Never-Never Land: None of Duke's 45 All-Americans From North Carolina
Brandon Ingram (Kinston, NC) came close to becoming an All-American selection for Duke six years ago but fell short; especially following a 10-turnover outing at Louisville. Several years ago, Harry Giles (Winston-Salem, NC) was hyped as a freshman phenom but averaged an anemic 3.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg while contributing total of only nine assists in 26 games after incurring a knee injury. Neither Giles nor Ingram achieved a distinction generated by no other A-A in the school's illustrious history.
This season, Washington product Paolo Banchero became the 45th different individual to become an All-American for Duke (34 under coach Mike Krzyzewski). Incredibly, none of them spent their formative years in any of North Carolina's 100 counties and can be counted as in-state recruits. It doesn't seem possible, but State of North Carolina laid a Blue Devils' goose egg while states such as Alaska, Connecticut, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon also contributed to their list of All-Americans.
By contrast, the North Carolina Tar Heels had in-state talent account for multiple-year All-Americans such as Phil Ford, Antawn Jamison, Michael Jordan, Rashad McCants and James Worthy. The official web site of the State of North Carolina says the state is "a better place." But it hasn't been for Duke in regard to securing premium players prior to Ingram. Following is an alphabetical list detailing the hometowns of Duke's 45 All-Americans coming from 23 different states plus the District of Columbia and Canada:
Duke All-American Pos. A-A Season(s) Hometown Mark Alarie F 1986 Phoenix, AZ Grayson Allen G 2016 Jacksonville, FL Tommy Amaker G 1987 Fairfax, VA Marvin Bagley III C 2018 Phoenix, AZ Paolo Banchero F 2022 Seattle, WA Gene Banks F 1979 and 1981 Philadelphia, PA R.J. Barrett G 2018-19 Toronto, Ontario Shane Battier F 2000 and 2001 Birmingham, MI Carlos Boozer C 2002 Juneau, AK Elton Brand C 1999 Peekskill, NY Vernon Carey Jr. F 2020 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chris Carrawell F 2000 St. Louis, MO Johnny Dawkins G 1985 and 1986 Washington, DC Chris Duhon G 2004 Slidell, LA Mike Dunleavy F 2002 Lake Oswego, OR Danny Ferry F-C 1988 and 1989 Hyattsville, MD Mike Gminski C 1978 through 1980 Monroe, CT Dick Groat G 1951 and 1952 Swissvale, PA Gerald Henderson G-F 2009 Merion, PA Art Heyman F 1961 through 1963 Oceanside, NY Grant Hill F-G 1992 through 1994 Reston, VA Bobby Hurley G 1992 and 1993 Jersey City, NJ Tre Jones G 2020 Apple Valley, MN Luke Kennard G-F 2017 Franklin, OH Ed Koffenberger F-C 1946 and 1947 Wilmington, PA Christian Laettner C-F 1991 and 1992 Buffalo, NY Trajan Langdon G 1998 and 1999 Anchorage, AK Mike Lewis C 1968 Missoula, MT Jack Marin F 1966 Farrell, PA Jeff Mullins F 1963 and 1964 Lexington, KY DeMarcus Nelson G-F 2008 Elk Grove, CA Jahlil Okafor C 2015 Chicago, IL Jabari Parker F 2014 Chicago, IL Mason Plumlee C 2013 Warsaw, IN Jonathan "J.J." Redick G 2004 through 2006 Roanoke, VA Austin Rivers G 2012 Winter Park, FL Jon Scheyer G 2010 Northbrook, IL Kyle Singler F 2011 Medford, OR Nolan Smith G 2011 Upper Marlboro, MD Jim Spanarkel G 1978 and 1979 Jersey City, NJ Jim Thompson F 1934 Washington, DC Bob Verga G 1966 and 1967 Belmar, NJ Jason "Jay" Williams G 2001 and 2002 Plainfield, NJ Shelden Williams C 2005 and 2006 Forest Park, OK Zion Williamson F 2018-19 Spartanburg, SC
The Thrill is Gone: Five Former Final 4 Schools Winless in Last 22 Tourneys
Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, a significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances, five former Final Four participants - Princeton, St. John's, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the past 22 tourneys after New Mexico State posted its first playoff triumph since 1993.
DePaul and San Francisco each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the past 32 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an alphabetical list of schools with at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:
School (Playoff Appearances) Recent NCAA Tournament Travails Boston College (18) winless past 14 tourneys with only one appearance Charlotte (11) no appearance past 16 tourneys; winless past 20 tourneys DePaul (22) no appearance past 17 tourneys; one victory past 32 tourneys George Washington (11) one victory past 27 years Georgia (12) one victory past 25 years Holy Cross (13) posted first win since 1953 six seasons ago in play-in game Idaho State (11) winless past 44 tourneys Old Dominion (12) one victory past 26 tourneys Penn (24) one victory past 41 tourneys Pepperdine (13) one victory past 39 tourneys Princeton (25) winless past 23 tourneys St. John's (30) winless past 22 tourneys San Francisco (17) appeared twice past 39 tourneys Santa Clara (11) no appearance past 25 tourneys Seattle (11) winless since 1964 Southern Methodist (12) winless past 33 tourneys Texas-El Paso (17) winless past 29 tourneys Utah State (21) one victory past 51 tourneys Weber State (15) winless past 22 tourneys Wyoming (16) one victory past 34 tourneys
No Titles For Illini, Irish and Boilers Despite More Than 20 All-American Each
Despite being shut out each of last two years, Kentucky and North Carolina still rank 1-2 for most All-American honorees over the years. Duke isn't far behind UK and UNC although none of the Blue Devils' All-Americans came from the state of North Carolina.
