquette, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Wake Forest
1987 (13) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Utah, Villanova, Wake Forest
1988 (12) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Marquette, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
1989 (15) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, Marquette, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, Utah, Wake Forest
1990 (12) - Cincinnati, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
1991 (14) - Cincinnati, Florida, Illinois, Houston, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, West Virginia
1992 (11) - Florida, Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Purdue, UNLV, Utah, Villanova
1993 (15) - Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown, Houston, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Texas, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia
1994 (13) - Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Memphis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, St. John's, UNLV, Utah, Villanova, West Virginia
1995 (11) - Duke, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, St. John's, UNLV, West Virginia
1996 (11) - Florida, Houston, Illinois, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, UNLV, West Virginia
1997 (16) - Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Houston, Kansas State, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, UNLV, West Virginia
1998 (14) - Florida, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Villanova, Wake Forest
1999 (12) - Georgetown, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, UNLV, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2000 (12) - Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Villanova, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2001 (14) - Connecticut, Houston, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Purdue, St. John's, UNLV, Utah, Villanova, West Virginia
2002 (15) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue, Syracuse, Temple, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia
2003 (14) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, St. John's, Temple, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia
2004 (18) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia
2005 (15) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UNLV
2006 (14) - Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest
2007 (15) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2008 (14) - Cincinnati, Florida, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, Utah, Wake Forest
2009 (13) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, St. John's, UNLV
2010 (15) - Arizona, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, St. John's, UCLA, Utah
2011 (10) - Arkansas, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah, Wake Forest
2012 (13) - Arizona, Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, St. John's, UCLA, Utah, Villanova, Wake Forest
2013 (11) - Arkansas, Connecticut, Houston, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Purdue, St. John's, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2014 (15) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Marquette, Maryland, Notre Dame, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2015 (12) - Connecticut, Florida, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, Syracuse, Temple, UNLV, Wake Forest
2016 (16) - Arkansas, Florida, Georgetown, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, UCLA, UNLV, Wake Forest
2017 (15) - Connecticut, Georgetown, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Memphis, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple, UNLV, Utah
2018 (16) - Connecticut, Georgetown, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Temple, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest
2019 (15) - Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgetown, Illinois, Indiana, Memphis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, UCLA, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia
2021 (16) - Arizona, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, St. John's, Temple, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest
College Exam: Day #5 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, 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 5 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 player to score more than 30,000 points in his pro career after never appearing in NCAA playoffs? Hint: He is the only former major-college player to become NBA Most Valuable Player after failing to participate in NCAA Tournament. He was 0-2 in the NIT, where he lost his final college game by 41 points, before leaving college for the pros with one season of eligibility remaining.
2. Who is the only person to play for an NBA championship team before coaching an NCAA titlist? Hint: He was a backup to an NBA all-time great after being the leading scorer and rebounder for a team winning an NIT crown.
3. Who became an NCAA playoff coach after being the only player in history to participate with two different schools in the NCAA championship game? Hint: One of the teams he played for was undefeated. He coached two different schools in the tourney.
4. Who is the only coach to engineer a turnaround featuring an NCAA playoff appearance in his first full season at a new job although the school compiled a record of more than 20 games below .500 the previous year? Hint: It was his only year as coach at the school.
5. Name the only mid-major conference to have two different members reach a regional semifinal as at-large teams in the same year, beating opponents from the Big East, Big 12 and SEC in the process. Hint: Two other members of the same league achieved the feat in the previous seven years. Only two of its current members haven't won playoff games when seeded five or more places worse than a major university currently a member of one of the current consensus top six leagues since seeding started in 1979.
6. Name the only former NCAA Tournament champion not to win at least one playoff game since capturing the title. Hint: It's the first NCAA champion to have black players in its starting lineup and is the only school to win the NCAA playoffs and NIT in the same year. The school is also the only former major college to win a Division I Tournament championship.
7. Name the school with the most playoff games decided by one or two points (four) on its way to a championship. Hint: It was the first school to need six victories to claim the national crown and is the only school to have two different coaches capture a national championship after compiling a losing record in their first seasons as a major-college head coach.
