Personal Items: Did You Knows Regarding 2026 Tourney Sweet 16 Coaches

March 24th, 2026 - 15:10

There is a tendency to overindulge at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Anyone digesting the following assortment of incisive facts on the 16 NCAA Division I Tournament regional semifinalist 16 coaches should find that variety is the spice of this occasionally irreverent smorgasbord. More than half of the Sweet 16 bench bosses did not play major-college basketball. Remember: If a morsel isn't appetizing, don't be a glutton for punishment in trying to comprehend what makes the coaching community tick. Just proceed directly to the next tidbit to marinate on. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a few factoids you can savor among the following 2026 Sweet 16 mentors:

ALABAMA: Detroit-area prep coach Nate Oats joined Bobby Hurley's Buffalo staff directly with junior college recruit Justin Moss in 2013 before Moss became Mid-American Conference Player of the Year the next season and one year before center Raheem Johnson aligned with the Bulls as another J.C. signee. Moss and Johnson played under Oats at Romulus H.S.

ARIZONA: Tommy Lloyd's son, Liam, played in 14 games for the Wildcats after transfer previous competed with in-state schools Northern Arizona and Grand Canyon. During the construction of their home in Spokane while Gonzaga's associate head coach, his family lived in the childhood residence of Zags legend and Hall of Famer John Stockton. Lloyd, known for his international recruiting, spent several months backpacking on several continents before commencing his coaching career in the late 1990s.

ARKANSAS: John Calipari lettered two years for UNC-Wilmington before transferring to Clarion (Pa.) State.

CONNECTICUT: One of Dan Hurley's assistants at previous pitstops Wagner and Rhode Island was brother Bobby Hurley, an All-American guard for Duke's back-to-back NCAA titlists in 1991 and 1992.

DUKE: Jon Scheyer was raised in his father's Jewish religion and became a Bar Mitzvah. Scheyer was known as the "Jewish Jordan" and his Illinois high school state championship squad (Glenbrook North; prep alma mater of Northwestern coach and fellow Blue Devils guard Chris Collins) is the nation's only one known to have included an all-Jewish starting lineup. He received a scholarship offer from then Marquette coach Tom Crean as an eighth-grader before playing in high school under former Illini coach Bruce Weber's brother.

HOUSTON: Kelvin Sampson was a three-year college baseball letterman for Pembroke (N.C.) State.

ILLINOIS: Brad Underwood, as a juco recruit, took a visit to Oklahoma State, where his player host at the time was current Kansas bench boss Bill Self. Underwood's son, Tyler, played sparingly under his father with OSU and the Illini.

IOWA: Ben McCollum posted more than 20 wins each of his last 13 seasons with Northwest Missouri State (appearing 12 times in NCAA DII Tournament and averaging more than 30 triumphs annually in final eight campaigns) after going 22-31 in his first two campaigns in 2009-10 and 20109-11.

IOWA STATE: T.J. Otzelberger was an assistant coach with the Cyclones under his three predecessors - Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm. Otzelberger's wife, Alison Lacey, was a three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection for ISU women's basketball program.

MICHIGAN: Dusty May served as a student manager at Indiana from 1996 to 2000 under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight. May's youngest son, Eli, holds a similar position with the Wolverines.

MICHIGAN STATE: Tom Izzo was a teammate in high school (Iron Mountain, Mich.) and college (Northern Michigan) of former Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci. Izzo, a running back, and Mariucci, a quarterback, were the best men in each others' weddings.

NEBRASKA: Fred Hoiberg, an Ames, Iowa, product nicknamed "The Mayor," served as Vice President of Basketball Operations with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.

PURDUE: Matt Painter's father attended Big Ten Conference rival Indiana.

ST. JOHN'S: Rick Pitino averaged more assists per game (5.6) than points (4.7) in his two-year playing career with Massachusetts. Al Skinner, Boston College's all-time winningest coach, was captain of the 1973-74 UMass squad led in assists by Pitino for the second straight season.

TENNESSEE: Texas' turnaround in 1998-99 (19-13 record after going 14-17 in 1997-98 under Tom Penders) enabled Rick Barnes to become the only active coach to take two different schools to the NCAA playoffs in his maiden voyage with them after they posted a losing mark the previous campaign. He previously achieved the feat with Providence in the late 1980s. Barnes posted the nation's best winning percentage by a first-year major college head coach in 1987-88 when he went 20-10 (.667) in his lone season with George Mason.

TEXAS: Sean Miller was Big East Conference Freshman of the Year in 1987-88 with Pittsburgh (9.3 ppg, 5.8 apg, 85.1 FT%). Miller has the only two single-season free-throw shooting figures higher than 90% in Pitt history (.914 in in 1988-89 and .905 in 1990-91). As a youngster, he made appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show exhibiting his ballhandling ability.

David vs. Goliath: Observers Crave Mid-Major Victories of Biblical Proportions

March 24th, 2026 - 11:31

North Carolina bowing to Virginia Commonwealth and Wisconsin succumbing to High Point exhibited why "The Greatest Show on Earth" is a stage for annual slew of tourney upsets. 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 or in the eye of a blinking Owl (recall Florida Atlantic three years ago). Just ask #2 seed Purdue after the Boilermakers were upset by bottom-of-the-bracket mid-majors three consecutive campaigns earlier this decade.

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 like UR. Generous doses of humility frequently occur. Twelve years ago, #3 seeds Duke and Syracuse were embarrassed by Mercer and Dayton, respectively. They joined 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.

Wisconsin and Kansas are saddled with a high of seven such setbacks as a total of 12 former NCAA titlists have lost three or more such contests. Wisconsin has six reversals against double-digit seeded mid-majors. Ten 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 the wake of ACC's mediocre campaign again, 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? Would Bilas, also seemingly serving as NCAA executive director in absentia, and other self-anointed national experts have advocated for FAU, FDU, Furman, High Point, McNeese, New Mexico State, Oakland, Princeton, Richmond and Saint Peter's as at-large entrants if they didn't win their postseason conference tournaments?

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 101 different lower-profile schools and current members of 24 different mid-major conferences (all but Northeast) have won 179 such games since seeding was introduced in 1979. The nation's fans simply don't bow down at the power-league altar worshiping mediocrity. The mid-major schools with the most "David vs. Goliath" playoff victories cited in the following list are Richmond and Gonzaga with seven apiece:

ACC (36 defeats against mid-major opponents seeded five or more places worse) - Boston College (lost against #12 seed Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005); Clemson (#13 Southwest Missouri State in 1987, #11 Western Michigan in 1998 and #12 McNeese in 2025); 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, #11 George Mason in 2006 and #11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2026); 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, #13 Ohio University in 2021 and #13 Furman in 2023); Wake Forest (#13 Cleveland State in 2009)

BIG EAST (19) - Connecticut (lost to #11 George Mason in 2006, #13 San Diego in 2008 and #12 New Mexico State in 2022); 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 (36) - 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 and #12 Richmond in 2022); 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, #13 North Texas in 2021, #15 Saint Peter's in 2022 and #16 Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023); Wisconsin (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #11 Georgia State in 2001, #7 UNLV in 2007, #10 Davidson in 2008, #12 Cornell in 2010, #12 James Madison in 2024 and #12 High Point in 2026)

BIG 12 (30) - Baylor (lost to #14 Georgia State in 2015 and #12 Yale in 2016); Brigham Young (#11 Duquesne in 2024); Cincinnati (#12 Harvard in 2014 and #7 Nevada in 2018); 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, #13 UC Irvine in 2019 and #9 Florida Atlantic in 2023); 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 (22 through 2023-24) - 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, #13 Buffalo in 2018 and #15 Princeton in 2023 before joining Big 12); California (#12 Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1994 and #13 Hawaii in 2016 before joining ACC); Oregon State (#10 Lamar in 1980, #11 Evansville in 1989 and #12 Ball State in 1990 before joining WCC); Southern California (#13 UNC Wilmington in 2002 before joining Big Ten); Stanford (#14 Siena in 1989 and #10 Gonzaga in 1999 before joining ACC); UCLA (#12 Wyoming in 1987, #13 Penn State in 1991, #12 Tulsa in 1994, #13 Princeton in 1996 and #12 Detroit in 1999 before joining Big Ten); Utah (#10 Miami of Ohio in 1999 and #11 Gonzaga in 2016 before joining Big 12); Washington State (#12 Penn in 1980 before joining WCC)

SEC (39) - 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 and #13 Yale in 2024); 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, #9 UAB in 2004, #15 Saint Peter's in 2022 and #14 Oakland in 2024); 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, #15 Norfolk State in 2012, #15 Princeton in 2023 and #11 Drake in 2025); South Carolina (#15 Coppin State in 1997 and #14 Richmond in 1998); Tennessee (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #7 Wichita State in 2006, #11 Loyola of Chicago in 2018 and #9 Florida Atlantic in 2023); 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. . . . Penn State was a member of the Atlantic 10 in 1991. . . . 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 Cincinnati (Big East), Maryland (ACC), Louisville (Big East), Pittsburgh (Big East) and Syracuse (Big East) came when they were members of another power league.