Illinois, Notre Dame and Purdue never have won an NCAA championship despite all three schools supplying more than 20 different individuals as All-Americans. Following is a list of the top 10 universities boasting the most All-Americans since 1928-29 (AP, Converse, NABC, UPI and USBWA):
Rank School (Different Individuals) Rank School (Total # of All-Americans) 1. Kentucky (49) T1. North Carolina (74) T2. North Carolina (45) T1. Kentucky (74) T2. Duke (45) 3. Duke (68) 4. Indiana (42) 4. Kansas (59) 5. Kansas (41) 5. Indiana (57) 6. Illinois (33) T6. UCLA (48) 7. UCLA (32) T6. Ohio State (48) 8. Ohio State (31) 8. Notre Dame (44) 9. Notre Dame (26) 9. Illinois (39) 10. Purdue (23) 10. Purdue (34) 11. Michigan (21) 12. Syracuse (20)
MIA: Premier Programs Failing to Oppose Each Other in NCAA Tournament
Although the event is in its ninth decade, there are attractive power school match-ups never to have occurred in NCAA Tournament. Long before we ever heard of coronavirus, the potentially entertaining intra-sectional playoff contests between storied programs never to take place in the NCAA playoffs included:
- Georgetown vs. Indiana
- Georgetown vs. Michigan
- Georgetown vs. UCLA
- Michigan vs. St. John's
- North Carolina vs. St. John's
- Notre Dame vs. St. John's
- Notre Dame vs. UCLA
- Notre Dame vs. Villanova
- St. John's vs. UCLA
- Syracuse vs. UCLA
Dribble Handoff: Five Sweet 16 Head Coaches Were In-House Promotions
In a typical season, about 1/5 of the NCAA DI head coaches are "next man up" in-house promotions. Top-ranked Gonzaga coach Mark Few, an eight-year assistant with the Zags before ascending to principal pilot in 1999-00, is joined by four additional Sweet 16 bench bosses - Mark Adams (Texas Tech), Hubert Davis (North Carolina), Tom Izzo (Michigan State) and Matt Painter (Purdue) - among the following seven active mentors serving as mentor for a power-conference member:
| Head Coach (Years as Aide) | Power-League School | Stint as Assistant at Same University Under Predecessor |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Boynton Jr. (1) | Oklahoma State | 2016-17 under Brad Underwood |
| Matt Painter (1) | Purdue | 2004-05 under Gene Keady |
| Mark Adams (5) | Texas Tech | 2016-17 through 2020-21 under Chris Beard |
| Jim Boeheim (7) | Syracuse | 1969-70 through 1975-76 under Roy Danforth |
| Hubert Davis (9) | North Carolina | 2012-13 through 2020-21 under Roy Williams |
| Tom Izzo (12) | Michigan State | 1983-84 through 1994-95 under Jud Heathcote |
| Greg Gard (15) | Wisconsin | 2001-02 to 2015-16 under Bo Ryan |
NOTE: Jon Scheyer is head coach-in-waiting for Duke in 2022-23 after serving as an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski for eight seasons.
First-Year Flash: Lloyd Falls Short of Becoming All-Time Winningest Rookie
If Arizona had reached the Final Four, former Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd would have become the all-time winningest rookie head coach. However, Houston had other ideas and knocked off the Wildcats in the Sweet 16. More than half of the winningest first-year head coaches since Gonzaga's Mark Few in 1999-00 subsequently moved on to other similar jobs. Following are rookie NCAA Division I head coaches with the best winning percentages going back to 1963-64 when Tates Locke became Bob Knight's predecessor at Army:
| Season | First-Year Head Coach | School | W-L | Pct. | Predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963-64 | Tates Locke | Army | 19-7 | .731 | George Hunter |
| 1964-65 | Gary Thompson | Wichita State | 21-9 | .700 | Ralph Miller |
| 1965-66 | Lou Carnesecca | St. John's | 18-8 | .692 | Joe Lapchick |
| 1965-66 | Bob Knight | Army | 18-8 | .692 | Tates Locke |
| 1966-67 | Tommy Bartlett | Florida | 21-4 | .840 | Norm Sloan |
| 1967-68 | John Dromo | Louisville | 21-7 | .750 | Peck Hickman |
| 1968-69 | Tom Gola | La Salle | 23-1 | .958 | Jim Harding |
| 1969-70 | Terry Holland | Davidson | 22-5 | .815 | Lefty Driesell |
| 1970-71 | Richard "Digger" Phelps | Fordham | 26-3 | .897 | Ed Conlin |
| 1971-72 | Chuck Daly | Penn | 25-3 | .893 | Dick Harter |
| 1972-73 | Norm Ellenberger | New Mexico | 21-6 | .778 | Bob King |
| 1973-74 | Lute Olson | Long Beach State | 24-2 | .923 | Jerry Tarkanian |
| 1974-75 | Tom Apke | Creighton | 20-7 | .741 | Eddie Sutton |
| 1974-75 | Wayne Yates | Memphis State | 20-7 | .741 | Gene Bartow |
| 1975-76 | Bill Blakeley | North Texas State | 22-4 | .846 | Gene Robbins |
| 1976-77 | Jim Boeheim | Syracuse | 26-4 | .867 | Roy Danforth |
| 1976-77 | Charlie Schmaus | Virginia Military | 26-4 | .867 | Bill Blair |
| 1977-78 | Gary Cunningham | UCLA | 25-3 | .893 | Gene Bartow |
| 1978-79 | Bill Hodges | Indiana State | 33-1 | .971 | Bob King |
| 1979-80 | Bob Dukiet | St. Peter's | 22-9 | .710 | Bob Kelly |
| 1979-80 | Dave "Lefty" Ervin | La Salle | 22-9 | .710 | Paul Westhead |
| 1980-81 | Pat Foster | Lamar | 25-5 | .833 | Billy Tubbs |
| 1981-82 | Jim Boyle | St. Joseph's | 25-5 | .833 | Jim Lynam |
| 1982-83 | Ed Tapscott | American University | 20-10 | .667 | Gary Williams |
| 1983-84 | Rick Huckabay | Marshall | 25-6 | .806 | Bob Zuffelato |
| 1984-85 | Newton Chelette | Southeastern Louisiana | 18-9 | .667 | Ken Fortenberry |
| 1985-86 | Pete Gillen | Xavier | 25-5 | .833 | Bob Staak |
| 1986-87 | Pete Herrmann | Navy | 26-6 | .813 | Paul Evans |
| 1987-88 | Rick Barnes | George Mason | 20-10 | .667 | Joe Harrington |
| 1988-89 | Kermit Davis | Idaho | 25-6 | .806 | Tim Floyd |
| 1989-90 | Jim Anderson | Oregon State | 22-7 | .759 | Ralph Miller |
| 1990-91 | Alan LeForce | East Tennessee State | 28-5 | .848 | Les Robinson |
| 1991-92 | Blaine Taylor | Montana | 27-4 | .871 | Stew Morrill |
| 1992-93 | Fran Fraschilla | Manhattan | 23-7 | .767 | Steve Lappas |
| 1993-94 | Kirk Speraw | Central Florida | 21-9 | .700 | Joe Dean Jr. |
| 1994-95 | George "Tic" Price | New Orleans | 20-11 | .645 | Tim Floyd |
| 1995-96 | Mike Heideman | Wisconsin-Green Bay | 25-4 | .862 | Dick Bennett |
| 1996-97 | Bill Carmody | Princeton | 24-4 | .857 | Pete Carril |
| 1997-98 | Bill Guthridge | North Carolina | 34-4 | .895 | Dean Smith |
| 1998-99 | Tevester Anderson | Murray State | 27-6 | .818 | Mark Gottfried |
| 1999-00 | Mark Few | Gonzaga | 26-9 | .743 | Dan Monson |
| 2000-01 | Thad Matta | Butler | 24-8 | .750 | Barry Collier |
| 2001-02 | Stan Heath | Kent State | 29-6 | .829 | Gary Waters |
