College Basketball's Unfinished Business: Best Teams Not To Win A National Title

Throughout the course of college basketball history, there have been teams that were miles upon miles talent wise above their opponents that led to dominating the competition during the season.

 

In certain years, the best talent and coaching were not enough to claim the title as some upstart underdog teams played a perfect game to upset the heavily favored team along the way to putting their names in the history books.

 

With that being said, let’s get to the best teams that came up short in their quest of cutting down the nets after mad March.

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1997-1998 Arizona Wildcats

Strength of Schedule: 23^rd in the nation out of 306 teams

Regular Season: 30-5

Postseason: Lost in the Regional Final against the Utah Utes

Head Coach: Lute Olson

Players of Note: Mike Bibby, Jason Terry

1994-1995 Arkansas Razorbacks

Strength of Schedule: 10.45 (seventh out of 302)

Regular Season: 32-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against UCLA

Head Coach: Nolan Richardson

Players of Note: Clint McDaniel, Corey Beck, Corliss Williamson

1978-1979 DePaul Blue Demons

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 26-6

Postseason: Lost in National Semi-final against Indiana State

Head Coach: Ray Meyer

Players of Note: Mark Aguirre, Gary Garland

1977-1978 Duke Blue Devils

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 27-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Kentucky

Head Coach: Bill Foster

Players of Note: Jim Spanarkel, Mike Gminski, Gene Banks, Kenny Dennard

1984-1985 Georgetown Hoyas

Strength of Schedule: 5.76 (41st out of 282)

Regular Season: 35-3

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship Game against Villanova

Head Coach: John Thompson

Players of Note: Patrick Ewing

1986-1987 Georgetown Hoyas

Strength of Schedule: 8.01 (23rd out of 290)

Regular Season: 29-5

Postseason: Lost in the Regional Final against Providence

Head Coach: John Thompson

Players of Note: Reggie Williams

1989-1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Strength of Schedule: 10.33 (10^th out of 292)

Regular Season: 28-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Semifinal against UNLV

Head Coach: Bobby Cremins

Players of Note: Dennis Scott, Brian Oliver, Kenny Anderson, Malcolm Mackey

1982-1983 Houston Cougars

Strength of Schedule: 4.97 (49^th out of 274)

Regular Season: 31-3

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against NC State

Head Coach:  Guy Lewis

Players of Note: Michael Young, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Micheauux

1991-1992 Indiana Hoosiers

Strength of Schedule: 12.44 (second out of 298)

Regular Season: 27-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Semifinal against Duke

Head Coach: Bob Knight

Players of Note: Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, Alan Henderson, Eric Anderson

1978-1979 Indiana State Sycamores

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 33-1

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Michigan State

Head Coach: Bill Hodges

Players of Note: Larry Bird, Carl Birks

1988-1989 Illinois Fightin’ Illini

Strength of Schedule: 12.42 (fourth out of 293)

Regular Season: 31-5

Postseason: Lost in the National Semi-Final against Michigan

Head Coach:  Lou Henson

Players of Note: Nick Anderson, Kenny Battle, Kendall Gill

1996-1997 Kansas Jayhawks

Strength of Schedule: 7.94 (39^th out of 305)

Regular Season: 34-2

Postseason: Lost in the Regional Semifinal against Arizona

Head Coach: Roy Williams

Players of Note: Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard

1974-1975 Kentucky Wildcats

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season:  26-5

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against UCLA

Head Coach: Joe Hall

Players of Note: Kevin Grevey

1991-1992 Michigan Wolverines

Strength of Schedule: 12.26 (third out of 298)

Regular Season: 24-9

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Duke

Head Coach: Steve Fisher

Players of Note: Jalen Rose, Chris Webber

1976-1977 North Carolina Tar Heels

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 28-5

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Marquette

Head Coach: Dean Smith

Players of Note: Phil Ford

1980-1981 North Carolina Tar Heels

Strength of Schedule: 10.05 (fourth out of 264)

Regular Season: 29-8

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Indiana

Head Coach: Dean Smith

Players of Note: James Worthy, Sam Perkins

2006-2007 Ohio State Buckeyes

Strength of Schedule: 9.02 (13^th out of 325)

Regular Season: 35-4

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against the Florida Gators

Head Coach: Thad Matta

Players of Note: Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jr

1987-1988 Oklahoma Sooners

Strength of Schedule: 7.61 (35^th out of 290)

Regular Season: 35-4

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Kansas

Head Coach: Billy Tubbs

Players of Note: Stacey King, Harvey Grant, Ricky Grace

1993-1994 Purdue Boilermakers

Strength of Schedule: 9.90 (12^th out of 301)

Regular Season: 29-5

Postseason: Lost in the Regional Final against Duke

Head Coach: Gene Keady

Players of Note: Glenn Robinson

1984-1985 St John's Red Storm

Strength of Schedule: 7.05 (59^th out of 282)

Regular Season: 31-4

Postseason: Lost in the National Semi-finals against Georgetown

Head Coach: Lou Carnesecca

Players of Note: Chris Mullin, Walter Berry, Bill Wennington, Mark Jackson, Ron Rowan, Shelton Jones

1988-1989 Seton Hall Pirates

Strength of Schedule: 9.15 (46th out of 293)

Regular Season: 31-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against Michigan

Head Coach: P.J. Carlesimo

Players of Note: John Morton, Andrew Gaze

1986-1987 Syracuse Orange

Strength of Schedule: 8.21 (18^th out of 290)

Regular Season: 31-7

Postseason: Lost in the National Semifinal against Indiana

Head Coach: Jim Boeheim

Players of Note: Sherman Douglas, Rony Seikaly, Derrick Coleman

1973-1974 UCLA Bruins

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 26-4

Postseason: Lost in National Semifinal against Kansas

Head Coach: John Wooden

Players of Note: Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes

1990-1991 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels

Strength of Schedule: 4.34 (72^nd out of 295)

Regular Season: 34-1

Postseason: Lost in the National Semifinal against Duke

Head Coach: Jerry Tarkanian

Players of Note: Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony

1958-1959 West Virginia Mountaineers

Strength of Schedule: N/A

Regular Season: 29-5

Postseason: Lost in the National Championship game against California

Head Coach: Fred Schaus

Players of Note: Jerry West