Waiting List: Intra-State Matchups Don't Usually Occur Without NCAA Tourney

March 24th, 2026 - 9:02

Houston humiliated intra-state rival Texas A&M, 88-57, this year. We learned anew last decade why Kansas, like a masseuse dealing with Deshaun Watson, seeks to avoid Wichita State year upon year after the Shockers clobbered KU in the 2015 Midwest Regional. Ditto Notre Dame and Purdue with their frequent shunning this century of Butler, which took the Irish into overtime in the same regional before losing by only three points against the Boilermakers in second round in 2018. The results, coupled with Abilene Christian's shocking upset of Texas and Loyola leveling Illinois in 2021, showed again why some major schools should be ashamed of themselves for ducking nearby quality opponents. Why in the world did they have to resort to a national tournament assignment hundreds of miles from their fan base to oppose each other?

In a "Days of Whine and Hoses" era when many cash-strapped athletic departments are begging for revenue, they still schedule numerous poorly-attended home games against inferior opponents. It defies logic as to why tradition-rich schools forsake entertaining non-conference contests with natural rivals (example: Virginia Tech vs. Liberty in 2019) while scheduling more than their share of meaningless "rout-a-matics" at home. Fans shouldn't have to wait for an entertaining contest such as Morehead State upsetting Louisville, 62-61, in the opening round of the 2011 playoffs or Florida Gulf Coast taking Florida State to the mat in 2017.

The normal intensity of an NCAA Tournament tilt escalates even more in "bragging rights" games between neighboring opponents such as Texas Tech vs. Stephen F. Austin in 2018 first round that rarely if ever tangle on the same floor unless forced to compete against each other by a postseason bracket. Essentially, it is a sad state of affairs for fans in Kansas to need to hope KU and Wichita State oppose each other every 20 to 25 years in the NCAA tourney for them to meet on the hardwood.

A classic example of the scheduling neglect was an intense 2001 West Regional matchup between Maryland and Georgetown. Of course, the Washington, D.C., area isn't the only region with a scheduling complex. As emotional as it was, the Hoya Paranoia-Terrapin Trepidation confrontation didn't stack up among the following "Sweet 16" intrastate contests in NCAA playoff history including a couple of Kentucky/Louisville duels before they started meeting on an annual basis:

1. 1961 NCAA Championship Game (Cincinnati 70, Ohio State 65 in OT)
Paul Hogue, a 6-9 center who hit just 51.8% of his free-throw attempts during the season, sank only two of 10 foul shots in his two previous contests before putting Cincinnati ahead to stay with a pair of pivotal free throws in overtime in a victory over previously undefeated Ohio State.

2. 1998 East Regional second round (North Carolina 93, UNCC 83 in OT)
UNC Charlotte forward DeMarco Johnson outplayed national player of the year Antawn Jamison of the Tar Heels, but Carolina got a total of 55 points from Shammond Williams and Vince Carter to withstand the 49ers' bid for an upset.

3. 1983 Mideast Regional final (Louisville 80, Kentucky 68 in OT)
The first meeting between in-state rivals Kentucky and Louisville in more than 24 years was memorable as the Cardinals outscored the Wildcats 18-6 in overtime to reach the Final Four. The next year in same region's semifinals, UK erased a half-time deficit to upend the Cards, 72-67.

4. 1981 Midwest Regional semifinals (Wichita State 66, Kansas 65)
Mike Jones hit two long-range baskets in the last 50 seconds for Wichita State in the first game between the intrastate rivals in 36 years.

5. 1989 Southeast Regional first round (South Alabama 86, Alabama 84)
In an exciting intrastate battle, South Alabama erased a 16-point halftime deficit. Jeff Hodge and Gabe Estaba combined for 55 points for USA.

6. 1971 West Regional final (UCLA 57, Long Beach State 55)
The closest result for UCLA during the Bruins' 38-game playoff winning streak from 1967 to 1973 came when they had to erase an 11-point deficit despite 29 percent field-goal shooting to edge Jerry Tarkanian-coached Long Beach State.

7. 1971 Mideast Regional semifinals (Western Kentucky 107, Kentucky 83)
This year's game wasn't anything like when WKU, long regarded as poor country cousins by Kentucky, whipped the Wildcats in their first-ever meeting when All-American Jim McDaniels poured in 35 points for the Hilltoppers.

8. 1959 Mideast Regional semifinals (Louisville 76, Kentucky 61)
Second-ranked Kentucky (24-3) hit less than one-third of its field-goal attempts in blowing a 15-point lead against intrastate rival Louisville (19-12). The Cardinals had lost to Georgetown (KY) earlier in the season.

9. 1964 Midwest Regional first round (Texas Western 68, Texas A&M 62)
Jim "Bad News" Barnes took out his do-it-yourself kit and accounted for 61.8% of Texas Western's offense by scoring 42 points.

10. 1962 NCAA Championship Game (Cincinnati 71, Ohio State 59)
Ohio State All-American center Jerry Lucas wrenched his left knee in the national semifinals against Wake Forest, limiting his effectiveness against Cincinnati counterpart Paul Hogue in the Bearcats' 71-59 triumph in the final.

11. 1963 Mideast Regional final (Loyola of Chicago 79, Illinois 64)
Sparked by All-American Jerry Harkness' 33 points (highest ever for Ramblers in NCAA tourney), Loyola's only meeting against the Illini in a 24-year span from 1955-56 through 1978-79 represented the Ramblers' lone win in their irregular series until 1984-85.

12. 1974 East Regional first round (Furman 75, South Carolina 67)
Furman's Clyde Mayes collected 21 points and 16 rebounds to upend the Gamecocks' star-studded roster featuring Mike Dunleavy Sr., Alex English and Brian Winters.

13. 2021 Midwest Regional second round (Loyola of Chicago 71, Illinois 58)
Illini were knocked off #1 regional seed pedestal by the Ramblers.

14. 2021 East Regional first round (Abilene Christian 53, Texas 52)
In their first-ever meeting, #14 seed ACU upset #3 seed Texas on Joe Pleasant's pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining.

15. 1964 Midwest Regional final (Kansas State 94, Wichita 86)
All-American Dave Stallworth's 37 points (highest ever by Shockers in NCAA tourney) and 16 rebounds weren't enough to prevent Wichita's loss against K-State.

16. 1969 Midwest Regional semifinals (Colorado State 64, Colorado 56)
Cliff Meely's 32 points (all-time individual playoff high for CU) were in vain. Cliff Shegogg tallied a team-high 20 points for the Rams.

College Exam: Day #10 Regarding One-&-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

March 24th, 2026 - 6:14

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper to wipe butts of dimwit attorneys Fat Alvin Bragg, Large Letitia James and Big Fani Willis, wondering if Plagiarist Biledumb is male version of bike-riding witch stealing Toto in Wizard of Oz or cowering in fetal position waiting on marching orders from deity Dr. Fraudci, 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.

Answers (Day 10)
Day 9 Questions and Answers
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

As Good As It Got: Teams Entering NCAA Tourney With Longest Win Streaks

March 23rd, 2026 - 18:31

Gonzaga entered NCAA Tournament final five years ago boasting a school-record winning streak (35) before beaten by Baylor. The Zags should know the fact numerous other teams had the daunting task of capturing the NCAA championship or watch even longer school-record winning streaks come to a halt. Mid-majors James Madison (13 in 2024), UC San Diego (15 in 2025) and High Point (14 in 2026) entered national playoffs the last three campaigns with winning streaks significantly shorter than the following alphabetical list of schools boasting still existing all-time DI winning streaks of at least 25 consecutive victories broken during the NCAA playoffs:

School Streak Date Ended Opponent Score NCAA Tourney Round
Butler 26 4-5-10 Duke 61-59 Championship Game
College of Charleston 25 3-12-99 Tulsa 62-53 East Regional First
Columbia 32 3-20-51 Illinois 79-71 East Regional First
Davidson 25 3-30-08 Kansas 59-57 Midwest Regional Final
Duke 32 3-29-99 Connecticut 77-74 Championship Game
Florida 30 4-5-14 Connecticut 63-53 National Semifinals
Gonzaga 35 4-5-21 Baylor 86-70 Championship Game
Houston 32 3-22-68 UCLA 101-69 National Semifinals
Indiana 34 3-22-75 Kentucky 92-90 Mideast Regional Final
Indiana State 33 3-26-79 Michigan State 75-64 Championship Game
Kentucky 38 4-4-15 Wisconsin 71-64 National Semifinals
Loyola Marymount 25 3-19-88 North Carolina 123-97 West Regional Second
Marquette 39 3-18-71 Ohio State 60-59 Mideast Regional Semifinals
Memphis 27 3-26-09 Missouri 102-91 West Regional Semifinals
Ohio State 32 3-25-61 Cincinnati 70-65 Championship Game
Rutgers 31 3-27-76 Michigan 86-70 National Semifinals
Stephen F. Austin 29 3-23-14 UCLA 77-60 South Regional Second
Temple 25 3-21-58 Kentucky 61-60 National Semifinals
UNLV 45 3-30-91 Duke 79-77 National Semifinals
Wichita State 35 3-23-14 Kentucky 78-76 Midwest Regional Second

All-American Boys: Minor is Only Major League Hoops A-A in Last 45 Years

March 23rd, 2026 - 18:22

Will there be an NCAA Division I basketball All-American in 21st Century sufficiently versatile to eventually play major-league baseball? Ryan Minor (Oklahoma) is the only hoops All-American in last 45 years to subsequently become a major leaguer. The absence of another such versatile athlete is a stark contrast from when Seattle "bonus-baby" twins Eddie and Johnny O'Brien were among six different major-college A-As in six-season span from 1951-52 through 1956-57 to each end up performing at MLB level by 1960.