| 2002-03 | Brad Brownell | UNC Wilmington | 24-7 | .774 | Jerry Wainwright |
| 2003-04 | Jamie Dixon | Pittsburgh | 31-5 | .861 | Ben Howland |
| 2004-05 | Mark Fox | Nevada | 25-7 | .781 | Trent Johnson |
| 2005-06 | Rob Jeter | Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 22-9 | .710 | Bruce Pearl |
| 2006-07 | Anthony Grant | Virginia Commonwealth | 28-7 | .800 | Jeff Capel III |
| 2007-08 | Brad Stevens | Butler | 30-4 | .882 | Todd Lickliter |
| 2008-09 | Ken McDonald | Western Kentucky | 25-9 | .735 | Darrin Horn |
| 2009-10 | Shaka Smart | Virginia Commonwealth | 27-9 | .750 | Anthony Grant |
| 2010-11 | B.J. Hill | Northern Colorado | 21-11 | .656 | Tad Boyle |
| 2011-12 | Steve Prohm | Murray State | 31-2 | .939 | Billy Kennedy |
| 2012-13 | Kevin Ollie | Connecticut | 20-10 | .667 | Jim Calhoun |
| 2013-14 | Brad Underwood | Stephen F. Austin | 32-3 | .914 | Danny Kaspar |
| 2014-15 | David Richman | North Dakota State | 23-10 | .697 | Saul Phillips |
| 2015-16 | Matt McCall | Chattanooga | 29-5 | .853 | Will Wade |
| 2016-17 | Paul Weir | New Mexico State | 28-6 | .824 | Marvin Menzies |
| 2017-18 | Bob Richey | Furman | 23-10 | .697 | Niko Medved |
| 2018-19 | Sam Scholl | San Diego | 21-15 | .583 | Lamont Smith |
| 2019-20 | Eric Henderson | South Dakota State | 22-10 | .688 | T.J. Otzelberger |
| 2020-21 | Terrence "TJ" Johnson | Texas State | 18-7 | .720 | Danny Kaspar |
| 2021-22 | Tommy Lloyd | Arizona | 33-4 | .892 | Sean Miller |
College Exam: Day #12 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper for next pandemic, trying to help Supreme Court nominee define a woman 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 12 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who is the only championship team player to have a season scoring average of less than six points per game entering a Final Four but tally more than 30 points in the national semifinals and final? Hint: He is the only player with a single-digit season scoring average to score more than 25 points in an NCAA championship game.
2. Who is the only player to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive NCAA playoff games? Hint: He is the only player to rank among top five in scoring average in both NCAA Tournament and NBA playoffs. He was denied a championship ring in his only Final Four appearance when a player who would become an NBA teammate tipped in decisive basket in the closing seconds.
3. Name the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player who wasn't among the top five scorers on his team. Hint: The only other player to earn the award who wasn't among top four scorers on his team attended same university.
4. Who is the only individual to be named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NIT Most Valuable Player? Hint: As a freshman, he shared one of the awards with a teammate.
5. Who is the only U.S. Congressman to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee after playing in the NCAA Tournament championship game? Hint: Starting out as a Democrat, he became a 12-term Republican Congressman from Illinois.
6. Who is the only individual to be named Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in back-to-back seasons? Hint: He holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most points by a rookie.
7. Name the freshman who had the highest season scoring average for a team to reach the NCAA Tournament championship game until Carmelo Anthony achieved the feat for 2003 champion Syracuse. Hint: The word "Boss" is tattooed to his chest for a good reason because he also led his team in assists as freshman.
8. Who is the only freshman to score more than 30 points in a national semifinal or championship game before failing to score more than half that total in his next four playoff outings? Hint: He didn't score more than 15 points in any of his next four NCAA playoff games, all defeats, and averaged a modest 8.2 points per game in an eight-year NBA career with an all-time pro season high of 11.4 ppg and game high of 28.
9. Who is the only freshman on a Final Four team to score more than 20 points in as many as four tournament games? Hint: He did not play in the national championship game and his school lost in the NCAA playoffs to opponents with double-digit seeds each of four seasons before he arrived.
10. Name the only season-leading scorer of a titlist to be held more than 14 points below his average in the NCAA championship game. Hint: He was named national player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is one of four Final Four Most Outstanding Players held scoreless in their NCAA Tournament debuts in a previous season. He is also the only individual to become a member of three NCAA titlists after playing one season in junior college.
Beat 'Em/Then Join 'Em: Non-League Slate Can Serve as Coaching Audition
"Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time." - Arnold H. Glasow
Mike White likely impressed Georgia by topping the Bulldogs twice last season with Florida in SEC regular-season competition (72-63 and 84-72). But there also is a good reason to schedule wisely in non-league play as hiring can stem at least partially from what can be designated a job audition. For instance, Digger Phelps guided Fordham to its winningest season in school history in 1970-71. But what likely really impressed Notre Dame's administration was a 94-88 victory that season over the Irish. He was UND's bench boss the next campaign and went on to compile seven triumphs against nationally top-ranked opponents in his career at South Bend.
Non-conference schedules frequently are frustrating for fans of power-league members because of what seems like feasting on a steady diet of cupcake opponents. But you never know when a single game becomes a career changer. Initial research of results in this category shows Mick Cronin's 29-point margin of victory four seasons ago for Cincinnati against UCLA is exceeded only by Tommy Amaker's 32-point difference when Michigan overwhelmed Harvard. Similar to almost any job, timing is everything. Following is an alphabetical list of impressionable coaches generating favorable reviews after defeating a school (in non-conference game) they were hired by for the same role before the next campaign:
*Competed in season-opening Military Classic before VMI defeated The Citadel twice in Southern Conference competition.
