First-Year Flash: Lloyd Falls Short of Becoming All-Time Winningest Rookie

If Arizona had reached the Final Four, former Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd would have become the all-time winningest rookie head coach. However, Houston had other ideas and knocked off the Wildcats in the Sweet 16. More than half of the winningest first-year head coaches since Gonzaga's Mark Few in 1999-00 subsequently moved on to other similar jobs. Following are rookie NCAA Division I head coaches with the best winning percentages going back to 1963-64 when Tates Locke became Bob Knight's predecessor at Army:

Season First-Year Head Coach School W-L Pct. Predecessor
1963-64 Tates Locke Army 19-7 .731 George Hunter
1964-65 Gary Thompson Wichita State 21-9 .700 Ralph Miller
1965-66 Lou Carnesecca St. John's 18-8 .692 Joe Lapchick
1965-66 Bob Knight Army 18-8 .692 Tates Locke
1966-67 Tommy Bartlett Florida 21-4 .840 Norm Sloan
1967-68 John Dromo Louisville 21-7 .750 Peck Hickman
1968-69 Tom Gola La Salle 23-1 .958 Jim Harding
1969-70 Terry Holland Davidson 22-5 .815 Lefty Driesell
1970-71 Richard "Digger" Phelps Fordham 26-3 .897 Ed Conlin
1971-72 Chuck Daly Penn 25-3 .893 Dick Harter
1972-73 Norm Ellenberger New Mexico 21-6 .778 Bob King
1973-74 Lute Olson Long Beach State 24-2 .923 Jerry Tarkanian
1974-75 Tom Apke Creighton 20-7 .741 Eddie Sutton
1974-75 Wayne Yates Memphis State 20-7 .741 Gene Bartow
1975-76 Bill Blakeley North Texas State 22-4 .846 Gene Robbins
1976-77 Jim Boeheim Syracuse 26-4 .867 Roy Danforth
1976-77 Charlie Schmaus Virginia Military 26-4 .867 Bill Blair
1977-78 Gary Cunningham UCLA 25-3 .893 Gene Bartow
1978-79 Bill Hodges Indiana State 33-1 .971 Bob King
1979-80 Bob Dukiet St. Peter's 22-9 .710 Bob Kelly
1979-80 Dave "Lefty" Ervin La Salle 22-9 .710 Paul Westhead
1980-81 Pat Foster Lamar 25-5 .833 Billy Tubbs
1981-82 Jim Boyle St. Joseph's 25-5 .833 Jim Lynam
1982-83 Ed Tapscott American University 20-10 .667 Gary Williams
1983-84 Rick Huckabay Marshall 25-6 .806 Bob Zuffelato
1984-85 Newton Chelette Southeastern Louisiana 18-9 .667 Ken Fortenberry
1985-86 Pete Gillen Xavier 25-5 .833 Bob Staak
1986-87 Pete Herrmann Navy 26-6 .813 Paul Evans
1987-88 Rick Barnes George Mason 20-10 .667 Joe Harrington
1988-89 Kermit Davis Idaho 25-6 .806 Tim Floyd
1989-90 Jim Anderson Oregon State 22-7 .759 Ralph Miller
1990-91 Alan LeForce East Tennessee State 28-5 .848 Les Robinson
1991-92 Blaine Taylor Montana 27-4 .871 Stew Morrill
1992-93 Fran Fraschilla Manhattan 23-7 .767 Steve Lappas
1993-94 Kirk Speraw Central Florida 21-9 .700 Joe Dean Jr.
1994-95 George "Tic" Price New Orleans 20-11 .645 Tim Floyd
1995-96 Mike Heideman Wisconsin-Green Bay 25-4 .862 Dick Bennett
1996-97 Bill Carmody Princeton 24-4 .857 Pete Carril
1997-98 Bill Guthridge North Carolina 34-4 .895 Dean Smith
1998-99 Tevester Anderson Murray State 27-6 .818 Mark Gottfried
1999-00 Mark Few Gonzaga 26-9 .743 Dan Monson
2000-01 Thad Matta Butler 24-8 .750 Barry Collier
2001-02 Stan Heath Kent State 29-6 .829 Gary Waters
2002-03 Brad Brownell UNC Wilmington 24-7 .774 Jerry Wainwright
2003-04 Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh 31-5 .861 Ben Howland
2004-05 Mark Fox Nevada 25-7 .781 Trent Johnson
2005-06 Rob Jeter Wisconsin-Milwaukee 22-9 .710 Bruce Pearl
2006-07 Anthony Grant Virginia Commonwealth 28-7 .800 Jeff Capel III
2007-08 Brad Stevens Butler 30-4 .882 Todd Lickliter
2008-09 Ken McDonald Western Kentucky 25-9 .735 Darrin Horn
2009-10 Shaka Smart Virginia Commonwealth 27-9 .750 Anthony Grant
2010-11 B.J. Hill Northern Colorado 21-11 .656 Tad Boyle
2011-12 Steve Prohm Murray State 31-2 .939 Billy Kennedy
2012-13 Kevin Ollie Connecticut 20-10 .667 Jim Calhoun
2013-14 Brad Underwood Stephen F. Austin 32-3 .914 Danny Kaspar
2014-15 David Richman North Dakota State 23-10 .697 Saul Phillips
2015-16 Matt McCall Chattanooga 29-5 .853 Will Wade
2016-17 Paul Weir New Mexico State 28-6 .824 Marvin Menzies
2017-18 Bob Richey Furman 23-10 .697 Niko Medved
2018-19 Sam Scholl San Diego 21-15 .583 Lamont Smith
2019-20 Eric Henderson South Dakota State 22-10 .688 T.J. Otzelberger
2020-21 Terrence "TJ" Johnson Texas State 18-7 .720 Danny Kaspar
2021-22 Tommy Lloyd Arizona 33-4 .892 Sean Miller

