The Real Prestige Rankings: Part II

No team has made the most of their NCAA tournament appearances better than Auburn.  The Tigers have more missed tournaments than any other team inside the Top 50, but they have also never lost a first round game.  If not for tournament droughts from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2004 to the present, Auburn could be much higher in the rankings.

43) LSU Tigers – Total Points:  314

• 2 Final Four Appearances, 1 Elite Eight Appearance, 1 Sweet Sixteen Appearance, 11 Missed Tournaments
  
• ESPN Rank: T-40

LSU is the lowest rated team with more than one Final Four appearance in the rankings.  Seven first round exits are what moves the Tigers lower down in the rankings. 

LSU made the 1986 Final Four as a No. 11 seed, which was the highest seed to do so until George Mason tied the record in 2006.  Ironically, this was the other year that LSU made the Final Four.

42) Missouri Tigers – Total Points:  316

• 2 Elite Eight Appearances, 1 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 10 Missed Tournaments
• ESPN Rank: T-37

Missouri tops the preceding two Tigers in the rankings because of their consistency.  They have been involved in 14 of the last 24 NCAA tournaments. 

Their seven first round losses are compensated for by Elite Eight appearances in 1994 and 2002.  Missouri has not qualified for the tournament since 2003.

41) Gonzaga Bulldogs – Total Points:  318

• 1 Elite Eight Appearance, 3 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 13 Missed Tournaments
• ESPN Rank:  26

Ever since their miracle run to the Elite Eight as a No. 10 seed in 1999, the Zags have firmly established themselves as the best mid-major team in the country. 

Gonzaga had only one tournament appearance prior to 1999 (a first round loss in 1995), but they have easily qualified for the tournament every year since 1999. 

In several recent years, the Bulldogs have been popular Final Four picks, but have still yet to reach that threshold.  Gonzaga actually ranked 15^th when I ranked the teams only back to the year 2000.

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