The two most prominent two-way athletes from the 1950s in this increasingly rare category clearly are Frank Howard (Ohio State) and Dick Groat (Duke). Is there any doubt Michael Jordan (North Carolina) should rank #23? As Opening Day for the 2026 MLB season unfolds later this week, following is a baseball ranking of the 25 major-college basketball All-Americans who played Organized Ball:

Rank Hoop All-American College A-A Year(s) Summary of Organized Baseball Career
1. Frank Howard Ohio State 1956-57 Four-time American League All-Star outfielder-first baseman hit .273 with 382 home runs and 1,119 RBI with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers in 16 seasons from 1958 through 1973. Hit .341 with 84 homers and 269 RBI in three minor-league campaigns in the Dodgers' organization. He also managed the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in early 1980s.
2. Dick Groat Duke 1950-51 and 1951-52 Eight-time National League All-Star shortstop hit .286 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants in 1,929 games in 14 seasons (1952 and 1955 through 1967; served in U.S. military in 1953 and 1954). He did not play an inning of minor-league baseball.
3. Frankie Baumholtz Ohio University 1940-41 Outfielder hit .290 in 1,019 games with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies in 10 N.L. seasons (1947 through 1949 and 1951 through 1957). Hit .345 in three minor-league campaigns.
4. Joe Gibbon Mississippi 1956-57 Lefthander compiled a 61-65 pitching record and 3.52 ERA in 419 MLB games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros during 13 N.L. seasons from 1960 through 1972. Posted a 31-26 mark in three minor-league campaigns in the Pirates' organization.
5. Johnny O'Brien Seattle 1951-52 and 1952-53 Infielder/pitcher played six seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1959) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves. Hit .250 and compiled a 1-3 pitching record in 339 MLB games. Hit .294 in three minor-league campaigns in farms systems of the Cards and Cincinnati Reds.
6. Louis "Bosey" Berger Maryland 1931-32 Infielder hit .236 with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in six A.L. seasons (1932 and 1935 through 1939). Played six minor-league seasons in farm systems of Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and New York Yankees.
7. Eddie O'Brien Seattle 1952-53 Infielder-outfielder played five seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1958) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .236 in 231 MLB games. He also won his lone decision while pitching in five contests. O'Brien hit .260 and compiled an 11-11 pitching record in two minor-league campaigns.
8. Danny Ainge Brigham Young 1978-79 through 1980-81 Utilityman hit .220 with the Toronto Blue Jays in three years from 1979 through 1981. Hit .237 in three minor-league seasons at AAA level. Selected in 15th round of 1977 MLB amateur draft out of high school (one round ahead of INF-OF Tony Phillips and two rounds ahead of OF-1B Gary Redus).
9. Ryan Minor Oklahoma 1994-95 and 1995-96 Rookie third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles replaced Cal Ripken Jr. in their lineup on September 20, 1998, ending Ripken's major league record of 2,632 consecutive games played. Minor hit .185 in three years with them before hitting .158 in lone campaign with the Montreal Expos in 2001. He hit .266 with 95 HRs and 356 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Orioles, Expos, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers and Florida Marlins. Selected in 15th round by Orioles out of high school in 1992 MLB amateur draft (ahead of OF Jose Cruz), 7th round by New York Mets in 1995 (one round ahead of RHP A.J. Burnett) and 33rd round by Orioles in 1996 (one round ahead of RHP Dan Wheeler and two rounds ahead of C Josh Bard).
10. Charles "Cotton" Nash Kentucky 1961-62 through 1963-64 First baseman went 3-for-16 (.188) in three brief A.L. stints with the Chicago White Sox (1967) and Minnesota Twins (1969 and 1970). He collected 170 homers and 540 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Twins and Texas Rangers.
11. Dick Ricketts Jr. Duquesne 1953-54 and 1954-55 Compiled a 1-6 pitching record and 5.82 ERA in his only MLB season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959. Registered a 99-91 mark in 10 minor-league campaigns in farm systems of the Cards, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
12. Dave DeBusschere Detroit 1959-60 through 1961-62 Righthander compiled a 3-4 pitching record for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963. Posted a 40-21 mark in three minor-league seasons.
13. Don Grate Ohio State 1943-44 and 1944-45 Righthander pitched briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 and 1946 (1-1 record with 9.37 ERA). Compiled a 43-28 minor-league mark in the farm systems of the Phillies, Boston Braves, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators. Also played outfield in farm systems of Senators and New York Giants in 1953, 1956 and 1957.
14. Ernie Andres Indiana 1937-38 and 1938-39 Hit .098 in 15 games as a third baseman with the Boston Red Sox in 1946. Played five minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Red Sox, New York Giants, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He posted a .287 batting average in three years at AA level with Louisville, including 100 RBI in 1941.
15. George Lacy Richmond 1934-35 Catcher for 10 minor-league seasons from 1936 to 1948 in farm systems of the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Boston Braves, reaching AA level from 1939 through 1942 before serving in U.S. military during WWII. He also was a minor-league manager for the Braves and Washington Senators (237-178 record from 1946 through 1949).
16. R. Gail Bishop Washington State 1942-43 Outfielder in the Boston Braves' farm system played four minor-league seasons from 1946 through 1949. In 1947, he hit .365 with 37 extra-base safeties in Sunset League (Class C).
17. Bill Sharman Southern California 1949-50 OF-3B hit .281 in Brooklyn Dodgers' farm system in five minor-league seasons from 1950 through 1953 and 1955. Model of consistency hit from .286 (AA level in 1951) to .294 (AAA in 1952) in four of the campaigns. His .292 batting average in 1955 in American Association (Triple A) was significantly higher that year than eventual six-time A.L. All-Star OF Rocky Colavito's .268 mark.
18. Jay Arnette Texas 1959-60 Outfielder hit .269 with 17 homers and 144 RBI in Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system in four seasons from 1961 through 1964. He hit .295 in Class A his last two campaigns.
19. Rolland "Rollie" Seltz Hamline MN 1945-46 Infielder hit .266 in St. Louis Cardinals' organization in four minor-league seasons from 1943 through 1946. He hit .296 with a total of 37 homers and 142 RBI in his last two years at Class B level.
20. Andy Phillip Illinois 1941-42, 1942-43 and 1946-47 Reached the Class AAA level in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. OF-1B also played in the Cleveland Indians' farm system. In 1949, he collected 22 doubles, 8 homers and 47 RBI with Winston-Salem Cardinals in Carolina League (Class B).
21. Jim Jarvis Oregon State 1964-65 Second baseman hit .288 with three minor-league teams in Philadelphia Phillies' organization in 1966 at Class A level.
22. Ferdinand "Fred" Pralle Kansas 1937-38 OF hit .303 in 18 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates' Class D team in Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League in 1946.
23. Michael Jordan North Carolina 1982-83 and 1983-84 Outfielder hit .202 with 114 strikeouts in 127 games in Chicago White Sox' farm system in 1994 with Birmingham (AA Southern League).
24. Ronnie Perry Jr. Holy Cross 1976-77 through 1978-79 INF, a third-round selection by Chicago White Sox in 1980 (ahead of OFs Danny Tartabull, Eric Davis and Jim Eisenreich), hit .260 with seven homers and 44 RBI in Eastern League (Class AA) in 1980 and 1981.
T25. Trajan Langdon Duke 1997-98 and 1998-99 Third baseman, a sixth-round selection by San Diego Padres out of high school in 1994 MLB amateur draft (ahead of eventual All-Stars Ronnie Belliard, Carl Pavano, Placido Polanco and J.D. Drew), hit .189 in 50 games in their farm system in three years.
T25. Wardell "Dell" Curry Virginia Tech 1985-86 Lost only start as pitcher (yielded one run while fanning four batters in three innings) with Gastonia (Class A South Atlantic League) in the Texas Rangers' farm system in 1991. He was a 37th-round selection by Rangers in 1982 MLB amateur draft out of high school and 14th round in 1985 by Baltimore Orioles in 1985 (eight rounds ahead of RHP John Smoltz).

Fall-Americans: NCAA Consensus First-Team A-As Failing to Reach Sweet 16

March 23rd, 2026 - 14:20

Exit of AJ Dybantsa (Brigham Young) is nothing new for an NCAA consensus first-team All-American failing 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. Dybantsa joined a lengthy list of them bowing out in the opening round.

Four consensus first-teamers didn't reach Sweet 16 in 2000 and 2022 introduced in 1979. First-teamers from five different Big Ten members failed to advance to the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2023.

Creighton's Doug McDermott was a first-teamer 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 is a list of NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans failing to appear in Sweet 16 since 1975 (listed in reverse order):

Year NCAA Consensus First-Team All-Americans Failing to Reach Sweet 16
2026 AJ Dybantsa (Brigham Young^)
2023 Zach Edey (Purdue^), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) and Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
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 (Kansas) 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 Sr. (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 Jr. (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 2000 C-USA Tournament).

Mixing March Madness & Sadness: FL 30th #1 Seed Exiting Before Sweet 16

March 23rd, 2026 - 13:58

For all the bitter disappointment experienced by fans of a highly-ranked team such as Florida bowing out of the provocative NCAA Tournament early, there is an equal amount of euphoria emanating from supporters of the victor. The range of disparate emotions is one of the reasons there is such a fascination with upsets because nothing is guaranteed as evidenced by a power team knocked off its high horse by a darkhorse.