College Exam: Day #12 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper for next pandemic, trying to help Supreme Court nominee define a woman or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 12 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only championship team player to have a season scoring average of less than six points per game entering a Final Four but tally more than 30 points in the national semifinals and final? Hint: He is the only player with a single-digit season scoring average to score more than 25 points in an NCAA championship game.

2. Who is the only player to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive NCAA playoff games? Hint: He is the only player to rank among top five in scoring average in both NCAA Tournament and NBA playoffs. He was denied a championship ring in his only Final Four appearance when a player who would become an NBA teammate tipped in decisive basket in the closing seconds.

3. Name the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player who wasn't among the top five scorers on his team. Hint: The only other player to earn the award who wasn't among top four scorers on his team attended same university.

4. Who is the only individual to be named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NIT Most Valuable Player? Hint: As a freshman, he shared one of the awards with a teammate.

5. Who is the only U.S. Congressman to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee after playing in the NCAA Tournament championship game? Hint: Starting out as a Democrat, he became a 12-term Republican Congressman from Illinois.

6. Who is the only individual to be named Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in back-to-back seasons? Hint: He holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most points by a rookie.

7. Name the freshman who had the highest season scoring average for a team to reach the NCAA Tournament championship game until Carmelo Anthony achieved the feat for 2003 champion Syracuse. Hint: The word "Boss" is tattooed to his chest for a good reason because he also led his team in assists as freshman.

8. Who is the only freshman to score more than 30 points in a national semifinal or championship game before failing to score more than half that total in his next four playoff outings? Hint: He didn't score more than 15 points in any of his next four NCAA playoff games, all defeats, and averaged a modest 8.2 points per game in an eight-year NBA career with an all-time pro season high of 11.4 ppg and game high of 28.

9. Who is the only freshman on a Final Four team to score more than 20 points in as many as four tournament games? Hint: He did not play in the national championship game and his school lost in the NCAA playoffs to opponents with double-digit seeds each of four seasons before he arrived.

10. Name the only season-leading scorer of a titlist to be held more than 14 points below his average in the NCAA championship game. Hint: He was named national player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is one of four Final Four Most Outstanding Players held scoreless in their NCAA Tournament debuts in a previous season. He is also the only individual to become a member of three NCAA titlists after playing one season in junior college.

Answers (Day 12)

Day 11 Questions and Answers

Day 10 Questions and Answers

Day 9 Questions and Answers

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Beat 'Em/Then Join 'Em: Non-League Slate Can Serve as Coaching Audition

"Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time." - Arnold H. Glasow

Mike White likely impressed Georgia by topping the Bulldogs twice last season with Florida in SEC regular-season competition (72-63 and 84-72). But there also is a good reason to schedule wisely in non-league play as hiring can stem at least partially from what can be designated a job audition. For instance, Digger Phelps guided Fordham to its winningest season in school history in 1970-71. But what likely really impressed Notre Dame's administration was a 94-88 victory that season over the Irish. He was UND's bench boss the next campaign and went on to compile seven triumphs against nationally top-ranked opponents in his career at South Bend.

