The Top 11 Teams Who Will Miss the Final Four

The Big Dance is a sacred college basketball tradition that has defined the sport for decades, making a usually boring month into one of the most anticipated times of the entire year. 

With the newly implemented system of a 68 team spread in lieu of just 64, every squad's chances at ending up in the coveted Final Four dropped slightly. Programs now have an even tougher time finding that perfect team to secure a slot in the sports biggest stage.

However, last season we once again had a Cinderella squad prove to us that no matter where a team starts out or what seed they might be, a championship run can always be in the cards.

VCU, a lowly 11 seed who was placed in the First Four round, ended up losing in the Final Four to Butler. On their way to Houston, Virginia Commonwealth took down classic powerhouses Georgetown, Purdue, and even a star-studded Kansas squad in what turned out to be the conversation of the entire tourney.

If that doesn't show the college basketball world anything is possible, I don't know what will.

There will only be four squads allowed into New Orleans this postseason, and with teams like Butler and VCU always stealing away one or two of those slots, it is becoming more difficult for top programs to secure a position in the Final Four.

We will take a look at the best 11 squads who have all the potential to make it into the sport's most acclaimed level of the Big Dance, but will fall short before reaching New Orleans. 

Murray State

As of now, the Racers are the only undefeated squad left in Division I college basketball, a feat that should not go overlooked. As impressive as that is, Murray State still has no signature wins over big-time ranked teams.

Their strongest victory so far has been over the Memphis Tigers who, at the time, were ranked No. 20. With only a four point win, the Racers haven't given off the impression that they have enough talent or ability to make it all the way to the Final Four.

Their next big test before the season ends will be against No. 16 St. Mary's. A win there would be resounding and would give the NCAA Tournament committee a reason to slot the Racers in as a higher seed.

All things considered, Murray State can't match up against the big programs that they would face down the stretch in the Big Dance and that fact that will bar them from reaching New Orleans.

Georgetown

As a signature Big East power, the Hoyas are a dominant squad with a ton of talent. Their experienced players know they need to pace their team while playing in the toughest conference in the nation. Thie foresight is helping them keep up with Syracuse and Marquette.

Boasting a strong 17-4 record with huge victories over Louisville, Marquette, Alabama, and Memphis, Georgetown is poised to snag a top seed in the tourney. Taking down a floundering UConn last night with ease, the Hoyas show that they still have a lot left in the tank come tournament time.

However, their Final Four hopes should be quelled right now. Under John Thompson III, G-Town has fallen short of the Sweet Sixteen their past three trips to the Big Dance, not even making past the NIT First round back in 2008-09 season.

The Hoyas' magical Final Four run to conclude the 2006-07 year was led mostly by the talent of postmen Roy Hibbert and Patrick Ewing, Jr. With no one that superb playing for Georgetown this time around, it's hard to imagine them returning to the Final Four.  

Baylor

The Scott Drew era will someday be made into a movie, there is no doubt about that. Taking a program that was not only beaten and bruised, but on the verge of collapsing in upon itself and taking them to new heights is worthy of every commendation that could be given.

The 2003 three scandal down in Waco shook the very foundation of the university, forcing the NCAA to take drastic action. After years of consistent improvement, Baylor is now one of the most prominent squads in the nation and is ranked No. 6 in the polls.

With only two losses at Kansas and then at home against Missouri, the Bears have shown college basketball that they are a force to be reckoned with. Yet, the Final Four is just a bit out of their reach this season.

After taking down a strong Mississippi State team by just two points and then following that up with an two point OT victory against West Virginia, Baylor showed they have true trouble against talented squads. Being crushed by Kansas and then not responding against Mizzou just furthered that thought.

The Bears will make it deep into the Big Dance, but don't expect Baylor to be one of the four that makes it all the way to New Orleans.  

Indiana

The Hoosiers really came into their own this season, but their early peak is what will be the death of them come the Big Dance. As the only squad that can claim a victory over a powerful Kentucky this year, Indiana is solid but not Final Four material.