Until 20 1/2-point underdog UMBC blew out Virginia by 20 points in 2018, the ultimate in March Madness materialized in 1993 when Arizona, ranked fifth by AP, was stunned in the first round of the West Regional by Santa Clara (64-61). In terms of point spreads, it was the biggest upset in NCAA playoff history in the 20th Century because Santa Clara was a 20-point underdog. Norfolk State subsequently ignored a 21 1/2-point margin to knock off Missouri.

A total of 30 No. 1 seeds, including DePaul three straight years from 1980 through 1982, failed to reach the regional semifinals since seeding was introduced in 1979. Villanova, bowing out in this category twice in three seasons earlier during the previous decade, was the sixth #1 seed in eight-year span - losing by an average of fewer than three points - joining the following crestfallen top-seeded teams:

Year No. 1 Seed Regional Loss in Second Round Score
1979 North Carolina East #9 seed Penn 72-71
1980 DePaul West #8 UCLA 77-71
1981 DePaul Mideast #9 St. Joseph's 49-48
1981 Oregon State West #8 Kansas State 50-48
1982 DePaul Midwest #8 Boston College 82-75
1985 Michigan Southeast #8 Villanova 59-55
1986 St. John's West #8 Auburn 81-65
1990 Oklahoma Midwest #8 North Carolina 79-77
1992 Kansas Midwest #9 Texas-El Paso 66-60
1994 North Carolina East #9 Boston College 75-72
1996 Purdue West #8 Georgia 76-69
1998 Kansas Midwest #8 Rhode Island 80-75
2000 Arizona West #8 Wisconsin 66-59
2000 Stanford South #8 North Carolina 60-53
2002 Cincinnati West #8 UCLA 105-101 (2OT)
2004 Kentucky St. Louis/Midwest #9 UAB 76-75
2004 Stanford Phoenix/West #8 Alabama 70-67
2010 Kansas Midwest #9 Northern Iowa 69-67
2011 Pittsburgh Southeast #8 Butler 71-70
2013 Gonzaga West #9 Wichita State 76-70
2014 Wichita State Midwest #8 Kentucky 78-76
2015 Villanova East #8 North Carolina State 71-68
2017 Villanova East #8 Wisconsin 65-62
2018 Xavier West #9 Florida State 75-70
2021 Illinois Midwest #8 Loyola of Chicago 71-58
2022 Baylor East #8 North Carolina 93-86 (OT)
2023 Kansas West #8 Arkansas 72-71
2026 Florida South #9 Iowa 73-72
Year No. 1 Seed Regional Loss in First Round Score
2018 Virginia South #16 Maryland-Baltimore County 74-54
2023 Purdue East #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 63-58

Leagues of Their Own: Power Conferences Comprise Entire Sweet 16 Again

March 23rd, 2026 - 8:09

Packing the court legitimately, the Big Ten and SEC supplied at least four Sweet 16 participants each of the last two seasons (featuring all-time record seven for the SEC a year ago after alliance started with all-time high of 14 delegates). Power conferences comprise the entire Sweet 16 field for the second straight campaign. It is a dramatic turnaround for the SEC, which provided more than two Sweet 16 representatives only once (three in 2007) in a 12-year span from 2001 through 2012 (marred by a goose egg in 2009).

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). #MessMedia proclaimed the Big Ten as dominant four seasons ago but only one of nine participants survived the first weekend of competition. The Big Ten became the first conference securing at least nine entrants in single tourney and have none of them advance to a regional final in 2022.

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 three 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 contributed at least four Sweet 16 participants a total of 35 times since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to at least 48 teams in 1980:

Year Power League Four or More Conference Members Reaching Sweet 16
1980 Big Ten Indiana, z-Iowa, Ohio State, z-Purdue
1984 ACC Maryland, North Carolina, z-Virginia, Wake Forest
1985 ACC Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State
1985 Big East Boston College, y-Georgetown, z-St. John's, x-Villanova
1986 ACC y-Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State
1986 SEC Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, z-Louisiana State
1989 ACC z-Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia
1989 Big Ten z-Illinois, Indiana, x-Michigan, Minnesota
1990 ACC Clemson, y-Duke, z-Georgia Tech, North Carolina
1992 ACC x-Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina
1993 ACC Florida State, x-North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
1995 ACC Maryland, z-North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
1996 SEC Arkansas, Georgia, x-Kentucky, z-Mississippi State
1997 Pacific-10 x-Arizona, California, Stanford, UCLA
1998 Pacific-10 Arizona, z-Stanford, UCLA, Washington
1999 Big Ten Iowa, z-Michigan State, z-Ohio State, Purdue
2001 Pacific-10 y-Arizona, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA
2002 Big 12 z-Kansas, Missouri, z-Oklahoma, Texas
2003 Big East Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, x-Syracuse
2006 Big East Connecticut, Georgetown, Villanova, West Virginia
2009 Big East z-Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, z-Villanova
2012 Big East Cincinnati, z-Louisville, Marquette, Syracuse
2012 Big Ten Indiana, Michigan State, z-Ohio State, Wisconsin
2013 Big Ten Indiana, y-Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State
2015 ACC x-Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame
2016 ACC Duke, Miami (Fla.), y-North Carolina, Notre Dame, z-Syracuse, Virginia
2018 ACC Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse
2019 ACC Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, z-Virginia, Virginia Tech
2019 SEC z-Auburn, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Tennessee
2021 Pacific-12 Oregon, Oregon State, Southern California, z-UCLA
2024 ACC Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, z-North Carolina State
2025 Big 12 Arizona, Brigham Young, Houston, Texas Tech
2025 Big Ten Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue
2025 SEC Alabama, Arkansas, z-Auburn, x-Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
2026 Big Ten Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue
2026 SEC Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas

x-Won NCAA championship
y-Finished national runner-up
z-Reached Final Four

Duke's success this year enabled the ACC to extend its streak of Sweet 16 representation since 1979 when the field expanded from 32 to 40 teams after the Blue Devils reached the 1978 tourney final. Duke and North Carolina both lost their openers in 1979. Despite struggling of late, the ACC is the only league not to be shut out of the Sweet 16 at least once since the Big 12 Conference's inaugural campaign in 1996-97. The disbanded Pacific-10/12 Conference was nowhere to be found in the Sweet 16 five times in an eight-year span from 1980 through 1987. Following are the years since 1979 when power conferences failed to have at least one member reach the Sweet 16:

ACC - 1979
Big East - 1986, 1993, 2019 and 2025
Big Ten - 1995, 1996 and 2006
Big 12 (plus Big Eight and SWC) - 1990 and 1998
Pacific-10/12 - 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1999, 2004, 2012 and 2018
SEC - 1989 and 2009

College Exam: Day #9 Regarding One-&-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

March 23rd, 2026 - 7:54

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, stranded in an airport because of #Dimorat legislators, seeking translator to try to understand Plagiarist Biledumb before his afternoon nap or cowering in fetal position due to having Dr. Fraudci as deity, 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.

Answers (Day 9)
Day 8 Questions and Answers
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

How the West Has Lost: USU Lone School 20 Games Below .500 in Playoffs

March 22nd, 2026 - 22:38

Symbolic of the West, Boise State has had some decent teams in recent years but is shackled by being winless after 10 playoff outings. The West, featuring multiple other schools even more games below .500, remains the worst as 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. Utah State is more games below .500 than any institution in NCAA playoff history (20) with Brigham Young (19) and New Mexico State (17) not far behind. Bowing out of the NCAA playoffs before the Sweet 16 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
Utah State 8-28 minus 20 lost 22 of last 25 playoff games
Brigham Young 17-36 minus 19 only two victories were by fewer than six points
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 15-30 minus 15 lost eight of first nine games from 1952 through 1963 and five straight contests since 1998 until reaching 2023 Sweet 16
Iona 1-16 minus 15 15 straight setbacks with first four of them by fewer than four points from 1980 through 1998
Miami (Ohio) 7-20 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)
Montana 2-14 minus 12 won inaugural game in 1975 but lost last five contests since 2012 by an average of nearly 25 points
Wyoming 9-21 minus 12 1943 NCAA titlist before losing 12 of 13 games from 1947 through 1967
Weber State 6-17 minus 11 seven of last nine defeats since 1979 were by fewer than 12 points

Unfinished Business: BYU, Mizzou & Utah State Remain on "Susan Lucci" List

March 22nd, 2026 - 22:12

Weep On It/Think On It/Sleep On It/Drink On It. That could have been the motto for Alabama until the Crimson Tide left the list of "Susan Lucci" schools in NCAA Division I by finally advancing to the Promised Land in its 25th tournament appearance in 2024. Brigham Young, Missouri and Xavier are the only three schools participating in at least 30 NCAA Tournaments but never advancing to a Final Four (cumulative 94 playoff appearances).

Missouri has reached a regional final on four occasions but fell short in advancing to the Final Four. Six years ago, Xavier joined Mizzou (1994) as the only schools never reaching the national semifinals despite earning a #1 seed at some point during their NCAA playoff participation. Boston College is another bridesmaid multiple times comparable to Xavier, losing three regional finals (1967, 1982 and 1994) in 18 tourney appearances (22-19 record) since the field expanded beyond eight teams in 1950.