Non-conference schedules frequently are frustrating for fans of power-league members because of what seems like feasting on a steady diet of cupcake opponents. But you never know when a single game becomes a career changer. Initial research of results in this category shows Mick Cronin's 29-point margin of victory four seasons ago for Cincinnati against UCLA is exceeded only by Tommy Amaker's 32-point difference when Michigan overwhelmed Harvard. Similar to almost any job, timing is everything. Following is an alphabetical list of impressionable coaches generating favorable reviews after defeating a school (in non-conference game) they were hired by for the same role before the next campaign:

Coach Departing School Triumph(s) Over Non-League Foe Hiring Him Next Season
Tommy Amaker Michigan Defeated Harvard, 82-50, in 2006-07
Duggar Baucom Virginia Military Defeated The Citadel, 66-65, at Army* in 2014-15
John Brady Samford Defeated Louisiana State, 53-50, in 1996-97
Tom Brennan Yale Defeated Vermont, 84-75, in 1985-86
Jim Calhoun Northeastern Defeated Connecticut, 90-73, in 1985-86
Joe Callero Seattle Defeated Cal Poly, 60-59, in 2008-09
Ben Carnevale North Carolina Defeated Navy, 51-49, in 1945-46
Jamion Christian Siena Defeated George Washington, 69-61, in 2018-19
Mick Cronin Cincinnati Defeated UCLA, 93-64, in 2018-19
Kermit Davis Jr. Middle Tennessee State Defeated Mississippi, 77-58, in 2017-18
Charles "Lefty" Driesell Davidson Defeated Maryland, 83-69, in 1968-69
Pat Foster Houston Defeated Nevada, 92-80, in 1992-93
Jim Hayford Eastern Washington Defeated Seattle, 80-76 in 2OT and 93-88 in 2OT, in 2016-17
Ron Hunter Georgia State Defeated Tulane, 80-76, in 2018-19
Maury John Drake Defeated Iowa State, 87-63, in 1970-71
Ed Kelleher Fordham Defeated Army, 68-42, in 1942-43
Lake Kelly Austin Peay State Defeated Oral Roberts, 80-76, in 1976-77
Jeff Linder Northern Colorado Defeated Wyoming, 74-53, in 2019-20
Billy McCann Washington & Lee (VA) Defeated Virginia, 73-69, in 1956-57
Neil McCarthy Weber State Defeated New Mexico State, 62-56, in 1984-85
Dan Monson Gonzaga Defeated Minnesota, 75-63, in 1998-99
Don Monson Idaho Defeated Oregon, 56-53, in 1982-83
Donald "Dudey" Moore Duquesne Defeated La Salle, 74-55, in 1957-58
Stew Morrill Colorado State Defeated Utah State, 68-59, in 1997-98
Richard "Digger" Phelps Fordham Defeated Notre Dame, 94-88, in 1970-71
Elmer Ripley Georgetown Defeated John Carroll (Ohio), 73-53, in 1948-49
Les Robinson East Tennessee State Defeated North Carolina State, 92-82, in 1989-90
Lorenzo Romar Saint Louis Defeated Washington, 71-70, in 2001-02
Charles "Sonny" Smith Auburn Defeated Virginia Commonwealth, 85-79, in 1988-89
Charlie Spoonhour Southwest Missouri State Defeated Saint Louis, 66-59, in 1991-92
Bill Strannigan Colorado State Defeated Iowa State, 65-57, in 1953-54
Bill Wade Virginia Commonwealth Defeated Louisiana State, 85-74, in 2016-17
Raymond "Bucky" Waters West Virginia Defeated Duke, 90-88, in 1968-69
Paul Weir New Mexico State Defeated New Mexico, 84-71, in 2016-17
Tim Welsh Iona Defeated Providence, 68-62, in 1997-98
Gary Williams Boston College Defeated Ohio State, 87-74, in 1985-86
Matt Zunic Boston University Defeated Massachusetts, 75-55 and 61-56, in 1958-59

*Competed in season-opening Military Classic before VMI defeated The Citadel twice in Southern Conference competition.

Transferring Talent: Five All-Americans Began Careers With Other Schools

"Stepping onto a brand new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation which is not nurturing." - Maya Angelou

Whether schools are simply filling out a roster with a backup or chasing a pot of gold at the end of a Larry Bird-created rainbow jumper, they seem to be looking around every corner and under every rock for a transfer. Bird left a potential powerhouse at Indiana but never played for the Hoosiers before becoming national player of the year with Indiana State. The majority of All-American transfers depart from universities that currently are power-league members.