8. Who is the only coach to win his first 12 tournament games decided in overtime or by fewer than six points in regulation? Hint: His first of three NCAA championship game teams had four players become NBA first-round draft choices.
9. Name the only state to have more than six different schools reach the Final Four. Hint: The state went 31 years between its two national championships.
10. Name the only person to coach two different universities in back-to-back years when each school made its initial playoff appearance. Hint: He reached the national championship game with one of the schools.
Southern Living: #1 Seed Alabama Among Late Arrivals to NCAA Dance Party
Ten power league members always classified as major colleges - with majority of them from the South - finished in the Top 20 of a final wire-service poll at least twice although they didn't make their initial NCAA appearance until after 1970. A reluctance to recruit African-American players probably was principal reason so many Southern universities weren't consistently competent enough to participate in NCAA playoffs.
Alabama, a #1 seed this season, didn't appear at the NCAA party until the event's 37th year of existence. Among the late-bloomer group, Nebraska is winless in the NCAA playoffs while Florida is a two-time NCAA champion.
Major School (Power League) 1st NCAA Tourney Star Player(s) in Playoff Debut Alabama (SEC) 1975 (0-1) Leon Douglas and T.R. Dunn Auburn (SEC) 1984 (0-1) Charles Barkley and Chuck Person Clemson (ACC) 1980 (3-1) Larry Nance Florida (SEC) 1987 (2-1) Vernon Maxwell and Dwayne Schintzius Georgia (SEC) 1983 (3-1) James Banks, Terry Fair and Vern Fleming Minnesota (Big Ten) 1972 (1-1) Jim Brewer, Clyde Turner and Dave Winfield Nebraska (Big Eight) 1986 (0-1) Brian Carr and Bernard Day Seton Hall (Big East) 1988 (1-1) Mark Bryant and John Morton South Carolina (ACC) 1971 (0-2) Kevin Joyce, Tom Owens, Tom Riker and John Roche Virginia (ACC) 1976 (0-1) Wally Walker **NOTE: Nebraska (Big Ten) and South Carolina (SEC) currently are members of other power conferences.
Texas Tech Might Join Schools Losing to NCAA Champ Three Tourneys in Row
A total of 10 power-conference members - Boston College, Clemson, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington - never have incurred an NCAA tourney setback against an opponent capturing the NCAA title that season. On the other end of the spectrum, Kansas has an all-time high 13 such reversals (1940-53-57-66-71-91-93-97 and 2002-03-12-16-18). Right behind KU are Duke (12 defeats), Utah (11), North Carolina (10) and Oklahoma (10).
Texas Tech, losing in the previous two playoffs against titlists Villanova (2018) and Virginia (2019) before 2020 tourney cancellation, earned an at-large bid this season. If Arkansas wins the national title, the Chris Beard-coached Red Raiders will have been eliminated by the eventual national champion for the third consecutive NCAA playoff. They would join the following chronological list of schools in rare category of bowing out in back-to-back-to-back tourneys against kingpin:
| School | Coach (Vital Players All Three Years) | Tourney Defeats vs. NCAA Champion in Three Straight Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State | Lou Henson (Jimmy Collins/Sam Lacey) | Lost to UCLA in 1968 (Regional Semifinal), 1969 (Regional Semifinal) and 1970 (National Semifinal) |
| Long Beach State | Jerry Tarkanian (no player in regular rotation all three seasons) | Lost to UCLA in 1970 (Regional Semifinal), 1971 (Regional Final) and 1972 (Regional Final) |
| Louisiana State | Dale Brown (Greg Cook/Ethan Martin/Willie Sims) | Lost to Michigan State in 1979 (Regional Semifinal), Louisville in 1980 (Regional Final) and Indiana in 1981 (National Semifinal) |
| Houston | Guy Lewis (Eric Dickens/Reid Gettys/Akeem Olajuwon/Michael Young) | Lost to North Carolina in 1982 (National Semifinal), North Carolina State in 1983 (National Final) and Georgetown in 1984 (National Final) |