Transferring Talent: Five All-Americans Began Careers With Other 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 was about one every two years until the transfer portal yielded five such A-As. 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). Of course, the premier player in this category in 2021-22 is Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe, who transferred from West Virginia after averaging 10.6 ppg and 8.9 rpg for the Mountaineers in 2019-20 and first semester of 2020-21. Tshiebwe is shaping up as becoming the first transfer ever to become national player of the year after competing in games with another four-year school. He was the first player to average more than 15 rpg since Alcorn State's Larry Smith in 1979-80 (15.1).
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. Tshiebwe and four additional transfers - James Akinjo, Johnny Juzang, Walker Kessler and JD Notae - joined the following 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.
Gonzaga Lone Mid-Major Boasting All-American For Second Straight Season
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 the past two campaigns. The Zags have a striking number of 11 different players accorded such consensus A-A status thus far this century. Last year, they joined Illinois (2004-05) as the only two schools in last 73 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:
Slow Start: All-American Johnny Juzang Averaged Only 2.9 PPG as Freshman
In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, UCLA's Johnny Juzang (2.9 points per game in 2019-20) failed to generate national headlines in his freshman season before blossoming into an All-American after transferring from Kentucky. He is a textbook example why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics.
Juzang 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 Johnny Juzang G UCLA 2.9 ppg in 2019-20 with Kentucky 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.
College Exam: Day #11 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, wondering how many translators are required for world leaders to try to understand Plagiarist Bidumb 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 11 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who is the only one of the 60 or so two-time consensus first-team All-Americans since 1946 never to participate in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT? Hint: His school was a total of 10 games over .500 in Big Ten Conference competition in his junior and senior seasons. He never played on a team to win playoff series in his nine-year NBA career.
2. Who is the only player to score more than 20,000 pro points yet never reach the conference finals in the NBA playoffs after playing at least two seasons of varsity basketball at a major college and never participating in the NCAA Division I playoffs? Hint: The college he attended made its NCAA Tournament debut the first year after he left school early to become third pick overall in NBA draft.
3. Who is the only coach since the tourney field expanded to at least 48 teams to take two different universities to the playoffs when the schools appeared in the tournament for the first time? Hint: His last name begins with a "F" and he no longer is Division I head coach.
4. Name the only school with a losing record to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs by winning a regular-season conference title. Hint: The league started a postseason tournament two years later and the school in question has lost all six times it reached conference tourney championship game.
5. Name the only major university to have two graduates score more than 17,000 points in the NBA after playing at least three varsity seasons in college and failing to appear in the NCAA Tournament. Hint: The school has had three other players score more than 10,000 points in the NBA after never appearing in NCAA playoffs.
6. Name the only former titlist to have an all-time playoff record 10 games below the .500 mark. Hint: Longtime network broadcaster Curt Gowdy played in the tournament for the school.
7. Name the only state with three schools to compile tournament records at least nine games below .500. Hint: The three institutions from same state are members of different conferences.
8. Who was the only player shorter than Bobby Hurley, Duke's 6-0 guard, to play for a championship team and be selected as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player? Hint: There was another Final Four MOP who was also shorter than 6-0, but he played for a national third-place finisher in the mid-1950s.
9. Who is the only individual to play in an NCAA Tournament championship game and later coach his alma mater to a final? Hint: He served as an assistant to the coach with the most NCAA playoff victories and a college teammate is one of the winningest coaches of all time.
10. Name the only one of the schools with multiple national titles to have two teams participate in the NCAA playoffs as defending champions but lose their opening-round game. Hint: Both of the opening-round setbacks for the school when it was defending champion occurred in East Regional.
Training Ground: Murray State First School to Lose Eight Different Coaches
Matt McMahon's departure to Louisiana State enabled Murray State to become the first school to lose eight head coaches over the years to other major colleges or the NBA. LSU is the fourth different current SEC member to poach a coach from the Racers in the last 31 years.
Incredibly, Tulsa lost four coaches in a seven-year period from 1995 to 2001. The following list shows Idaho (11 years from 1983 to 1993), Princeton (12 years from 2000 to 2011), Murray State (14 years from 1985 to 1998), New Orleans (14 years from 1994 to 2007), Penn (15 years from 1971 to 1985) and Louisiana Tech (16 years from 1974 to 1989) losing four coaches in comparable short spans:
Murray State (lost 8 head coaches to other schools) - Ron Greene (departed for Indiana State/1985), Steve Newton (South Carolina/1991), Scott Edgar (Duquesne/1995), Mark Gottfried (Alabama/1998), Mick Cronin (Cincinnati/2006), Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M/2011), Steve Prohm (Iowa State/2015), Matt McMahon (Louisiana State/2022)
Idaho (7) - Dave MacMillan (Minnesota/1927), Dave Strack (Michigan/1960), Joe Cipriano (Nebraska/1963), Don Monson (Oregon/1983), Tim Floyd (New Orleans/1988), Kermit Davis (Texas A&M/1990), Larry Eustachy (Utah State/1993)
Kansas State (7) - Jack Gardner (Utah/1953), Tex Winter (Washington/1968), Cotton Fitzsimmons (Phoenix Suns/1970), Lon Kruger (Florida/1990), Dana Altman (Creighton/1994), Bob Huggins (West Virginia/2008), Frank Martin (South Carolina/2012)
Louisiana Tech (7) - Scotty Robertson (New Orleans Jazz/1974), J.D. Barnett (Virginia Commonwealth/1979), Andy Russo (Washington/1985), Tommy Joe Eagles (Auburn/1989), Jim Wooldridge (assistant with Chicago Bulls/1998), Michael White (Florida/2015), Eric Konkol (Tulsa/2022)
Montana (7) - Jud Heathcote (Michigan State/1976), Jim Brandenburg (Wyoming/1978), Mike Montgomery (Stanford/1986), Stew Morrill (Colorado State/1991), Pat Kennedy (Towson/2004), Larry Krystkowiak (assistant with Milwaukee Bucks/2006), Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State/2014)
Penn (7) - Howie Dallmar (Stanford/1954), Jack McCloskey (Wake Forest/1966), Dick Harter (Oregon/1971), Chuck Daly (assistant with Philadelphia 76ers/1977), Bob Weinhauer (Arizona State/1982), Craig Littlepage (Rutgers/1985), Fran Dunphy (Temple/2006)
Tulsa (7) - Ken Hayes (New Mexico State/1975), Nolan Richardson Jr. (Arkansas/1985), Tubby Smith (Georgia/1995), Steve Robinson (Florida State/1997), Bill Self (Illinois/2000), Buzz Peterson (Tennessee/2001), Danny Manning (Wake Forest/2014)
Virginia Commonwealth (7) - Dana Kirk (Memphis State/1979), J.D. Barnett (Tulsa/1985), Mike Pollio (Eastern Kentucky/1989), Jeff Capel III (Oklahoma/2006), Anthony Grant (Alabama/2009), Shaka Smart (Texas/2015), Will Wade (Louisiana State/2017)
Xavier (7) - Ned Wulk (Arizona State/1957), Bob Staak (Wake Forest/1985), Pete Gillen (Providence/1994), Skip Prosser (Wake Forest/2001), Thad Matta (Ohio State/2004), Sean Miller (Arizona/2009), Chris Mack (Louisville/2018)
Fall-Americans: NCAA Consensus First-Teamers Failing to Reach Sweet 16
This year marks the first time four available NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans - three from Big Ten Conference - failed to reach the national tournament Sweet 16 since 1975 when field expanded to 32 teams and every entrant had to win at least one game before advancing to regional semifinals. Hopefully, none of the dearly departed will cross over to women's tourney to try to be hoops version of Lia Thomas. The only first-teamer boasting a regional final playoff pulse was Kansas' Ochai Agbaji.