Perfect out of the Big Ten, the conference has killed the Hoosiers' record. Sitting at a decent 17-6 with notable losses to Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and, most recently, Michigan.

Their strongest victories have come over the the Wildcats, the Wolverines and the Buckeyes, but recent losses have shown their true colors. A good seed in the Big Dance wouldn't be a surprise, but locking down big-time wins won't come easy for this squad, especially in the neutral sites of the tourney.

The Final Four won't tolerate losing by such large margins to top teams, and that is exactly what will keep them out of New Orleans. 

Florida

Under Billy Donovan, the Gators have challenged the traditional SEC basketball power of Kentucky for conference dominance. Winning two well deserved back-to-back national championships in the middle of the decade, their strength has been dwindling as of late.

Solid victories over Mississippi State and Texas A&M have placed Florida in a position to steal a win over the Wildcats. Donovan's arsenal of weapons is vast, making them easily one of the top teams in the country. Losses to powerhouses Syracuse and Ohio State are the only real blemishes on Florida's record, but it speaks volumes for where this team will end up come the Big Dance.

Similar to last season, the Gators will steal a top seed in the tourney only to fall short of reaching another Final Four. UF can't match up well against the Syracuse's and the Ohio State's of the college basketball world. This year it will bar them from heading across the gulf to play in the Superdome. 

Duke

The Blue Devils of this year achieved something for their leader that no other man can hold to his own. Now with 918 victories over the course of his career, Krzyzewski holds the record for most wins as an NCAA Division I basketball coach.

This amazing feat, however, won't be enough to propel the inconsistent Blue Devils into the Final Four. Duke is an extremely solid squad, easily considered to be one of the best coached in the entire nation. Their 18-3 record is impressive, particularly considering they compete in the ACC.

Those three losses stand out. The crushing loss at Ohio State is somewhat expected, but falling to Temple away and Florida State at home is completely out of the blue. Even with strong wins over Michigan, Kansas, and Virginia, the Blue Devils present themselves as very upset susceptible. 

March Madness is all surprises. This Duke team seems to get too comfortable and looses focus exactly when they need it the most, making them a strong contender for the Final Four, yet falling one or two rounds short.

Missouri

Another one of the Big 12 surprise squads, this Tigers team has really come into its own over the course of this season. They were perfect until Kansas State knocked them off in Manhattan, and then fell again later in the year to Oklahoma State in a stunning upset.

Mizzou not only has the most talented line-up in the country, but also the most experienced. With senior guard Marcus Denmon leading the charge, the Tigers also start a senior forward in Ricardo Ratliffe, another senior guard with Kim English, and top off it off with junior guard Michael Dixon.

With some big time wins over Baylor in Waco, Illinois, and Cal, the Tigers have shown their spunk. The weakest part of their program seems to be first-year coach Frank Haith.

The young product stolen from Miami, has really taken this squad to new heights, but their early peak and close finishes since the K-State loss has really sparked some debate over whether or not this team can follow through deep into Big Dance.

With a huge game coming up against Kansas at home, Mizzou will have yet another chance to prove themselves. Possibly looking at a seed somewhere between 2-4, the Tigers most certainly will have trouble down the road finishing. Against teams like Syracuse, Michigan State, and Kentucky, that won't do. 

Marquette

The Big East is an extremely tough place to compete, especially if you're just a small university from Wisconsin. Marquette pulls it off with some flare though as their stunning uniforms and brilliant shooting light up the court week after week.

Overall a very complete team, they are led by a superstar senior guard in Darius Johnson-Odom. Their backcourt is quick, aggressive, and extremely difficult to get past consistently as only four teams have been able to this season.

Losses to SEC squads Vanderbilt and LSU are the two questionable blemishes on the Golden Eagles' record as Syracuse and Georgetown more or less came as no surprise. Since the Orange beatdown, Marquette has strung out a seven game winning streak with strong victories over Seton Hall, Louisville, and Pitt.