| Duke | Mike Krzyzewski (Danny Ferry/Billy King/John Smith/Quin Snyder/Kevin Strickland) | Lost to Louisville in 1986 (National Final), Indiana in 1987 (Regional Semifinal) and Kansas in 1988 (National Semifinal) |
| Michigan | Steve Fisher (Juwan Howard/Ray Jackson/Jimmy King/Jalen Rose) | Lost to Duke in 1992 (National Final), North Carolina in 1993 (National Final) and Arkansas in 1994 (Regional Final) |
Two seasons ago, Texas Tech joined the following chronological list of schools - including Duke three additional times and Villanova twice - eliminated in back-to-back years in NCAA playoffs by teams winning national title those seasons:
- Dartmouth (regular-rotation players both years: George Munroe/James Olsen/Stanley Skaug) - defeated in tourney by champions Wisconsin in 1941 and Stanford in 1942
- NYU (Don Forman/Frank Mangiapane/Dolph Schayes/Sid Tanenbaum) - Oklahoma A&M in 1945 and 1946
- St. John's (Ron MacGilvray/Jack McMahon/Bob Zawoluk) - Kentucky in 1951 and Kansas in 1952
- Utah (Gary Bergen/Morris Buckwalter/Art Bunte/Curtis Jenson) - San Francisco in 1955 and 1956
- Ohio State (Gary Gearhart/John Havlicek/Bob Knight/Jerry Lucas/Mel Nowell) - Cincinnati in 1961 and 1962
- Duke (Jay Buckley/Denny Ferguson/Buzz Harrison/Ron Herbster/Jeff Mullins/Hack Tison) - Loyola of Chicago in 1963 and UCLA in 1964
- San Francisco (Joe Ellis/Ollie Johnson/Erwin Mueller) - UCLA in 1964 and 1965
- Houston (Don Chaney/Elvin Hayes/Theodis Lee/Vern Lewis/Ken Spain) - UCLA in 1967 and 1968
- Santa Clara (Dennis Awtrey/Chris Dempsey/Joe Diffey/Terry O'Brien/Bud Ogden/Ralph Ogden) - UCLA in 1968 and 1969
- Michigan (Dave Baxter/Wayman Britt/Steve Grote/John Robinson) - UCLA in 1975 and Indiana in 1976
- UNLV (Eric Booker/Paul Brozovich/Jeff Collins/Danny Tarkanian) - North Carolina State in 1983 and Georgetown in 1984
- Dayton (Dan Christie/Damon Goodwin/Ted Harris/Larry Schellenberg/Sedric Toney/Jeff Zern) - Georgetown in 1984 and Villanova in 1985
- North Carolina (Brad Daugherty/Steve Hale/Curtis Hunter/Warren Martin/Dave Popson/Kenny Smith/Ranzino Smith/Joe Wolf) - Villanova in 1985 and Louisville in 1986
- Auburn (Frank Ford/Terrance Howard/Mike Jones/Jeff Moore/Chris Morris/Gerald White) - Louisville in 1986 and Indiana in 1987
- Louisiana State (Oliver Brown/Jose Vargas/Anthony Wilson/Bernard Woodside) - Louisville in 1986 and Indiana in 1987
- Duke (Alaa Abdelnaby/Robert Brickey/Danny Ferry/Billy King/John Smith/Quin Snyder/Kevin Strickland) - Indiana in 1987 and Kansas in 1988
- Xavier (Tyrone Hill/Stan Kimbrough/Derek Strong/Jamal Walker) - Kansas in 1988 and Michigan in 1989
- Iowa (Val Barnes/Rodell Davis/Acie Earl/James Moses/Troy Skinner/Kevin Smith/Chris Street/James Winters) - Duke in 1991 and 1992
- Duke (William Avery/Shane Battier/Elton Brand/Chris Burgess/Chris Carrawell/Trajan Langdon) - Kentucky in 1998 and Connecticut in 1999
- Kansas (Nick Collison/Kirk Hinrich/Keith Langford/Aaron Miles) - Maryland in 2002 and Syracuse in 2003
- Villanova (Randy Foye/Jason Fraser/Kyle Lowry/Mike Nardi/Allan Ray/Will Sheridan) - North Carolina in 2005 and Florida in 2006
- UCLA (Alfred Aboya/Aaron Affalo/Darren Collison/Lorenzo Mata-Real/Luc Richard Mbah a Moute/Michael Roll) - Florida in 2006 and 2007
- Villanova (Dwayne Anderson/Shane Clark/Dante Cunningham/Corey Fisher/Antonio Pena/Reggie Redding/Scottie Reynolds/Corey Stokes) - Kansas in 2008 and North Carolina in 2009
- Butler (Zach Hahn/Matt Howard/Shelvin Mack/Ronald Nored/Shawn Vanzant) - Duke in 2010 and Connecticut in 2011
- Michigan State (Matt Costello/Branden Dawson/Alvin Ellis/Gavin Schilling/Travis Trice/Denzel Valentine) - Connecticut in 2014 and Duke in 2015
- Texas Tech (Jarrett Culver/Brandone Francis/David Moretti/Norense Odiase) - Villanova in 2018 and Virginia in 2019