How many All-Americans actually played varsity basketball for two different four-year schools? The average was about one every two years until the transfer portal yielded five such A-As. Duke and Kansas, two of the five schools with the most All-Americans in history, had their first transfer in that category during the previous decade - Duke guard Seth Curry (Liberty) and KU center Jeff Withey (Arizona). Of course, the premier player in this category in 2021-22 is Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe, who transferred from West Virginia after averaging 10.6 ppg and 8.9 rpg for the Mountaineers in 2019-20 and first semester of 2020-21. Tshiebwe is shaping up as becoming the first transfer ever to become national player of the year after competing in games with another four-year school. He was the first player to average more than 15 rpg since Alcorn State's Larry Smith in 1979-80 (15.1).

Mississippi State lost a transfer All-American when Ben Hansbrough departed for Notre Dame but the Bulldogs had their own player in this category earlier this century after Lawrence Roberts left Baylor. In an era when transfers have almost become an obsession for various reasons, there was a modest uptick in the ratio with seven All-Americans in this category in a six-year span from 2000 through 2005 before Louisville's Luke Hancock (George Mason) became Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Tshiebwe and four additional transfers - James Akinjo, Johnny Juzang, Walker Kessler and JD Notae - joined the following alphabetical list of A-As who began their collegiate career at another four-year school:

Transfer All-American Pos. Original School All-American School
James Akinjo G Georgetown 19-20/Arizona 21 Baylor 22
Courtney Alexander G Virginia 96-97 Fresno State 99-00
Elgin Baylor F College of Idaho 55 Seattle 57-58
Vince Boryla F-C Notre Dame 45-46 Denver 49
Michael Bradley F-C Kentucky 98-99 Villanova 01
Charley Brown G Indiana 56 Seattle 58-59
Art Bunte C-F Utah 52-53 Colorado 55-56
Frank Burgess G Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54 Gonzaga 59-61
Reggie Carter G Hawaii 76 St. John's 78-80
Brandon Clarke F-C San Jose State 16-17 Gonzaga 19
Seth Curry G Liberty 09 Duke 11-13
Dan Dickau G Washington 98-99 Gonzaga 01-02
Toney Douglas G Auburn 05 Florida State 07-09
Larry Fogle F Southwestern Louisiana 73 Canisius 74-75
Ricky Frazier G-F St. Louis 78 Missouri 80-82
Eric "Hank" Gathers F-C Southern California 86 Loyola Marymount 88-90
Gerald Glass F Delta State (Miss.) 86-87 Mississippi 89-90
Joey Graham F Central Florida 01-02 Oklahoma State 04-05
*Harvey Grant F Clemson 85 Oklahoma 87-88
*Ed Gray G Tennessee 94 California 96-97
Al Green G North Carolina State 76-77 Louisiana State 79
Quentin Grimes G Kansas 19 Houston 20-21
Ben Hansbrough G Mississippi State 07-08 Notre Dame 10-11
William "Red" Holzman G Baltimore 39 City College of New York 41-42
Wesley Johnson F Iowa State 07-08 Syracuse 10
Johnny Juzang G Kentucky 20 UCLA 21-22
Walker Kessler C North Carolina 21 Auburn 22
Greg "Bo" Kimble F-G Southern California 86 Loyola Marymount 88-90
Jim Krivacs G Auburn 75 Texas 77-79
Dedric Lawson F-C Memphis 16-17 Kansas 19
John Lucas III G Baylor 02-03 Oklahoma State 04
Kyle Macy G Purdue 76 Kentucky 78-80
Billy McCaffrey G Duke 90-91 Vanderbilt 93-94
Bob McCurdy F-C Virginia 72 Richmond 74-75
Mark McNamara C Santa Clara 78-79 California 81-82
Chris Mills F Kentucky 89 Arizona 91-93
Davion Mitchell G Auburn 19 Baylor 21
JD Notae G Jacksonville 18-19 Arkansas 21-22
James "Scoonie" Penn G Boston College 96-97 Ohio State 99-00
Lawrence Roberts F-C Baylor 02-03 Mississippi State 04-05
Carlos Rogers C UALR 91 Tennessee State 93-94
Marshall Rogers G Kansas 73 Pan American 75-76
Clifford Rozier C-F North Carolina 91 Louisville 93-94
Kevin Stacom G Holy Cross 71 Providence 73-74
Dan Swartz C Kentucky 52 Morehead State 54-56
Oscar Tshiebwe C West Virginia 20-21 Kentucky 22
Brandon Joel "B.J." Tyler G DePaul 90 Texas 92-94
Bill Uhl C Ohio State 52 Dayton 54-56
Jarrod Uthoff F Wisconsin 12 (redshirt) Iowa 14-16
Win Wilfong F Missouri 52-53 Memphis State 56-57
Nigel Williams-Goss G Washington 14-15 Gonzaga 17
Kyle Wiltjer F Kentucky 13 Gonzaga 15
Jeff Withey C Arizona 09 Kansas 10-13
Leon Wood G Arizona 80 Cal State Fullerton 82-84
Andre Woolridge G Nebraska 93 Iowa 95-97