Over the course of the season, the Golden Eagle's best win has been over their in-state rival away, taking down Wisconsin at Madison. The victory there, though, is more or less moot considering how the Badgers have faltered as of late. A lack of signature wins over highly ranked squads is what worries me about Marquette.

With the only ranked matchup left coming in as Georgetown in the season finale, the Golden Eagles will have to really own their opponents till then if they want to impress. Looking at going as deep as the Elite Eight this year, Marquette will fall to a big-time presence on the court in what will be a very disappointing finish in what started out looking to be a promising season. 

UNLV

Hailing from southern Nevada, the Rebels can light up the scoreboard like Las Vegas lights up the desert. A real gut check this season to many a strong opponent, UNLV is looking to complete a signature year with a top seed in the tourney.

Their presence so far this year has been deafening due to the giant victory they stole from UNC early on in the season. Their victory over Illinois is the only other notable win due to their weak conference play out in the MWC.

The losses are certainly something to be concerned about, however. Falling to Wichita State, a faulty Wisconsin squad, and a more-than-decent San Diego State team, the Rebels are a program that can't afford to lose if they want to look strong.

The other large worry about UNLV would have to be the OT wins they own on the season. All against weak teams such as Air Force, UCSB, and Boise State, no big-time contender should be allowing squads of such a weak caliber to play with them.

A good option to place high in the Big Dance if they pull out their conference, the Rebels will be in a solid position to upset some huge programs. Only problem would be finishing against the smaller ones, and it will be their lack of focus there that bars them from reaching New Orleans.  

Ohio State

With a superstar in Jared Sullinger returning in search of an NCAA Title, the Buckeyes were looking at a top ranking to start out the season. Some twists of fate have them sitting at No. 3 as of right now and boasting a big time 19-3 record.  

The amount of talent that Thad Matta has put together on this basketball team is significant enough to be championship caliber. Sullinger is only the beginning as the Buckeyes have young talent in Aaron Craft and Lenzelle Smith, Jr. as well. This makes them the Big Ten force to beat.

Over the year, OSU has pulled off some strong wins over Florida, Duke, Indiana, and Michigan. The conference is well within their reach if they can close out the regular season with some style.

The Kansas loss at Lawrence was taken well due to the fact that Sullinger was sitting on the bench during the game. Falling at Indiana and Illinois has hurt the Buckeyes' Big Ten dominance as teams have seen how weak they can be under heavy road pressure.

Looking at owning one of the four top seeds in the tourney this postseason, Ohio State's most relevant remaining matchups will also determine if they have what it takes to fight their way into the Final Four. Two games against Michigan State will be the key to not only the Big Ten, but also the entire Big Dance.

Personally, I don't seen OSU taking home wins over the Spartans and it will be their lack of luster against the big programs that destroys their Final Four hopes.  

UNC

The Tar Heels are the classic college basketball squad poised to fail deep into the tourney. As my top team to miss the Final Four, North Carolina easily has all the potential but none of the gumption to reach New Orleans this postseason.

Under legendary coach Roy Williams, UNC has been quite successful. Already putting up a strong 19-3 record with huge wins on the season over Wisconsin and Michigan State, the Tar Heels are gunning the take home the ACC Title and hold onto one of the top seeds in the Big Dance.

Of the three losses, there is one in particular that is cause for concern. The loss has raised questions about UNC since. It wasn't the loss to UNLV, or falling to Kentucky in Lexington, but instead the romping they received from Florida State at Tallahassee.

The loss to the Seminoles away wasn't only a loss, the Tar Heels allowed the much weaker FSU team to wipe the floor with them. Falling by over 30 points, it is unimaginable that a UNC team so talented and full of young talent could allow such a catastrophic meltdown.

Their bid to head all the way to New Orleans this postseason will be strong, but UNC just isn't the right squad to bring it home. Their inability to secure big wins and lack of strong opponents so far leaves me questioning the overall strength of the team this year. Perhaps two big-time wins over the hated Blue Devils and an ACC Title could change my mind.