Hype Hangover: NBA MVPs With Most Disappointing NCAA Tourney Careers
In a monumental miscarriage of justice last year, Michael Jordan (North Carolina) and Larry Bird (Indiana State) reached finale stemming from online voting for ESPN's college basketball's greatest of all-time (GOAT) bracket. MJ deserved to be national POY over Virginia senior Ralph Sampson in 1982-83, but the ESPN debacle was an obvious benchmark exhibiting historical level of ignorance and how much ill-informed younger generations are self-absorbed mental midgets completely influenced by TV commercials. Actually, ESPN's politically-correct bracket was flawed from the outset when a race-to-erase masculinity had females comprising 1/4 of the entrants. Where were bathroom-barging transgender candidates impacting site selection?
A more accurate barometer for determining college impact and individual excellence is Collegehoopedia's authoritative "All-Time Top 100 Players." Truth be told when it comes to NCAA Tournament history, MJ and Larry Legend probably rank 1-2 only in assessing a "goat" for most disappointing college playoff performances by individuals eventually earning at least three NBA Most Valuable Player awards. Despite both of them reaching an NCAA championship contest, there is a striking number of other individuals who should be on college basketball's Mount Rushmore after excelling the most as NCAA playoff performers. For instance, UCLA's Lew Alcindor earned three consecutive Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards from 1967 through 1969; Ohio State's Jerry Lucas was a three-time Big Ten Conference MVP who led the nation in FG% all three seasons from 1960 through 1962; Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson amassed 33 consecutive double-doubles en route to pacing country in scoring three times from 1958 through 1960; San Francisco's Bill Russell registered an incredible four-game total of 84 rebounds in back-to-back Final Fours in 1955 and 1956, and UCLA's Bill Walton was the main cog for first school in history to compile back-to-back perfect seasons (1972 and 1973).
It's a simplistic cop-out to accept the one-name icon visibility of Michael, Bird and Magic Johnson (Michigan State) and designate them among the premier players in NCAA tourney history. Compared to their unquestionable NBA exploits (where MJ should rank #1 if wearing uniform No. 23 rather than 45), they were more duds than studs in NCAA playoffs warranting inclusion among the following not-so-super seven NBA MVPs faltering at times in college postseason competition:
Michael Jordan (North Carolina) - His NBA playoff scoring average with the Chicago Bulls more than doubled the NCAA Tournament scoring average he compiled for Carolina. Jordan averaged 16.5 points per NCAA playoff game with the Tar Heels, scoring 20 or more in just two of 10 postseason games from 1982 through 1984. His Airness scored fewer than 18 points in two of the four playoff contests he led Carolina in scoring. Most people don't remember his inauspicious playoff debut when he collected six points, one rebound, no assists and no steals in 37 minutes of a 52-50 opening-round victory against James Madison in the East Regional. And Jordan's final NCAA Tournament appearance before he left school early for the NBA was nothing to write home about, either. The college player of the year was restricted to six points in the first 35 minutes of his collegiate swan song in the East Regional semifinals against Indiana, finishing with 13 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal in 26 foul-plagued minutes when the top-ranked Tar Heels were eliminated (72-68). A total of 25 different Carolina players - including Ranzino Smith with modest career average of 6.5 ppg - posted NCAA playoff scoring high matching or greater than Jordan's best of 27.