The following "Forlorn Four" frustrated institutions remain in quagmire because they've made more than 25 appearances without reaching the Final Four:

School Tourney Appearances (Playoff Record Through 2025) Regional Final Losses
Utah State 26 (8-28 mark, .222) 1970
Brigham Young 33 (17-36, .321) 1951 and 1981
Missouri 31 (23-31, .426) 1976, 1994, 2002 and 2009
Xavier 30 (31-30, .508) 2004, 2008 and 2017

Short and Sweet: Hodgson Latest One-Year Coach Leaving After Winning Big

March 22nd, 2026 - 11:30

Bryan Hodgson won 73.5% of his games in only season (25-9 record) with South Florida before seeking greener pastures at Providence. A surprising number of previous "won-and-done" mentors posted even higher winning percentages in "short-and-sweet" one-year stints since the generally recognized start of the modern era of college basketball in the early 1950s. Drake had two such coaches promptly move on to higher ground upon winning at least 28 games (Keno Davis following 2007-08 campaign and Ben McCollum a year ago after earning distinction as the winningest one-year wonder in NCAA history (31-4).

Fordham improved by 14 games in Digger Phelps' only season with the Rams in 1970-71, a mark that stood for one-year wonders until Chris Beard broke it with a 15-game improvement after UALR (30-5) went 13-18 in 2014-15. Buzz Peterson, the only coach to win a national postseason championship in his only season at a school (NIT with Tulsa), is among the following "one-and-done" coaches - including 2026 NCAA playoff bench bosses Rick Barnes (George Mason), Grant McCasland (Arkansas State), Matt Painter (Southern Illinois) and Brad Underwood (Oklahoma State) plus McCollum - winning more than 60% of their games in one-year tenures in the last 70 years:

Coach School Single Season W-L Pct. Reason for One-Year Stint
Lute Olson Long Beach State 1973-74 24-2 .923 Became coach at Iowa.
Digger Phelps Fordham 1970-71 26-3 .897 Became coach at Notre Dame.
Ben McCollum Drake 2024-25 31-4 .886 Became coach at Iowa.
Chris Beard UALR 2015-16 30-5 .857 Became coach at UNLV.
Carl Tacy Marshall 1971-72 23-4 .852 Became coach at Wake Forest.
Keno Davis Drake 2007-08 28-5 .848 Became coach at Providence.
Matt Painter Southern Illinois 2003-04 25-5 .833 Became coach at Purdue.
Stan Heath Kent State 2001-02 29-6 .829 Became coach at Arkansas.
Paul Weir New Mexico State 2016-17 28-6 .824 Became coach at New Mexico.
Danny Sprinkle Utah State 2023-24 28-7 .800 Became coach at Washington.
Thad Matta Butler 2000-01 24-8 .750 Became coach at Xavier.
Bryan Hodgson South Florida 2025-26 25-9 .735 Became coach at Providence.
Bill Fitch Bowling Green 1967-68 18-7 .720 Became coach at Minnesota.
Jim Harding* La Salle 1967-68 20-8 .714 Forced out by administration.
Buzz Peterson Tulsa 2000-01 26-11 .703 Became coach at Tennessee.
Bob Vanatta Army 1953-54 15-7 .682 Became coach at Bradley.
Larry Shyatt Wyoming 1997-98 19-9 .679 Became coach at Clemson.
Rick Barnes George Mason 1987-88 20-10 .667 Became coach at Providence.
Corey Gipson Northwestern State 2022-23 22-11 .667 Became coach at Austin Peay.
Ron Greene Mississippi State 1977-78 18-9 .667 Became coach at Murray State.
Art Tolis New Orleans 1987-88 21-11 .656 Forced out by administration.
Steve Lutz Western Kentucky 2023-24 22-12 .647 Became coach at Oklahoma State.
Scott Drew Valparaiso 2002-03 20-11 .645 Became coach at Baylor.
Louis Orr Siena 2000-01 20-11 .645 Became coach at Seton Hall.
Bob Huggins Kansas State 2006-07 22-13 .629 Became coach at West Virginia.
Grant McCasland Arkansas State 2016-17 20-12 .625 Became coach at North Texas.
Brad Underwood Oklahoma State 2016-17 20-13 .606 Became coach at Illinois.

*Harding became coach for Minnesota (ABA) for portion of 1968-69 season.

College Exam: Day #8 Regarding One-&-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

March 22nd, 2026 - 9:38

Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, trying to start a daycare center or hospice in Democrat-controlled state, seeking translator to attempt to understand hair-sniffing Plagiarist Biledumb or cowering in fetal position hiding your useless bracket, 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.

Answers (Day 8)
Day 7 Questions and Answers
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Missing in Main Action: Numerous A-As Failed to Compete in Postseason Play

March 21st, 2026 - 20:31

Should the inaugural Crown Tournament in Las Vegas count if new event boasts better field than NIT? Naturally, it would be unfair to include "one-and-done" players from six seasons ago as coronavirus prevented them from participating in national postseason competition. No All-American missed postseason play last year (if you count Villanova's Eric Dixon competing in inaugural Crown Tournament), but you can go back to Big Ben to assess whether he was a freshman phenom or flop. Ten seasons ago, LSU's Ben Simmons was the first NCAA consensus All-American in 38 years (since Minnesota's Mychal Thompson and Portland State's Freeman Williams in 1978) to leave college after failing to appear in either of the two principal national postseason tournaments during their career. After previously occurring frequently, Army's Kevin Houston (1987) had been the last All-American of any type to miss the NCAA tourney and NIT until Simmons and Detroit's Antoine Davis three seasons ago (despite COVID-enhanced five years of eligibility as the Titans went 29 games below .500 during his stint). Davis, Houston, Thompson and Williams comprise four of 24 four- and five-year players among all A-As in this dubious category. Thompson is among a total of 50 such players from Big Ten Conference members.

Simmons' questionable NBA playing status this decade seasons is nothing new. He plus fellow All-Americans Kay Felder (Oakland) and Markelle Fultz (Washington freshman nine years ago) might have made bigger names for themselves in college if they had participated in national postseason competition prior to declaring early for the NBA draft. Fultz, briefly a teammate of Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers, became the 126th standout from a member of an existing power league (26 of them consensus) on the following alphabetical list of All-Americans, including Kevin Love's father (Stan Love/Oregon A-A in 1971), who never competed in the NCAA playoffs or NIT since the national-tourney events were introduced in the late 1930s:

