We Shall Return: Virginia Back at National Semifinals First Time in 35 Years
March 31st, 2019 - 7:35
Try, try again! History repeats itself but can take longer than anyone wants or expects. Virginia will participate in the Final Four for the first time since 1984(seasons/1983-84). But the Cavaliers' 35-year absence between national semifinal appearances has been exceeded numerous times in tourney history. Of the schools reaching the national semifinals at least twice, following are the 11 institutions going more than 35 years before returning to the Promised Land:
| Final Four School | Famine Years | Coaches Between Final Fours | NCAA Tournament Appearances During Lapse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 78 | Howard Hobson (1939) to Dana Altman (2017) | 13: 1945-60-61-95-00-02-03-07-08-13-14-15-16 |
| Wisconsin | 59 | Bud Foster (1941) to Dick Bennett (2000) | four: 1947-94-97-99 |
| Stanford | 56 | Everett Dean (1942) to Mike Montgomery (1998) | five: 1989-92-95-96-97 |
| Texas | 56 | Jack Gray (1947) to Rick Barnes (2003) | 17: 1960-63-72-74-79-89-90-91-92-94-95-96-97-99-00-01-02 |
| Loyola of Chicago | 54 | George Ireland (1963-64) to Porter Moser (2016-17) | four: 1964-66-68-85 |
| Wichita State | 48 | Gary Thompson (1965) to Gregg Marshall (2013) | seven: 1976-81-85-87-88-06-12 |
| Oklahoma State | 44 | Hank Iba (1951) to Eddie Sutton (1995) | nine: 1953-54-58-65-83-91-92-93-94 |
| Oklahoma | 41 | Bruce Drake (1947) to Billy Tubbs (1988) | six: 1979-83-84-85-86-87 |
| Georgetown | 39 | Elmer Ripley (1943) to John Thompson Jr. (1982) | five: 1975-76-79-80-81 |
| Illinois | 37 | Harry Combes (1952) to Lou Henson (1989) | eight: 1963-81-83-84-85-86-87-88 |
| DePaul | 36 | Ray Meyer (1943) to Ray Meyer (1979) | seven: 1953-56-59-60-65-76-78 |