5 Storied College Basketball Programs That Won't Be Dancing in March

By (Featured Columnist) on January 31, 2013

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Selection Sunday is just six weeks away and things are becoming clear for some of the most successful programs in college basketball.

Rather than the season going better than expected, there are big time teams that are used to being involved in March Madness that will be sitting at home, watching the tournament games instead of playing in them.

Here are five storied college basketball programs that won't be dancing in March

Villanova Wildcats

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Chris Chambers/Getty Images

Villanova has 31 NCAA appearances, No. 10 on the all-time list.

But don't expect the Wildcats (13-8; 4-4 Big East) to add to that impressive total.

Sure, they beat Louisville and Syracuse in back-to-back quality conferences wins.

But they also lost earlier in the season to Columbia...Columbia, really?

The Cats would almost have to win out (10 games) in order to make it to this year's March Madness. 

Not sure if any team in the conference could put together that kind of string.

St. John's Red Storm

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Mike Stobe/Getty Images

It has been 28 years since the Red Storm made it to the NCAA Final Four.

Looks like it will be at least another year before St. John's will be putting on its boogie shoes.

Their 13-7 record (6-3 Big East) isn't horrible but it doesn't make a very strong Selection Sunday statement.

SJU has lost to both San Francisco and UNC-Asheville already in 2012-13.

Do you think St. John's head coach Steve Lavin can get his team back into March Madness any time soon?

I do too!

Maryland Terrapins

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Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Maryland has hit a rough patch here in the middle of the 2012-13 season.

After winning 13 of their 14 games, the Terrapins (15-6; 3-5 ACC) have now lost five of their last seven contests.

If Steve Turgeon's team gets snubbed on Selection Sunday, that will be three consecutive years where UM will be on the outside looking in at the Dance. 

Arkansas Razorbacks

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Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Arkansas has been a strong SEC team that usually makes a serious run at or in March Madness.

Their 29 NCAA Tournament appearances is good for No. 15 on the all-time list.

The Razorbacks dropped four of their first eight games this season. Grant it, those four games were against Arizona State, Wisconsin, Syracuse and Michigan...All quality opponents.

But, Arkansas (12-7; 3-3 SEC) has backed itself into a corner, making it virtually impossible to put together a NCAA Tourney-worthy resume in time for Selection Sunday.

Maybe if they beat both Florida and Missouri twice, they could....Wait. There's no way that's happening.

Texas Longhorns

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Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The Texas Longhorns have been dancin' every year since Rick Barnes arrived in 1998.

That's a lot of Selection Sunday celebrations.

But, UT's string of NCAA Tournament appearances comes to the end this year.

Life for the Longhorns probably would have been different this year if PG Myck Kabongo would have been eligible instead of being suspended for 23 games.

This departure from March Madness is likely to be a one-year disappearance. Look for Texas to be dancin' again a year from now.

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