Larry Bird (Indiana State) - Boosted the Sycamores to the 1979 final in his lone NCAA tourney, but put the 'oops' in hoops by committing a Final Four-record 17 turnovers. He hit just 7-of-21 field-goal attempts and had three times as many turnovers (six) as assists (two) against Michigan State in the championship game, which was essentially the equivalent of a boring Super Bowl failing to live up to hype.
James Harden (Arizona State) - Averaged 9.5 points in two NCAA Tournament games in 2009.
Dave Cowens (Florida State) - Collected 11 points and 4 rebounds in one NCAA Tournament game against East Tennessee State in the playoff debuts for both schools in 1968.
Charles Barkley (Auburn) - Lost only NCAA Tournament game as junior in 1984 against mid-major Richmond (#12 seed).
Russell Westbrook (UCLA) - Averaged 8.2 points and 2.2 assists in 10 NCAA Tournament games for Final Four teams in 2007 and 2008.
Magic Johnson (Michigan State) - Shot an anemic 27.8% from the floor (10-of-36) in three 1978 tourney games as a freshman before leading Spartans to NCAA title the next year. He had more turnovers (six) than assists (five) in the over-hyped 1979 final, a mediocre contest paling in comparison to the last eight finals of the 1980s when seven of them were decided by an average of two points. Johnson outscored and outrebounded teammate Greg Kelser in just one of eight playoff games they played together. Kelser simply contributed more than Magic to MSU's cause in NCAA competition.
Shootouts at NCAA Corrals: UK vs. UND Only Game With Two Scorers > 40
The coronavirus is culprit for a massive national slowdown panic, but can't be connected to quarantine for scoring outbreaks in NCAA Tournament thus far this Century. What's really alarming to playoff pundits is there hasn't been an NCAA playoff game since 1998 where an individual scored at least 40 points and opponent had team-high scorer with at least 30 points.
The only playoff game in history when each squad had a player score more than 40 points was Kentucky beating Notre Dame in 1970 regional semifinals. It doesn't seem possible, but Irish All-American guard Austin Carr erupted for at least 45 points in three NCAA tourney defeats in 1970 and 1971.
A couple of relatively-obscure guards - Michigan's Garde Thompson (career scoring average of 7.2 ppg) and Fairleigh Dickinson's Elijah Allen (10 ppg) - are included among the 13 NCAA playoff shootouts - three in 1990 - when an individual scored at least 40 points while an opponent had team-high scorer with at least 30 points:
| Year (Tourney Round) | Result of Playoff Game When Player Scored At Least 40 and Foe Tallied Over 30 |
|---|---|
| 1953 (National Third) | Washington 88 (Bob Houbregs game-high 42), Louisiana State 69 (Bob Pettit team-high 36) |
| 1961 (National Third) | St. Joseph's 127 (Jack Egan 42), Utah 120 (Billy McGill 34)**** |
| 1970 (Regional Semifinals) | Kentucky 109 (Dan Issel 44), Notre Dame 99 (Austin Carr 52) |
| 1970 (Regional Third) | Iowa 121 (Chad Calabria/John Johnson 31), Notre Dame 106 (Austin Carr 45) |
| 1971 (Regional Third) | Houston 119 (James "Poo" Welch 38), Notre Dame 106 (Austin Carr 47) |
| 1984 (Second Round) | #10 seed Dayton 89 (Roosevelt Chapman 41), #2 Oklahoma 85 (Wayman Tisdale 36) |
| 1987 (First Round) | #9 Michigan 97 (Garde Thompson 33), #8 Navy 82 (David Robinson 50) |
| 1988 (First Round) | #8 Auburn 90 (Chris Morris 36), #9 Bradley 86 (Hersey Hawkins 44) |
| 1989 (Second Round) | #5 North Carolina State 102 (Rodney Monroe 40), #4 Iowa 96 (Ed Horton 32)** |
| 1990 (First Round) | #10 Texas 100 (Travis Mays 44), #7 Georgia 88 (Alec Kessler 33) |
| 1990 (Regional Final) | #4 Georgia Tech 93 (Dennis Scott 40), #6 Minnesota 91 (Willie Burton 35) |
| 1990 (Regional Final) | #1 UNLV 131 (Stacey Augmon 33), #11 Loyola Marymount 101 (Greg "Bo" Kimble 42) |
| 1998 (First Round) | #2 Connecticut 93 (Richard "Rip" Hamilton 30), #15 Fairleigh Dickinson 85 (Elijah Allen 43) |
