The Real Prestige Rankings: Part V

In recent years Ohio State has really emerged as an elite program under coach Thad Matta.  They made it to the Championship game in 2007, where they lost to the back-to-back champion Florida Gators.  The Buckeyes missed the tournament this past season as a bubble team after several players left early for the NBA, but ended up winning the NIT tournament (although they get no points for that in my rankings).

Ohio State also reached the Final Four in 1999 as a No. 4 seed.  They lost their semifinal match-up to eventual champion Connecticut.

29) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – Total Points:  446

• 1 Championship Game Appearance, 1 Final Four Appearance, 1 Elite Eight Appearance, 3 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 10 Missed Tournaments
• ESPN Rank: 33

Georgia Tech achieved most of their tournament success over the last 24 seasons between 1985 and 1993.  They made the tournament all of these years and had a Final Four appearance in 1990, an Elite Eight appearance in 1985, and Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1986 and 1992.

The Yellow Jackets best tournament finish, however, came in 2004 when they reached the Championship game as a No. 3 seed.  There they lost to No. 2 seeded Connecticut.

Georgia Tech would be much higher in the rankings, but they have only been in the NCAA Tournament four times in the past twelve seasons.

28) Utah Utes – Total Points:  448

• 1 Championship Game Appearance, 1 Elite Eight Appearance, 4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 11 Missed Tournaments
• ESPN Rank: 24

All of Utah’s tournament victories in the past 24 seasons have come between 1991 and 2005.  During this time they were consistently one of the best teams in college basketball, with only three missed tournaments in this stretch.  They also only lost two first round games in this stretch.

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