*Attended junior college between four-year school stints.
NOTE: Burgess was an Air Force veteran.

Gonzaga Lone Mid-Major Boasting All-American For Second Straight Season

NBA success in several years likely will reveal voter shortcomings as top-ranked Gonzaga was the only non-power conference member to supply NCAA consensus All-Americans the past two campaigns. The Zags have a striking number of 11 different players accorded such consensus A-A status thus far this century. Last year, they joined Illinois (2004-05) as the only two schools in last 73 seasons to feature three consensus All-Americans in same season since Kentucky in 1948-49. Following is a chronological list of mid-level NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since the ACC was introduced in 1953-54:

Year NCAA Consensus First- and Second-Team All-Americans From Non-Power Conference Members
1954 La Salle's Tom Gola (1st), Western Kentucky's Tom Marshall (2nd), Furman's Frank Selvy (1st) and Duquesne's Dick Ricketts (2nd)
1955 Furman's Darrell Floyd (2nd), La Salle's Tom Gola (1st), Duquesne's Sihugo Green (1st), Duquesne's Dick Ricketts (1st) and San Francisco's Bill Russell (1st)
1956 Furman's Darrell Floyd (2nd), Duquesne's Sihugo Green (1st), Holy Cross' Tom Heinsohn (1st), San Francisco's K.C. Jones (2nd), San Francisco's Bill Russell (1st) and Dayton's Bill Uhl (2nd)
1957 Seattle's Elgin Baylor (2nd) and Columbia's Chet Forte (1st)
1958 Seattle's Elgin Baylor (1st) and San Francisco's Mike Farmer (2nd)
1959 Marshall's Leo Byrd (2nd)
1960 St. Bonaventure's Tom Stith (1st)
1961 Gonzaga's Frank Burgess (2nd), St. Bonaventure's Tom Stith (1st) and Bradley's Chet Walker (1st)
1962 Holy Cross' Jack Foley (2nd) and Bradley's Chet Walker (1st)
1963 Colorado State's Bill Green (2nd), Loyola of Chicago's Jerry Harkness (1st), NYU's Barry Kramer (1st) and Bowling Green State's Nate Thurmond (2nd)
1964 Princeton's Bill Bradley (1st), Davidson's Fred Hetzel (2nd) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (1st)
1965 Princeton's Bill Bradley (1st), Utah State's Wayne Estes (2nd), Davidson's Fred Hetzel (1st) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (2nd)
1966 St. Joseph's Matt Guokas (2nd) and Davidson's Dick Snyder (2nd)
1967 New Mexico's Mel Daniels (2nd), Western Kentucky's Clem Haskins (1st) and Dayton's Don May (2nd)
1968 St. Bonaventure's Bob Lanier (2nd), Dayton's Don May (2nd) and Niagara's Calvin Murphy (2nd)
1969 Detroit's Spencer Haywood (1st), Davidson's Mike Maloy (2nd), Niagara's Calvin Murphy (1st) and Santa Clara's Bud Ogden (2nd)
1970 New Mexico State's Jimmy Collins (2nd), St. Bonaventure's Bob Lanier (1st) and Niagara's Calvin Murphy (1st)
1971 La Salle's Ken Durrett (2nd), Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (1st) and Western Kentucky's Jim McDaniels (1st)
1972 Oral Roberts' Richie Fuqua (2nd), Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (1st) and Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (1st)
1973 Illinois State's Doug Collins (1st), Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (1st), Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (1st) and American University's Kermit Washington (2nd)
1974 Canisius' Larry Fogle (2nd)
1975 none
1976 none
1977 San Francisco's Bill Cartwright (2nd)
1978 Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st) and Portland State's Freeman Williams (2nd)
1979 Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st), San Francisco's Bill Cartwright (2nd), Northeast Louisiana's Calvin Natt (2nd), Dayton's Jim Paxson (2nd) and Rhode Island's Sly Williams (2nd)
1980 La Salle's Michael Brooks (1st)
1981 Brigham Young's Danny Ainge (1st)
1982 San Francisco's Quintin Dailey (1st), UC Irvine's Kevin Magee (2nd) and Tulsa's Paul Pressey (2nd)