No Postseason All-American Position School Year(s) All-American
Alvan Adams C Oklahoma 1974 and 1975
Jim Ashmore G Mississippi State 1957
Chet Aubuchon G Michigan State 1940
*Don Barksdale C UCLA 1947
Leo Barnhorst F-C-G Notre Dame 1949
John Barr G Penn State 1941
*Walt Bellamy C Indiana 1961
Gale Bishop F-C Washington State 1943
Bruno Boin F-C Washington 1957
George BonSalle C Illinois 1957
Wally Borrevik C Oregon State 1944
*Vince Boryla F-C Notre Dame/Denver 1949
Fred Boyd G Oregon State 1972
*Frank Burgess G Gonzaga 1961
Jim Burns G Northwestern 1967
Lawrence Butler G Idaho State 1979
*Leo Byrd F Marshall 1959
Bob Calihan C Detroit 1939
Dan Callandrillo G Seton Hall 1982
Joe Capua G Wyoming 1956
Tom Chilton F East Tennessee State 1961
*Doug Collins G Illinois State 1973
Russ Critchfield G California 1967
Billy Cunningham F North Carolina 1964 and 1965
*Chuck Darling C Iowa 1952
A.W. Davis F Tennessee 1965
Antoine Davis G Detroit 2023
Charlie Davis G Wake Forest 1971
***Terry Dischinger C-F Purdue 1960 through 1962
Bill Ebben F Detroit 1957
Paul Ebert C Ohio State 1952 through 1954
Frank Ehmann F Northwestern 1955
Bob Faris F George Washington 1939
Bob Faught C Notre Dame 1942
Kay Felder G Oakland 2016
Ken Flower G Southern California 1953
**Darrell Floyd G-F Furman 1955 and 1956
*Malachi Flynn G San Diego State 2020
*Chet Forte G Columbia 1957
Don Freeman F Illinois 1966
**Robin Freeman G Ohio State 1955 and 1956
Markelle Fultz G Washington 2017
Terry Furlow F Michigan State 1976
*Dave Gambee F Oregon State 1958
*Dick Garmaker F Minnesota 1954 and 1955
Bill Garrett C Indiana 1951
Ed Gayda F Washington State 1950
Harold Gensichen F Western Michigan 1943
Ralph "Toddy" Giannini G Santa Clara 1940
Joe Gibbon F Mississippi 1957
Chester "Chet" Giermak C William & Mary 1950
**Otto Graham F Northwestern 1943 and 1944
**Dick Groat G Duke 1951 and 1952
**Dale Hall F Army 1944 and 1945
*Ralph Hamilton F Indiana 1947
Bill Hanson F-C Washington 1962
Vince Hanson C Washington State 1945
Bill Hapac F Illinois 1940
Jules "Skip" Harlicka G South Carolina 1968
Jerry Harper C-F Alabama 1956
*Spencer Haywood F-C Detroit 1969
**Fred Hetzel F-C Davidson 1963 through 1965
Joe Hobbs G Florida 1958
Paul Hoffman F-C Purdue 1947
Kevin Houston G Army 1987
Frank Howard C-F Ohio State 1957
**Bailey Howell F-C Mississippi State 1958 and 1959
Lou Hudson G-F Minnesota 1965 and 1966
*Dick Ives F Iowa 1944 and 1945
*Chester "Chet" Jaworski G Rhode Island State 1939
Ron Johnson C Minnesota 1959 and 1960
Vinnie Johnson G Baylor 1979
Paul Judson G Illinois 1956
Rich Kelley C Stanford 1975
*Walt Kirk G Illinois 1945
**Leo Klier F Notre Dame 1944 and 1946
Ed Koffenberger C-F Duke 1946 and 1947
Tom Kondla C Minnesota 1967
Ron Kramer C Michigan 1957
Dennis "Mo" Layton G Southern California 1971
Kevin Loder F Alabama State 1981
Stan Love C Oregon 1971
Jeff Malone G Mississippi State 1983
John Mandic C Oregon State 1942
Julius McCoy F Michigan State 1956
Banks McFadden C Clemson 1939
George McGinnis F Indiana 1971
*Jim McIntyre C Minnesota 1948 and 1949
Mark McNamara C California 1982
Carl McNulty C Purdue 1952
Chuck Mencel G Minnesota 1953 and 1955
Mike Mitchell F Auburn 1978
*Bill Mlkvy F Temple 1951
**Glen Max Morris C-F Northwestern 1945 and 1946
Jack Murdock G Wake Forest 1957
Phillip "Red" Murrell F Drake 1958
Don Nelson F-C Iowa 1961 and 1962
*Johnny Neumann F-G Mississippi 1971
Paul Neumann G Stanford 1959
Albert "Ab" Nicholas G Wisconsin 1952
Don Ohl G Illinois 1958
Frank Oleynick G Seattle 1975
Dick O'Neal C Texas Christian 1957
Bernie Opper G Kentucky 1939
**Kevin O'Shea G Notre Dame 1947 through 1950
Robert Parish C Centenary 1974 through 1976
Roger Phegley G-F Bradley 1978
Ricky Pierce F-G Rice 1982
Lou Pucillo G North Carolina State 1959
Dave Quabius G Marquette 1939
Ray Ragelis F-C Northwestern 1951
Jimmy Rayl G Indiana 1962 and 1963
Bob Rensberger G Notre Dame 1943
John Richter C North Carolina State 1959
Bill Ridley G Illinois 1956
Eddie Riska F Notre Dame 1941
Flynn Robinson G Wyoming 1965
Mike Robinson G Michigan State 1974
Wil Robinson G West Virginia 1972
Gene Rock F-G Southern California 1943
Marshall Rogers G Pan American 1976
Joe Ruklick C Northwestern 1959
**Dave Schellhase F Purdue 1965 and 1966
Harv Schmidt F Illinois 1957
Dave Scholz F Illinois 1969
Danny Schultz G Tennessee 1964
**Frank Selvy F Furman 1952 through 1954
*George Senesky F-G St. Joseph's 1943
*Bill Sharman G Southern California 1950
Gene Shue F Maryland 1953 and 1954
*Ben Simmons F-G Louisiana State 2016
Gary Simmons G Idaho 1958
Ralph Simpson F-G Michigan State 1970
Meyer "Whitey" Skoog F-G Minnesota 1949 through 1951
Doug Smart C-F Washington 1957 through 1959
Chris Smith C Virginia Tech 1960
Don Smith C Iowa State 1968
Glen Smith F Utah 1952
Forrest "Frosty" Sprowl F Purdue 1942
Bill Stauffer F-C Missouri 1952
Terry Teagle G-F Baylor 1982
Gary Thompson G Iowa State 1957
**Mychal Thompson F-C Minnesota 1977 and 1978
Rudy Tomjanovich F Michigan 1969 and 1970
Gene Tormohlen C Tennessee 1959
Walt Torrence G-F UCLA 1959
John Townsend F Michigan 1938
Vic "Slick" Townsend G-F Oregon 1941
Dick Van Arsdale F Indiana 1965
Tom Van Arsdale F Indiana 1965
Ernie Vandeweghe F Colgate 1949
*Grady Wallace F South Carolina 1957
Lou Watson F-G Indiana 1950
Nick Werkman F Seton Hall 1963
Paul Westphal G Southern California 1971 and 1972
*Murray Wier G-F Iowa 1948
Richard "Buzz" Wilkinson G Virginia 1955
*Freeman Williams G Portland State 1977 and 1978
Max Williams G Southern Methodist 1960
Sam Williams F Iowa 1968
*Mark Workman C West Virginia 1951 and 1952
George Yardley F Stanford 1950
Rich Yunkus C Georgia Tech 1970 and 1971

*Number of times named an NCAA consensus All-American.

NOTE: Flynn was a transfer from Washington State.

Tiny Dancers: Mid-Majors Miami & SLU Beat Power-League Members Like '95

March 21st, 2026 - 17:22

Prior to coronavirus cancellation six seasons ago, the national tourney in 2020 was expected to be a bonanza year for mid-majors with Dayton (Atlantic 10), Gonzaga (West Coast) and San Diego State (Mountain West) ranked in national Top 10 polls. When given an opportunity via an at-large invitation to the Big Dance, members from 11 different mid-major conferences have more than held their own against opponents from elite leagues. The greatest example was Virginia Commonwealth, which defeated members from five different power leagues en route to the 2011 Final Four. COVID-19 prevented VCU from possibility of duplicating at-large success three years ago.

It's blatantly clear mid-majors should be given more consideration. After Miami of Ohio and Saint Louis both duplicated their 1995 at-large success this year, mid-major at-large entrants since 1992 included the following success totals against power-league members: Big Eight/Big 12 (24), Big East (20), SEC (17), Big Ten (16), ACC (15) and Pac-12 (11). Kansas has incurred six such setbacks against a mid-major at-large entrant since 1992. The following total of 41 different mid-major at-large entrants went on to win in the NCAA playoffs against a total of 55 different power-conference members (listed in reverse chronological order):

Year At-Large Entrant Mid-Major Conference Power-League Victim(s) in NCAA Tournament
2026 Miami of Ohio Mid-American Southern Methodist (Atlantic Coast)
2026 Saint Louis Atlantic 10 Georgia (SEC)
2025 New Mexico Mountain West Marquette (Big East)
2025 Saint Mary's West Coast Vanderbilt (SEC)
2024 Colorado State Mountain West Virginia (ACC)
2024 Gonzaga West Coast Kansas (Big 12)
2024 Utah State Mountain West Texas Christian (Big 12)
2022 Saint Mary's West Coast Indiana (Big Ten)
2019 Houston American Athletic Ohio State (Big Ten)
2018 Nevada Mountain West Texas (Big 12)
2016 Virginia Commonwealth Atlantic 10 Oregon State (Pac-12)
2016 Wichita State Missouri Valley Vanderbilt (SEC) and Arizona (Pac-12)
2015 Dayton Atlantic 10 Providence (Big East)
2015 San Diego State Mountain West St. John's (Big East)
2015 UAB C-USA Iowa State (Big 12)
2015 Wichita State Missouri Valley Indiana (Big Ten) and Kansas (Big 12)
2014 Dayton Atlantic 10 Ohio State (Big Ten), Syracuse (ACC) and Stanford (Pac-12)
2013 Colorado State Mountain West Missouri (SEC)
2013 La Salle Atlantic 10 Kansas State (Big 12) and Ole Miss (SEC)
2013 San Diego State Mountain West Oklahoma (Big 12)
2013 Temple Atlantic 10 North Carolina State (ACC)
2013 Wichita State Missouri Valley Pittsburgh (Big East) and Ohio State (Big Ten)
2012 Gonzaga West Coast West Virginia (Big East)
2012 Xavier Atlantic 10 Notre Dame (Big East)
2011 George Mason Colonial Villanova (Big East)
2011 Temple Atlantic 10 Penn State (Big Ten)
2011 Virginia Commonwealth Colonial USC (Pacific-10), Georgetown (Big East), Purdue (Big Ten), Florida State (ACC) and Kansas (Big 12)
2010 Brigham Young Mountain West Florida (SEC)
2010 Gonzaga West Coast Florida State (ACC)
2010 Xavier Atlantic 10 Minnesota (Big Ten) and Pittsburgh (Big East)
2008 Xavier Atlantic 10 Georgia (SEC), Purdue (Big Ten) and West Virginia (Big East)
2007 Butler Horizon League Maryland (ACC)
2007 Southern Illinois Missouri Valley Virginia Tech (ACC)
2006 Bradley Missouri Valley Kansas (Big 12) and Pittsburgh (Big East)
2006 George Mason Colonial Michigan State (Big Ten), North Carolina (ACC) and Connecticut (Big East)
2006 Wichita State Missouri Valley Seton Hall (Big East) and Tennessee (SEC)
2005 Cincinnati C-USA Iowa (Big Ten)
2005 Nevada WAC Texas (Big 12)
2005 Pacific Big West Pittsburgh (Big East)
2005 UAB C-USA Louisiana State (SEC)
2005 Utah Mountain West Oklahoma (Big 12)
2004 Memphis C-USA South Carolina (SEC)
2004 Saint Joseph's Atlantic 10 Texas Tech (Big 12) and Wake Forest (ACC)
2004 UAB C-USA Washington (Pacific-10) and Kentucky (SEC)
2003 Butler Horizon League Mississippi State (SEC)
2003 Utah Mountain West Oregon (Pacific-10)
2002 Southern Illinois Missouri Valley Texas Tech (Big 12) and Georgia (SEC)
2001 Fresno State WAC California (Pacific-10)
2001 Saint Joseph's Atlantic 10 Georgia Tech (ACC)
2000 Pepperdine West Coast Indiana (Big Ten)
1999 Miami (Ohio) Mid-American Washington (Pacific-10)
1999 Missouri State Missouri Valley Wisconsin (Big Ten) and Tennessee (SEC)
1999 New Mexico WAC Missouri (Big 12)
1998 Detroit Midwestern Collegiate St. John's (Big East)
1998 Rhode Island Atlantic 10 Kansas (Big 12)
1998 Utah WAC Arkansas (SEC), West Virginia (Big East), Arizona (Pacific-10) and North Carolina (ACC)
1998 Western Michigan Mid-American Clemson (ACC)
1997 Charlotte C-USA Georgetown (Big East)
1997 Louisville C-USA Texas (Big 12)
1997 Temple Atlantic 10 Ole Miss (SEC)
1996 Louisville C-USA Villanova (Big East)
1996 Santa Clara West Coast Maryland (ACC)
1996 Temple Atlantic 10 Oklahoma (Big 12)
1996 Utah WAC Iowa State (Big 12)
1995 Manhattan Metro Atlantic Oklahoma (Big Eight)
1995 Miami (Ohio) Mid-American Arizona (Pacific-10)
1995 Saint Louis Great Midwest Minnesota (Big Ten)
1995 Tulsa Missouri Valley Illinois (Big Ten)
1994 Tulsa Missouri Valley UCLA (Pacific-10) and Oklahoma State (Big Eight)
1993 New Mexico State Big West Nebraska (Big Eight)
1993 Rhode Island Atlantic 10 Purdue (Big Ten)
1993 Temple Atlantic 10 Missouri (Big Eight) and Vanderbilt (SEC)
1993 Tulane Metro Kansas State (Big Eight)
1993 Utah WAC Pittsburgh (Big East)
1992 Louisville Metro Wake Forest (ACC)
1992 Texas-El Paso WAC Kansas (Big Eight)
1992 Tulane Metro St. John's (Big East)