**Double Overtime.
****Four Overtimes.
In 1963, St. Joseph's became the only school to win back-to-back NCAA tourney contests despite an individual opponent erupting for at least 40 points. Two years ago, Purdue guard Carsen Edwards became the ninth different all-in-vain scoring machine to be on the losing end despite supplying at least 40 points in a single playoff game. In addition to the five players acknowledged in summary above, following is a list including Edwards and three other such all-for-naught individuals:
| Year (Tourney Round) | Result of NCAA Playoff Game When Player on Losing Team Scored At Least 40 Points |
|---|---|
| 1963 (First Round) | St. Joseph's 82 (Steve Courtin 21), Princeton 81 (Bill Bradley 40)* |
| 1963 (Regional Semifinals) | St. Joseph's 97 (Jim Boyle/Tom Wynne 23), West Virginia 88 (Rod Thorn 44) |
| 1976 (Regional Final) | Michigan 95 (Rickey Green 23), Missouri 88 (Willie Smith 43) |
| 2019 (Regional Final) | Virginia 80 (Kyle Guy 25), Purdue 75 (Carsen Edwards 42)* |
*Overtime.
Elite Hate: Seven Power-Conference Members Never Reaching Regional Final
First things first! This admonition for handful of prominent schools is finally winning an NCAA playoff regional semifinal game. Some fans hate that their university never has been in a position to secure one more victory and reach the Final Four love-fest. A total of seven existing power-conference members have failed to advance to an NCAA Tournament regional final. The frustration continues as none of these seven schools earned or were invited to the 2021 party. Combining for 75 NCAA playoff appearances and 63-78 record (.447), following is an alphabetical list of the "Elite Eight" no-shows from top six leagues:
| Power-League Member | App. | Record | Pct. | Premier Players for Previous NCAA Tournament Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State | 16 | 14-17 | .452 | Larry Armstrong, Isaac Austin, Art Becker, Mario Bennett, Joe Caldwell, Jahii Carson, Tony Cerkvenik, Ike Diogu, Jamal Faulkner (transferred to Alabama), James Harden, Lionel Hollins, Alton Lister, Scott Lloyd, 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 |
| Miami (Fla.) | 10 | 8-10 | .444 | Johnny Hemsley, Dick Hickox, Tim James, Shane Larkin, Sheldon McClellan, Jack McClinton, Darius Rice and Angel Rodriguez |
| Mississippi | 9 | 5-9 | .357 | Keith Carter, Carlos Clark, Aaron Harper, Marshall Henderson, Marcus Hicks, Stefan Moody, Justin Reed, Ansu Sesay and Elston Turner |
| Nebraska | 7 | 0-7 | .000 | Cookie Belcher, Jaron Boone, Derrick Chandler, Bernard Day, Venson Hamilton, Carl Hayes, Rich King, Tyronn Lue, Terran Petteway, Eric Piatkowski, Shavon Shields, Erick Strickland and Andre Woolridge (transferred to Iowa) |
| Northwestern | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | Vic Law, Scottie Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh and Dererk Pardon |
| Texas A&M | 14 | 13-15 | .464 | 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, Claude Riley, Vernon Smith, Robert Williams, Rudy Woods and Rynn Wright |
Unsung Heroes: Saving Ryan's Overtly Private NCAA DI Tournament Tale
Since they usually weren't the focal point of offense, their postseason competition achievement can get lost in normal All-American traffic for the 14 schools boasting multiple national championships. Despite never participating in a Final Four themselves, there are often-overlooked players who exhibited authentic "One Shining Moment" in NCAA Tournament for a blue-blood program. Two undervalued guards from prominent programs deserving special mention are:
- Ryan Robertson - 31-point outburst for Kansas against Kentucky in overtime in 1999 is higher than all-time tourney best for any of his more-publicized teammates during four-year career (including Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard and Jacque Vaughn). KU's Robertson, taking only 10 field-goal attempts, is one of six opposing players (including Dayton's Henry Finkel in 1966, Notre Dame's Austin Carr in 1970, Indiana's Kent Benson in 1975, Iowa State's Justus Thigpen Jr. in 1992 and Wichita State's Cleanthony Early in 2014) to score more than 30 points in defeat amid UK's NCAA tourney-high 131 victories. Among the 14 schools with multiple NCAA titles, Academic All-American Robertson has the lowest career scoring average (7.4 ppg) for a "blue-blood school" individual meeting the challenge and registering more than 30 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
- Ranzino Smith - 27-point uprising for North Carolina in only 18 minutes against Loyola Marymount in 1988 matches Michael Jordan's NCAA playoff high (against Temple in 1984). Among the 14 NCAA titlists in question, Smith has the lowest career scoring average (6.5 ppg) for an individual supplying more than 25 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
Twelve of the 14 tourney games summarized below occurred in first or second round. Restricting alphabetical list to schools capturing more than one NCAA title, the following individuals tallied more than 20 points in an NCAA playoff game despite college career scoring average lower than 13 ppg and subsequently not selected in first round of NBA draft:
| Multiple-Title School | Unsung Hero (Career Avg.) | HG | NCAA Playoff Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | Leonard Stokes (10.2) | 39 | UCLA (Second Round) | 3-17-02 |
| Duke | Doug Kistler (11.5) | 26 | Princeton (First Round) | 3-8-60 |
| Florida | KeVaughn Allen (12.1) | 35 | Wisconsin (Regional Semifinals) | 3-24-17 |
| Indiana | Andrae Patterson (11.3) | 26 | Oklahoma (First Round) | 3-12-98 |
| Kansas | Ryan Robertson (7.4) | 31 | Kentucky (Second Round) | 3-14-99 |
| Kentucky | Joe Crawford (11.3) | 35 | Marquette (First Round) | 3-20-08 |
| Louisville | Edgar Sosa (9.7) | 31 | Texas A&M (Second Round) | 3-17-07 |
| Michigan State | Darryl Johnson (12.9) | 22 | Washington (First Round) | 3-13-86 |
| North Carolina | Ranzino Smith (6.5) | 27 | Loyola Marymount (Second Round) | 3-19-88 |
| North Carolina State | Ilian Evtimov (9.3) | 28 | Vanderbilt (Second Round) | 3-21-04 |
| Oklahoma State | Corey Williams (10.3) | 27 | Tulane (Second Round) | 3-22-92 |
| San Francisco | Mike Quick (12.6) | 25 | Long Beach State (Regional Semifinals) | 3-15-73 |
| UCLA | Tony Parker (8.3) | 28 | UAB (Second Round) | 3-21-15 |
| Villanova | Alvin Williams (10.9) | 31 | California (Second Round) | 3-15-97 |
Regal Record Doesn't Mean School is Bound For Final Four or Regional Final
A regal regular-season record persuades pollsters, arm alumni with arrogance and impress Division I committee members dispensing seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Four years ago, Gonzaga learned it doesn't guarantee ultimate postseason success because the "Road to the Final Four" is filled with quality opponents.
Over the first 43 tourneys since the last undefeated team (Indiana '76), 26 schools entered the NCAA playoffs undefeated or with one setback after the Zags and Winthrop joined category this year. None of the previous squads in this group went on to win the national title. Less than half of them reached a regional final. The following chronological list entered the NCAA tourney either unbeaten or with only one setback since IU went undefeated in 1975-76:
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