Four consensus first-teamers didn't reach Sweet 16 in 2000 but one of them was injured (Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin broke his right leg in C-USA Tournament). There has been only one year (2006) when every consensus first-teamer appeared in Sweet 16 since seeding was introduced in 1979.
Creighton's Doug McDermott is the only first-teamer in that span failing to play in second weekend three straight seasons (2012 through 2014) and DePaul's Mark Aguirre is lone first-teamer to be eliminated in opening round in back-to-back years (1980 and 1981). Following in reverse order is list of NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans failing to appear in Sweet 16 since 1975:
| Year | NCAA Consensus First-Team All-Americans Failing to Reach Sweet 16 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Keegan Murray (Iowa) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky^) |
| 2021 | Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) and Luka Garza (Iowa) |
| 2020 | tourney cancelled |
| 2019 | Ja Morant (Murray State) |
| 2018 | Deandre Ayton (Arizona^) and Trae Young (Oklahoma^) |
| 2017 | Josh Hart (Villanova) |
| 2016 | Ben Simmons (Louisiana State/dnp), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State^) |
| 2015 | D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State) |
| 2014 | Doug McDermott (Creighton) and Jabari Parker (Duke^) |
| 2013 | Doug McDermott (Creighton), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga) and Otto Porter (Georgetown^) |
| 2012 | Doug McDermott (Creighton) |
| 2011 | JaJuan Johnson (Purdue) |
| 2010 | Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) |
| 2009 | Stephen Curry (Davidson/dnp) and James Harden (Arizona State) |
| 2008 | Michael Beasley (Kansas State) |
| 2007 | Kevin Durant (Texas) and Alando Tucker (Wisconsin) |
| 2006 | none |
| 2005 | Chris Paul (Wake Forest), Wayne Simien (Kansas^) and Hakim Warrick (Syracuse^) |
| 2004 | Andre Emmett (Texas Tech), Ryan Gomes (Providence^) and Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State) |
| 2003 | Josh Howard (Wake Forest) and David West (Xavier) |
| 2002 | Dan Dickau (Gonzaga^) and Steve Logan (Cincinnati) |
| 2001 | Joseph Forte (North Carolina) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame) |
| 2000 | A.J. Guyton (Indiana^), Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati), Chris Mihm (Texas) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame/dnp) |
| 1999 | Andre Miller (Utah) and Jason Terry (Arizona^) |
| 1998 | Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce (Kansas) |
| 1997 | Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) and Danny Fortson (Cincinnati) |
| 1996 | Kerry Kittles (Villanova) |
| 1995 | Shawn Respert (Michigan State^) and Damon Stoudamire (Arizona^) |
| 1994 | Jason Kidd (California^) |
| 1993 | Penny Hardaway (Memphis State^) and Bobby Hurley (Duke) |
| 1992 | Harold Miner (Southern California), Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) and Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State) |
| 1991 | Kenny Anderson (Georgia Tech), Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State^) and Billy Owens (Syracuse^) |
| 1990 | Chris Jackson (Louisiana State), Gary Payton Sr. (Oregon State^) and Lionel Simmons (La Salle) |
| 1989 | Chris Jackson (Louisiana State^) |
| 1988 | Hersey Hawkins (Bradley^) |
| 1987 | David Robinson (Navy^) |
| 1986 | Steve Alford (Indiana^), Walter Berry (St. John's) and Len Bias (Maryland) |
| 1985 | Johnny Dawkins (Duke) and Xavier McDaniel (Wichita State^) |
| 1984 | Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma^) |
| 1983 | Dale Ellis (Tennessee), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) and Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma) |
| 1982 | Terry Cummings (DePaul^) and Quintin Dailey (San Francisco^) |
| 1981 | Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Steve Johnson (Oregon State^) |
| 1980 | Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Michael Brooks (La Salle^) |
| 1979 | Mike Gminski (Duke^) |
| 1978 | Larry Bird (Indiana State/dnp), Phil Ford (North Carolina^), Butch Lee (Marquette^) and Mychal Thompson (Minnesota/dnp) |
| 1977 | Kent Benson (Indiana/dnp), Otis Birdsong (Houston/dnp) and Bernard King (Tennessee^) |
| 1976 | John Lucas (Maryland/dnp) |
| 1975 | David Thompson (North Carolina State/dnp due to probation) |
^Lost opening-round game.
NOTE: Martin was injured (broke his right leg in C-USA Tournament).
Foreign Invasion: Several More All-Americans From Outside Mainland U.S.
