The Thrill is Gone: Six Ex-F4 Schools Winless in Playoffs Previous 20 Years

March 12th, 2021 - 7:32

Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, a significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances, six former Final Four participants - New Mexico State, Princeton, St. John's, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the previous 20 years.

DePaul and San Francisco each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the past 31 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an alphabetical list of schools with at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:

School (Playoff Appearances) Recent NCAA Tournament Travails
Boston College (18) winless previous 12 years with only one appearance
Charlotte (11) no appearance previous 14 years; winless previous 18 years
DePaul (22) appeared once previous 19 years; one victory previous 30 years
George Washington (11) one victory previous 25 years
Georgia (12) one victory previous 23 years
Holy Cross (13) posted first win since 1953 five seasons ago in play-in game
Idaho State (11) winless previous 42 years
New Mexico State (23) winless previous 26 years
Old Dominion (12) one victory previous 24 years
Penn (24) one victory previous 39 years
Pepperdine (13) one victory previous 37 years
Princeton (25) winless previous 21 years
St. John's (30) winless previous 20 years
San Francisco (16) appeared once previous 37 years
Santa Clara (11) no appearance previous 23 years
Seattle (11) winless since 1964
Southern Methodist (12) winless previous 31 years
Texas-El Paso (17) winless previous 27 years
Utah State (21) one victory previous 49 years
Weber State (15) winless previous 20 years
Wyoming (15) one victory previous 32 years