The Thrill is Gone: Five Former Final 4 Schools Winless in Last 22 Tourneys

March 24th, 2022 - 19:02

Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, a significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances, five former Final Four participants - Princeton, St. John's, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the past 22 tourneys after New Mexico State posted its first playoff triumph since 1993.

DePaul and San Francisco each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the past 32 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an alphabetical list of schools with at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:

School (Playoff Appearances) Recent NCAA Tournament Travails
Boston College (18) winless past 14 tourneys with only one appearance
Charlotte (11) no appearance past 16 tourneys; winless past 20 tourneys
DePaul (22) no appearance past 17 tourneys; one victory past 32 tourneys
George Washington (11) one victory past 27 years
Georgia (12) one victory past 25 years
Holy Cross (13) posted first win since 1953 six seasons ago in play-in game
Idaho State (11) winless past 44 tourneys
Old Dominion (12) one victory past 26 tourneys
Penn (24) one victory past 41 tourneys
Pepperdine (13) one victory past 39 tourneys
Princeton (25) winless past 23 tourneys
St. John's (30) winless past 22 tourneys
San Francisco (17) appeared twice past 39 tourneys
Santa Clara (11) no appearance past 25 tourneys
Seattle (11) winless since 1964
Southern Methodist (12) winless past 33 tourneys
Texas-El Paso (17) winless past 29 tourneys
Utah State (21) one victory past 51 tourneys
Weber State (15) winless past 22 tourneys
Wyoming (16) one victory past 34 tourneys