Foreigners such as All-Americans Kofi Cockburn (Illinois/Jamaica), Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona/Quebec) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky/Congo) are much more than bit players in a modern-day immigrant version of "Coming to America." Following is an alphabetical list of more than 40 hoop-prince All-Americans spending most or all of their formative years in a country outside mainland U.S.:
| Foreigner | Pos. | College | Native Country | Year(s) All-American | NBA Draft Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deandre Ayton | C | Arizona | Bahamas | 2018 | 1st pick overall by Phoenix |
| Udoka Azubuike | C | Kansas | Nigeria | 2020 | 27th by Utah Jazz |
| R.J. Barrett | G-F | Duke | Toronto, Ontario | 2019 | 3rd by New York |
| Charles Bassey | C | Western Kentucky | Nigeria | 2021 | 53rd by Philadelphia |
| Andrew Bogut* | C | Utah | Australia | 2005 | 1st by Milwaukee |
| Dillon Brooks | F | Oregon | Ontario | 2017 | 2nd by Houston |
| Kofi Cockburn | C | Illinois | Jamaica | 2021 and 2022 | undrafted |
| Kresimir Cosic | C | Brigham Young | Yugoslavia | 1972 and 1973 | 66th by L.A. Lakers |
| Chris Duarte | G | Oregon | Dominican Republic | 2021 | 13th by Indiana |
| Tim Duncan* | C | Wake Forest | Virgin Islands | 1995 through 1997 | 1st by San Antonio |
| Melvin Ejim | F | Iowa State | Ontario | 2014 | undrafted |
| Patrick Ewing* | C | Georgetown | Jamaica | 1982 through 1985 | 1st by New York |
| Adonal Foyle | C | Colgate | West Indies | 1997 | 8th by Golden State |
| Rui Hachimura | F | Gonzaga | Japan | 2019 | 9th by Washington |
| Buddy Hield | G | Oklahoma | Bahamas | 2015 and 2016 | 6th by New Orleans |
| Al Horford | F-C | Florida | Dominican Republic | 2007 | 3rd by Atlanta |
| Kris Joseph | F | Syracuse | Quebec | 2012 | 51st by Boston |
| Jock Landale | C | Saint Mary's | Australia | 2018 | undrafted |
| Lauri Markkanen | C | Arizona | Finland | 2017 | 1st by Minnesota |
| Bennedict Mathurin | G | Arizona | Quebec | 2022 | 6th by Indiana |
| Jamal Murray | G | Kentucky | Ontario | 2016 | 7th by Denver |
| Dikembe Mutombo | C | Georgetown | Zaire | 1991 | 4th by Denver |
| Eduardo Najera | F | Oklahoma | Mexico | 2000 | 38th by Houston |
| Jordan Nwora | F | Louisville | Nigeria | 2020 | 45th by Milwaukee Bucks |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | C | Houston | Nigeria | 1983 and 1984 | 1st by Houston |
| Kelly Olynyk | C | Gonzaga | British Columbia | 2013 | 13th by Dallas |
| Kevin Pangos | G | Gonzaga | Ontario | 2015 | undrafted |
| Filip Petrusev | C | Gonzaga | Serbia | 2020 | withdrew and returned to Serbia |
| Jakob Poeltl | C | Utah | Austria | 2016 | 9th by Toronto |
| Juan "Pepe" Sanchez | G | Temple | Argentina | 2000 | undrafted |
| Detlef Schrempf | F | Washington | Germany | 1985 | 8th by Dallas |
| Rony Seikaly | C | Syracuse | Greece | 1988 | 9th by Miami |
| Doron Sheffer | G | Connecticut | Israel | 1996 | 36th by L.A. Clippers |
| Ben Simmons | F | Louisiana State | Australia | 2016 | 1st by Philadelphia |
| Nik Stauskas | G | Michigan | Ontario | 2014 | 8th by Sacramento |
| Hasheem Thabeet | C | Connecticut | Tanzania | 2009 | 2nd by Memphis |
| Mychal Thompson | F-C | Minnesota | Bahamas | 1977 and 1978 | 1st by Portland |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | C | Kentucky | Congo | 2022 | TBD |
| Greivis Vasquez | G | Maryland | Venezuela | 2010 | 28th by Memphis |
| Andrew Wiggins | G-F | Kansas | Ontario | 2014 | 1st by Cleveland |
*Named National Player of the Year.
College Exam: Day #10 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, wondering if Plagiarist Bidumb is male version of bike-riding witch stealing Toto in Wizard of Oz 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 10 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who is the only All-American to coach three different schools in the NCAA playoffs? Hint: He was the leading scorer for an NCAA champion.
2. Who is the only coach to take three different schools to a regional final in a 10-year span? Hint: He is the only individual to meet two different schools in the playoffs he had previously coached to the Final Four. He had a chance to become the first coach to guide three different universities to national semifinals, but retired and turned reins over to his son.
3. Who is the only seven-foot player to lead a Final Four in scoring and win a conference high jump title in the same year? Hint: He is the only player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists in same season.
4. Of the total of 10 different teams in the 1980s to defeat a school twice in a season the opponent eventually won the national title, name the only one of the 10 to fail to win its NCAA Tournament opener. Hint: The team had the misfortune of opening playoffs on home court of its opponent.
5. Of the Final Four teams in the last several decades to have standouts whose high school coach was reunited with a star player as a college assistant, name the only school to win a national championship. Hint: The high school coach who tagged along with his prep All-American as a college assistant was also first minority player to play for his alma mater.
6. Who is the only coach to take a team more than two games below .500 one season to the national title the next year? Hint: He is the only championship team coach to finish his college career with a losing record. He is also the only major-college coach to stay at a school at least 25 seasons and finish with a losing career record at that institution.
7. Who is the only coach to reach the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament and NIT at least five times apiece? Hint: Of the coaches to win basketball championships at every major level (the NCAA, NIT and Summer Olympics), he is the only one to capture the "Triple Crown" in a span of less than 10 years.
8. Of the players to score more than 225 points in the playoffs and/or average in excess of 25 points per tournament game (minimum of six games), who is the only individual to score more than 22 points in every postseason contest? Hint: He is the only player from group to have a single-digit differential between his highest-scoring game and his lowest-scoring game.
9. Who is the only one of the first 20 players to accumulate at least 235 points in NCAA playoff competition to fail to score at least 25 points in a tournament game? Hint: He is the only one of the more recent Most Outstanding Players to score fewer than 28 points in two Final Four games and his highest-scoring playoff performance couldn't avert a defeat in the only one of his four years he didn't participate in Final Four.
10. Among the all-time leading scorers in NCAA Tournament history, who is the only player in this group to go scoreless in a playoff game? Hint: He scored less than 10 points in six consecutive tournament games before averaging 20 points per game in his last 11 playoff outings.