NOTE: Brigham Young (Big 12), Butler (Big East), Cincinnati (Big East before Big 12), Houston (Big 12), Louisville (Big East before ACC), Utah (Pac-12 before Big 12) and Xavier (Big East) subsequently joined a power conference.

One-in-Five Chance: Six First Four Winners Won in 1st Round Last Six Years

March 21st, 2026 - 16:49

Only 20% of Preliminary Round/First Four winners went on to post another victory in their next assignment (16-of-79 from 1983 through 2026; no round of such competition from 1985 through 2000). In 2023, it marked the first time two teams coming off a Preliminary Round/First Four success also emerged victorious in their next outing. A total of six First Four winners prevailed in First Round the last six seasons after Texas emerged triumphant this year. Following is a chronological list of the 16 Preliminary Round/First Four participants going on to win a first-round game in regular 64-team bracket:

Year Regional NCAA First-Round Victory for Preliminary Round/First Four Winner
1983 West #12 Princeton 56 (Robinson/Simkus game-high 20 points), #5 Oklahoma State 53 (Clark 15)
1984 East #12 Richmond 72 (Newman 26), #5 Auburn 71 (Barkley 23)
2011 South #11 Virginia Commonwealth 74 (Rozzell 26), #6 Georgetown 56 (Thompson 24)
2012 Midwest #12 South Florida 58 (Collins/Rudd Jr. 17), #5 Temple 44 (Wyatt 19)
2013 West #13 La Salle 63 (Wright 21), #4 Kansas State 61 (Henrique/Southwell 17)
2014 Midwest #11 Tennessee 86 (Stokes 26), #6 Massachusetts 67 (Esho/Williams 12)
2015 East #11 Dayton 66 (Pierre 20), #6 Providence 53 (Henton 18)
2016 South #11 Wichita State 65 (VanVleet 16), #6 Arizona 55 (Allen 11)
2017 East #11 Southern California 66 (Stewart 22), #6 Southern Methodist 65 (Ojeleye 24)
2018 Midwest #11 Syracuse 57 (Dolezaj 17), #6 Texas Christian 52 (Williams 14)
2021 East #11 UCLA 73 (Juzang 27), #6 Brigham Young 62 (Barcello 20)
2022 West #11 Notre Dame 78 (Ryan 29), #6 Alabama 64 (Ellis 16)
2023 Midwest #11 Pittsburgh 59 (Cummings 13), #6 Iowa State 41 (Holmes/Kascheur 12)
2023 East #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 63 (Moore 19), #1 Purdue 58 (Edey 21)
2024 South #10 Colorado 102 (Simpson 23), #7 Florida 100 (Clayton 33)
2026 West #11 Texas 79 (Vokietaitis 23), #6 Brigham Young 71 (Dybantsa 35)

NOTE: VCU '11 and UCLA '21 advanced to Final Four. La Salle '13, Tennessee '14 and Syracuse '18 reached Sweet 16.

30/25 Club: UConn's Tarris Reed Joins Exclusive NCAA Tournament Company

March 21st, 2026 - 13:05

Connecticut senior Tarris Reed Jr., averaging 8.9 and 6.7 in his four-year college career commencing at Michigan, exploded for 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman in opening round of East Regional. He became the first player in 58 years to exceed 30 points and 25 rebounds in a single playoff outing.

Providing a little leeway in board work, preliminary research indicates Reed is the only non-All-American to accumulate at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in a tourney tilt since Colorado State's Sonny Bustion contributed a 30/20 effort against Oklahoma City in the 1965 West Regional First Round. Incredibly, Houston's Elvin Hayes and Ohio State's Jerry Lucas went 30/25 in multiple playoff games. Reed, a St. Louis native who averaged a modest 8.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg in two playoff contests last year, joined the following exclusive company in the NCAA Tournament 30/25 Club (rebounds weren't comprehensively tracked until the mid-1950s):

All-American School 30/25 Performance in NCAA Tournament
Elvin Hayes Houston 49/27 vs. Loyola of Chicago in 1968 Midwest Regional First Round.
Elvin Hayes Houston 39/25 vs. Texas Christian in 1968 Midwest Regional final.
Jerry Lucas Ohio State 33/30 vs. Kentucky in 1961 Mideast Regional final.
Jerry Lucas Ohio State 36/25 vs. Western Kentucky in 1960 Mideast Regional semifinal.
Elvin Hayes Houston 31/28 vs. Pacific in 1966 West Regional Third-Place Game.
Tom Gola La Salle 30/25 vs. Canisius in 1955 East Regional final.

Shock Treatment: No Bottom of Bracket Racket For Second Straight Season

March 21st, 2026 - 10:26

In the first six years of the NCAA tourney 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, this year marked only the seventh time and second in a row in that span failing to provide a first-round shocker from the bottom of the bracket (1994, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2017, 2025 and 2026).

Teams seeded 13th or worse defeated teams seeded among the top four in a regional a total of 68 times in the last 41 tourneys. At least Kentucky's stunning reversals against Saint Peter's and Oakland 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 shocking 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 seven 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 67 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 (2 victories)

Year #16 Seed Winner Coach #1 Seed Loser Score
2018 Maryland-Baltimore County Ryan Odom Virginia 74-54
2023 Fairleigh Dickinson Tobin Anderson Purdue 63-58

#15 seed (11 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)
2022 Saint Peter's Shaheen Holloway Kentucky 85-79 (OT)
2023 Princeton Mitch Henderson Arizona 59-55

#14 seed (22 victories)

Year #14 Seed Winner Coach #3 Seed Loser Score
1986 Arkansas-Little Rock Mike Newell Notre Dame 90-83
1986 Cleveland State Kevin Mackey Indiana 83-79
1987 Austin Peay State Lake Kelly Illinois 68-67
1988 Murray State Steve Newton North Carolina State 78-75
1989 Siena Mike Deane Stanford 80-78
1990 Northern Iowa Eldon Miller Missouri 74-71
1991 Xavier Pete Gillen Nebraska 89-84
1992 East Tennessee State Alan LeForce Arizona 87-80
1995 Weber State Ron Abegglen Michigan State 79-72
1995 Old Dominion Jeff Capel Jr. Villanova 89-81 (3OT)
1997 Tennessee-Chattanooga William "Mack" McCarthy Georgia 73-70
1998 Richmond John Beilein South Carolina 62-61
1999 Weber State Ron Abegglen North Carolina 76-74
2005 Bucknell Pat Flannery Kansas 64-63
2006 Northwestern State Mike McConathy Iowa 64-63
2013 Harvard Tommy Amaker New Mexico 68-62
2014 Mercer Bob Hoffman Duke 78-71
2015 UAB Jerod Haase Iowa State 60-59
2015 Georgia State Ron Hunter Baylor 57-56
2016 Stephen F. Austin Brad Underwood West Virginia 70-56
2021 Abilene Christian Joe Golding Texas 53-52
2024 Oakland Greg Kampe Kentucky 80-76

#13 seed (33 victories)