Playing Race Card: Luka Garza Only White 1st-Team A-A in Last Seven 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 Donald Trump or previous POTUS #AudacityofHype lecturing Christians rather than unprincipled marauders. Nonetheless, it could be time to proclaim white players matter after Gonzaga supplied two white NCAA consensus All-Americans. 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, Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren) was alone boasting the most white consensus All-Americans thus far in 21st Century with eight. It might be accurate-but-unacceptable information to cancel-culture leftists indoctrinating students in public schools with critical race theory, but the Zags in each of the last two seasons are the first school to feature a set of white consensus All-Americans in same season since Missouri's Steve Stipanovich and Jon Sundvold in 1982-83.
It might not reign purple important as a photograph of Prince in a junior high basketball uniform to African-American Studies majors but we could be in the midst of a modest resurgence for the white player represented each year thus far this century. After all, Duke was the nation's only school to supply a white first-team All-American in a nine-year span from 1987-88 through 1995-96 (Danny Ferry in 1989, Christian Laettner in 1992 and Bobby Hurley in 1993). For those monitoring such identity demographics or who might be a dues-paying member of an alternative version of NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Caucasian Players), following is a list of white NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since Indiana State's Larry Bird was unanimous national player of the year in 1979:
League of Their Own: No Power Conference Supplied Four Sweet 16 Teams
Packing the court legitimately six years ago, the ACC set an NCAA Tournament record with six Sweet 16 participants. No power league had as many as four this year. In 2016-17, the national media proclaimed the ACC as perhaps the greatest league in history but that assessment came before the nine-bid alliance was fortunate to have one representative among regional semifinalists (North Carolina overcame five-point deficit in last three minutes against Arkansas) and failed to produce a single individual among 19 All-Americans last season. #MessMedia proclaimed the Big Ten as dominant last season but only one of nine participants survived the first weekend of competition. The Big Ten, after having three NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans out of commission prior to Sweet 16, became the first conference securing at least nine entrants in single tourney and have none of them advance to a regional final.
In 2009, the Big East became the first conference to boast five playoff teams reaching the regional semifinals in the same year until the ACC duplicated the feat two years ago. The ACC boasted four members advancing that far on eight occasions in a 12-year stretch from 1984 through 1995.
The ACC in 1985 was the only league in this category not to have at least one of the quartet reach the Final Four until the Big East was foiled in 2006. The following list of thoroughbred leagues supplied at least four Sweet 16 participants a total of 30 times since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to at least 48 teams in 1980:
x-Won NCAA championship
y-Finished national runner-up
z-Reached Final Four
Mid-Major Gladness: Peacocks First #15 Seed Reaching NCAA Regional Final
There won't be three mid-major Final Four participants duplicating what Jacksonville, New Mexico State and St. Bonaventure achieved in 1970. After an average of four mid-level schools reached the Sweet 16 in a six-year span from 2006 through 2011, the previous decade could have cemented the premise about mid-major schools deserving additional at-large consideration. But that was before nine mid-level schools - UCF, Gonzaga, New Mexico, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, Saint Mary's, Southern Mississippi, UNLV and Virginia Commonwealth - were eliminated in games against power six conference members by an average of only four points in 2012, the Mountain West Conference flopped in 2013, only two mid-majors reached the Sweet 16 in 2014 and 2015, Northern Iowa and Stephen F. Austin frittered away last-minute leads against power-league opponents in 2016 and Rhode Island squandered a significant lead against Oregon.
Butler, Gonzaga, Virginia Commonwealth and Wichita State advancing to the Final Four the previous decade was invigorating, but the mid-major community missed out on a potential bonanza. Gonzaga reached the second weekend for 11th time this Century. Following is a look at how at least one mid-major conference member advanced to a regional semifinal or beyond since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985:
College Exam: Day #9 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand Plagiarist Bidumb before his afternoon nap 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 9 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 athlete to lead his championship team in scoring in two Final Four games and pitch in the major leagues the same year? Hint: He was a guard for three consecutive Final Four teams and was selected to the All-NCAA Tournament team as a senior.
2. Name the only school with more than 1,300 victories in the 20th Century never to reach the Final Four. Hint: The school participated in the NCAA playoffs just once (1992) in last 40-plus years.
3. Name the only school to defeat a team three times in a season the opponent captured the NCAA title. Hint: The school also defeated the same conference foe three times the next season as defending national champion.
4. Name the only champion to win its two Final Four games by a total of more than 50 points. Hint: The titlist suffered its only loss that season against one of the Final Four victims.
5. Of the 35 Final Four Most Outstanding Players selected from 1946 through 1981 when there was a national third-place game, who was the only honoree to play for a fourth-place team? Hint: He never averaged as many as nine points per game in four NBA seasons.
6. Name the only school to lose in back-to-back years in the first round to different institutions going on to capture national titles those years. Hint: The school won a total of 47 games in the two seasons. The two defeats were in the middle of six consecutive playoff appearances for the school after it appeared in playoffs just once from 1939 through 1982.
7. Name the only year four teams arrived at the national semifinals with a composite winning percentage of less than 75 percent. Hint: The two schools that met in the national third-place game are traditional football powers. The college losing both of its Final Four games that year is the only national semifinalist to finish a season with as many as 14 defeats.
8. Who is the only player to score more than 60 points in a single playoff game and to score more than 43 points at least twice? Hint: Of the players who scored more than 235 playoff points and/or averaged more than 25 points per tournament game (minimum of three games), he is the only individual from the select group to have a losing playoff record. He is the only one of the top 25 playoff scorers never to reach Final Four.
9. Who is the only male player to score more than 44 points in a single Final Four game? Hint: He is the only player to twice convert more than 12 free throws without a miss in playoff game.
10. Who is the only player to score more than 400 points in his playoff career? Hint: The only individual to start in four straight Final Fours hit two last-second shots to help his team win East Regional final overtime games and is only player with at least 10 championship game free-throw attempts to convert all of them.
Special K's Disciples: Krzyzewski's Aides Combine for Losing Tourney Record
In aftermath of 24 consecutive appearances in tourney coming to a halt last season, one of the biggest questions bubbling up from time to time dealt with who was most likely to eventually succeed Mike Krzyzewski as coach at Duke if they hadn't promoted from within. If any of them had posted an inspiring mark in NCAA playoff competition, they might have secured job as his successor instead of Jon Scheyer. If Krzyzewski needs something to do in retirement, he can go on an extended road trip from coast to coast serving as a consultant to all of his proteges to try to help them experience more success in postseason play.
Coaching community shills frequently proclaim automatic success for Duke assistants when they become bench bosses. But the overall impact of Coach K's 13 disciples in the aftermath of serving under the all-time winningest major-college mentor has been anything but special. They've combined for a losing mark in the NCAA playoffs (more than 60 fewer tourney triumphs than Coach K's all-time high of 99 entering Sweet 16) and only three regional final appearances (Quin Snyder with Missouri in 2002 before Mike Brey with Notre Dame in 2015 and 2016). Nate James is next on hit list (hired by Austin Peay), joining the following alphabetical list summarizing impact of Krzyzewski's assistants after they left his incubator and became a DI mentor on their own:
| Coach K Assistant | NCAA Tourney Mark | Biggest Flaw of DI Head Coaching Career |
|---|---|---|
| Tommy Amaker | 4-5 | 14 games below .500 in power conference competition in 10 years with Seton Hall and Michigan |
| Bob Bender | 2-3 | 36 games below .500 in power conference competition in nine seasons with Washington |
| Mike Brey | 15-15 | impressive performance this year but no NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance with Notre Dame |
| Jeff Capel III | 4-3 | 32 games below .500 in ACC competition with Pitt in first four seasons |
| Chris Collins | 1-1 | 57 games below .500 in Big Ten Conference play in first nine seasons with Northwestern |
| Johnny Dawkins | 3-2 | only one NCAA playoff appearance and 10 games below .500 in Pac-10/12 Conference play in eight seasons with Stanford before dismissal led him to UCF and entertaining NCAA playoff game in 2019 |
| Mike Dement | 0-1 | losing conference mark in SWC and WAC in nine seasons with Southern Methodist |
| David Henderson | DNP | losing overall record in six seasons with Delaware |
| Nate James | DNP | losing overall record and in OVC competition in inaugural campaign with Austin Peay in 2021-22 |
| Tim O'Toole | DNP | losing overall record in eight seasons with Fairfield |
| Quin Snyder | 5-4 | never finished among undisputed top five in Big 12 Conference and compiled cumulative losing mark in last three of seven seasons with Missouri |
| Chuck Swenson | DNP | lost more than 2/3 of his games in seven seasons with William & Mary |
| Steve Wojciechowski | 0-2 | losing Big East Conference record in seven seasons with Marquette before dismissal a year ago |
NOTE: Duke All-American guard Bobby Hurley, who never served as an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, has compiled a 1-3 NCAA tourney record with Buffalo and Arizona State before the Sun Devils flopped in 2020-21 as Preseason Top 20 club. Kenny Blakeney, a backup to Hurley in the early 1990s, is 24 games below .500 in three seasons coaching Howard University. Playmaker Greg Paulus, a three-year teammate of Scheyer, posted losing records each of his first three seasons as bench boss for Niagara.
Youth Movement: Banchero/Holmgren/Smith Fall Just Short of Fab Frosh List
Paolo Banchero (Duke), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Auburn) were outstanding as freshmen in becoming NCAA consensus second-team All-Americans and the first three selections in the 2022 NBA draft. But the terrific trio fell short of first-team acclaim. Last year, 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 was 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 |
Player Outcasts: All-Americans MIA From NCAA Tournament Competition
It doesn't take a genius to deduce All-American players are all-important to teams. Every squad featuring an All-American this year was part of the NCAA bracket. Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis (third-team selection by NABC and USBWA) was the only one of last 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.
How the West Has Lost: Ex-Champ Wyoming 12 Games Below .500 in Tourney
Amid failures of Arizona and Gonzaga despite securing #1 seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament, the West remains the worst. Such a viewpoint shouldn't be a surprise unless you put stock in creepy porn lawyer #Avenaughty as a #Dimorat presidential candidate, hideous Hunter's laptop is Russian disinformation or always believe contrived comments from Muslim Brotherhood apologist/former CIA chief John "NBC News' Snoopy" Brennan. Brigham Young and Utah State - more games below .500 than any institutions in NCAA playoff history (minus 18) - promptly bowing out of the NCAA playoffs is almost a tradition. Also weighing heavily out West, Wyoming is the only former national champion (1943) to compile an all-time NCAA playoff record more than five games below .500 (9-21).
Everett Shelton, coach of Wyoming's titlist, is the only championship team bench boss to finish with a non-winning playoff record (4-12 from 1941 through 1958) and was more games under .500 in NCAA Division I Tournament competition than any coach in history until supplanted by Fran Dunphy (3-17 with Penn and Temple from 1993 through 2019). Also, Shelton is the only coach to lose three consecutive regional final games (1947, 1948 and 1949).
Joining Dunphy and Shelton among the eight coaches more than six games under .500 in NCAA playoff play are Rick Byrd (1-8 with Belmont from 2006 through 2019), Pete Carril (4-11 with Princeton from 1969 through 1996), Don Corbett (0-7 with North Carolina A&T from 1982 through 1988), Hugh Greer (1-8 with Connecticut from 1951 through 1960), Stew Morrill (1-9 with Montana and Utah State from 1991 through 2011) and Mike Vining (0-7 with Louisiana-Monroe from 1982 through 1996).
More than half of the following 11 schools more than 10 games below .500 in NCAA tourney competition are from west of the Mississippi River:
School Playoff Record Games Below .500 Mark Summary of Tournament Tumult Brigham Young 15-33 minus 18 only one of victories was by fewer than six points Utah State 6-24 minus 18 lost 18 of last 19 games with only victory in that span in OT against Ohio State in 2001 New Mexico State 11-28 minus 17 lost 12 straight games until ending streak this year after winning seven of 11 contests from 1968 through 1970 Princeton 13-29 minus 16 lost eight of first nine games from 1952 through 1963 and last five contests since 1998 Iona 1-15 minus 14 14 straight setbacks with first four of them by fewer than four points from 1980 through 1998 Miami (Ohio) 6-19 minus 13 only victory in 10-game span from 1969 through 1992 was in OT against defending NCAA champion Marquette in 1978 Murray State 5-18 minus 13 lost 11 games in a row from 1988 through 2006 Penn 13-26 minus 13 lost last 10 games and 15 of last 16 after entering 1979 Final Four with winning playoff record (11-9) Wyoming 9-21 minus 12 1943 NCAA titlist before losing 12 of 13 games from 1947 through 1967 Montana 2-13 minus 11 won inaugural game in 1975 but lost last four contests since 2012 by an average of 26 points Weber State 6-17 minus 11 seven of last nine defeats since 1979 were by fewer than 12 points
College Exam: Day #8 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand hair-sniffing Plagiarist Bidumb 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.
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