Year #13 Seed Winner Coach #4 Seed Loser Score
1985 Navy Paul Evans Louisiana State 78-55
1987 Southwest Missouri State Charlie Spoonhour Clemson 65-60
1987 Xavier Pete Gillen Missouri 70-69
1988 Richmond Dick Tarrant Indiana 72-69
1989 Middle Tennessee State Bruce Stewart Florida State 97-83
1991 Penn State Bruce Parkhill UCLA 74-69
1992 Southwestern Louisiana Marty Fletcher Oklahoma 87-83
1993 Southern (La.) Ben Jobe Georgia Tech 93-78
1995 Manhattan Fran Fraschilla Oklahoma 77-67
1996 Princeton Pete Carril UCLA 43-41
1998 Valparaiso Homer Drew Mississippi 70-69
1999 Oklahoma Kelvin Sampson Arizona 61-60
2001 Indiana State Royce Waltman Oklahoma 70-68 (OT)
2001 Kent State Gary Waters Indiana 77-73
2002 UNC Wilmington Jerry Wainwright Southern California 93-89 (OT)
2003 Tulsa John Phillips Dayton 84-71
2005 Vermont Tom Brennan Syracuse 60-57 (OT)
2006 Bradley Jim Les Kansas 77-73
2008 San Diego Bill Grier Connecticut 70-69 (OT)
2008 Siena Fran McCaffrey Vanderbilt 83-62
2009 Cleveland State Gary Waters Wake Forest 84-69
2010 Murray State Billy Kennedy Vanderbilt 66-65
2011 Morehead State Donnie Tyndall Louisville 62-61
2012 Ohio University John Groce Michigan 65-60
2013 La Salle John Giannini Kansas State 63-61
2016 Hawaii Eran Ganot California 77-66
2018 Buffalo Nate Oats Arizona 89-68
2018 Marshall Dan D'Antoni Wichita State 81-75
2019 UC Irvine Russell Turner Kansas State 70-64
2021 North Texas Grant McCasland Purdue 78-69 (OT)
2021 Ohio University Jeff Boals Virginia 62-58
2023 Furman Bob Richey Virginia 68-67
2024 Yale James Jones Auburn 78-76

Coach Scheyer Becomes A-A Player in NCAA Tourney With Top Playoff Marks

March 21st, 2026 - 10:18

A modest total of 14 individuals have emerged victorious as both an All-American player and head coach in NCAA Tournament competition. Duke's Jon Scheyer is the only individual at least six games above .500 in each category after the Blue Devils reaching 9-3 marks as both player and coach upon winning 2026 playoff opener.

Indiana's Branch McCracken, who directed the Hoosiers to NCAA tourney titles in 1940 and 1953, is the only one of the first 69 All-Americans becoming major-college mentors to finish his coaching career compiling a higher winning percentage as coach. But McCracken and Whitey Baccus, Tom Churchill, Jack Gray, Moose Krause plus John Wooden were A-As before the NCAA Tournament was introduced in 1939. More than 40 All-Americans who became major-college coaches either did not play or coach in NCAA playoffs. Six Duke graduates are among the following alphabetical list of 25 individuals participating in national tourney as an All-American player and bench boss (nine of them guiding their alma mater):

All-American/Tourney Coach Playoff Record as Player Playoff Record as Head Coach
Steve Alford 8-2 with Indiana 11-13 with Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico, UCLA and Nevada
Tommy Amaker 8-4 with Duke 4-5 with Seton Hall and Harvard
Alfred "Butch" Beard 1-3 with Louisville 0-1 with Howard University
Henry Bibby 12-0 with UCLA 3-3 with Southern California
Jimmy Collins 7-4 with New Mexico State 0-3 with Illinois-Chicago
Bob Cousy 5-1 with Holy Cross 2-2 with Boston College
Howie Dallmar 3-0 with Stanford 1-1 with Penn
Johnny Dawkins 6-3 with Duke 3-2 with Stanford and UCF
Patrick Ewing Sr. 15-3 with Georgetown 0-1 with Georgetown
Larry Finch Sr. 3-1 with Memphis State 6-6 with Memphis State
Sidney Green 0-1 with UNLV 0-1 with Florida Atlantic
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway 1-1 with Memphis State 2-3 with Memphis
Clem Haskins 2-2 with Western Kentucky 11-8 with Western Kentucky and Minnesota
Walt Hazzard 6-4 with UCLA 1-1 with UCLA
Juwan Howard 13-3 with Michigan 5-2 with Michigan
Bobby Hurley Jr. 18-2 with Duke 2-4 with Buffalo and Arizona State
Danny Manning 13-3 with Kansas 0-2 with Tulsa and Wake Forest
Chris Mullin 6-4 with St. John's 0-1 with St. John's
Jeff Mullins 6-2 with Duke 0-3 with UNC Charlotte
Jeff Ruland 1-2 with Iona 0-3 with Iona
Jon Scheyer 9-3 with Duke 9-3 with Duke after 2026 opening round
John Shumate 2-1 with Notre Dame 0-1 with Southern Methodist
Nolan Smith 11-3 with Duke 0-1 with Tennessee State
John Thompson Jr. 0-1 with Providence 34-19 with Georgetown
Mike Woodson 2-2 with Indiana 2-2 with Indiana

False Starts: BYU and Mizzou Show Propensity For Early NCAA Playoff Exits

March 21st, 2026 - 10:04

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 BYU and Missouri. BYU is the all-time leader with 22 lid-lifter losses.

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 back-to-back recent 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. One of Mizzou's losses was particularly embarrassing (Norfolk State despite being favored by more than 20 points). The following seven schools are most prone to sustaining an opening-round NCAA tourney defeat:

School (Playoff Losses) NCAA Tournament Opening-Round Defeats
Brigham Young (35) 22 (1950-57-65-69-72-79-80-87-90-92-95-01-03-04-07-08-09-14-15-21-24-26)
Utah State (27 entering 2026) 20 (1939-63-71-75-79-80-83-88-98-00-03-05-06-09-10-11-19-21-23-25)
Missouri (31) 17 (1944-78-81-83-86-87-88-90-93-99-00-11-12-13-18-21-25-26)
Princeton (29) 17 (1952-55-60-63-69-76-77-81-89-90-91-92-97-01-04-11-17)
Temple (33) 16 (1944-64-67-70-72-79-90-92-95-98-08-09-10-12-16-19)
St. John's (32) 15 (1961-68-73-76-77-78-80-84-88-92-98-02-11-15-19)
West Virginia (28) 15 (1955-56-57-58-62-65-67-83-86-87-92-09-12-16-23)

College Exam: Day #7 Regarding One-&-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

March 21st, 2026 - 9:35

Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to figure out what Plagiarist Biledumb is talking about, taking hand-gesturing classes with the "Newscums" or cowering in fetal position because of alleged impending climate-change catastrophe, 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.

Answers (Day 7)
Day 6 Questions and Answers
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers

Foreign Invasion: No International Player Selected as All-American This Year

March 20th, 2026 - 21:19

A striking number of foreign standouts - Purdue's Oscar Cluff (Australia), Florida's Alex Condon (Australia) and Xaivian Lee (Ontario, Canada), Arizona's Motiejus Krivas (Lithuania), llinois' David Mirkovic (Montenegro), Gonzaga's Mario Saint-Supery (Spain) and North Carolina's Henri Veesaar (Estonia) - were instrumental for NCAA Tournament teams. But none of them were anointed as an All-American this season. They failed to join the following alphabetical list of more than 40 hoop-prince All-Americans spending most or all of their formative years in a country beyond U.S. borders:

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 Ontario, 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, Canada 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
Zach Edey C Purdue Ontario, Canada 2023 and 2024 9th by Memphis
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 and 2023 undrafted
Azuolas Tubelis F-C Arizona Lithuania 2023 undrafted
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.

Never-Never Land: None of Duke's 48 All-Americans Are From North Carolina

March 20th, 2026 - 14:55

Brandon Ingram (Kinston, NC) came close to becoming an All-American selection for Duke nine 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, Florida product Cameron Boozer became the 48th 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 47 All-Americans coming from 24 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 2019 Toronto, Ontario
Shane Battier F 2000 and 2001 Birmingham, MI
Cameron Boozer F 2026 Westchester, FL
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
Kyle "Flip" Filipowski F 2024 State Hill and Bronx, NY
Cooper Flagg F 2025 Newport, ME
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 2019 Spartanburg, SC

No NCAA Championships For Illinois and Notre Dame Despite At Least 40 A-As

March 20th, 2026 - 14:46

Kentucky and North Carolina still rank 1-2 for most All-American honorees over the years. Duke is tied with UNC for most different All-Americans after each school had a freshman join list this season.

Illinois and Notre Dame never have won an NCAA championship despite both schools supplying more than 25 different individuals as All-Americans a minimum of 40 times. 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 (50) T1. North Carolina (77)
T2. North Carolina (48) T1. Kentucky (76)
T2. Duke (48) 3. Duke (71)
4. Kansas (44) 4. Kansas (63)
5. Indiana (42) 5. Indiana (58)
6. Illinois (34) 6. UCLA (49)
7. UCLA (33) 7. Ohio State (48)
8. Ohio State (31) 8. Notre Dame (44)
9. Notre Dame (26) 9. Illinois (40)
10. Purdue (25) 10. Purdue (38)
11. Michigan (22)
12. Syracuse (20)

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