1983 UNLV's Sidney Green (2nd)
1984 San Diego State's Michael Cage (2nd), Brigham Young's Devin Durrant (2nd) and Cal State Fullerton's Leon Wood (2nd)
1985 Wichita State's Xavier McDaniel (1st)
1986 Miami of Ohio's Ron Harper (2nd) and Navy's David Robinson (2nd)
1987 UNLV's Armon Gilliam (2nd) and Navy's David Robinson (1st)
1988 Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (1st) and Brigham Young's Michael Smith (2nd)
1989 La Salle's Lionel Simmons (2nd)
1990 Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers (2nd), UNLV's Larry Johnson (1st), Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble (2nd) and La Salle's Lionel Simmons (1st)
1991 UNLV's Stacey Augmon (2nd), East Tennessee State's Keith "Mister" Jennings (2nd) and UNLV's Larry Johnson (1st)
1992 none
1993 UNLV's J.R. Rider (2nd)
1994 none
1995 Massachusetts' Lou Roe (2nd)
1996 Massachusetts' Marcus Camby (1st)
1997 none
1998 none
1999 Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak (2nd)
2000 Fresno State's Courtney Alexander (2nd)
2001 none
2002 Gonzaga's Dan Dickau (1st) and Xavier's David West (2nd)
2003 Creighton's Kyle Korver (2nd) and Xavier's David West (1st)
2004 St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson (1st) and Gonzaga's Blake Stepp (2nd)
2005 none
2006 Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (1st)
2007 Nevada's Nick Fazekas (2nd)
2008 Davidson's Stephen Curry (2nd)
2009 Davidson's Stephen Curry (1st)
2010 none
2011 Morehead State's Kenneth Faried (2nd), Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (1st) and San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard (2nd)
2012 Murray State's Isaiah Canaan (2nd) and Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st)
2013 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st) and Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk (1st)
2014 Wichita State's Cleanthony Early (2nd)
2015 Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle (2nd) and Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer (2nd)
2016 Oakland's Kay Felder (2nd)
2017 Gonzaga's Nigel Williams-Goss (2nd)
2018 Saint Mary's Jock Landale (2nd)
2019 Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura (1st) and Murray State's Ja Morant (1st)
2020 San Diego State's Malachi Flynn (2nd) and Dayton's Obi Toppin (1st)
2021 Gonzaga's Corey Kispert (1st), Jalen Suggs (2nd) and Drew Timme (2nd)
2022 Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren (2nd) and Drew Timme (2nd)

Slow Start: All-American Johnny Juzang Averaged Only 2.9 PPG as Freshman

In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, UCLA's Johnny Juzang (2.9 points per game in 2019-20) failed to generate national headlines in his freshman season before blossoming into an All-American after transferring from Kentucky. He is a textbook example why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics.

Juzang isn't the only All-American who endured growing pains. The following alphabetical list of players averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:

Eventual All-American Pos. A-A School Freshman Scoring Average
Cole Aldrich C Kansas 2.8 ppg in 2007-08
Lorenzo Charles F North Carolina State 2.2 ppg in 1981-82
Rakeem Christmas F Syracuse 2.8 ppg in 2011-12
Keith Edmonson G Purdue 1.3 ppg in 1978-79
Aaron Gray C Pittsburgh 1.7 ppg in 2003-04
Erick Green G Virginia Tech 2.6 ppg in 2009-10
Tom Gugliotta F North Carolina State 2.7 ppg in 1988-89
Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga 2.6 ppg in 2016-17
Roy Hamilton G UCLA 1.2 ppg in 1975-76
Jeff Jonas G Utah 2.8 ppg in 1973-74
Johnny Juzang G UCLA 2.9 ppg in 2019-20 with Kentucky
Frank Kaminsky C-F Wisconsin 1.8 ppg in 2011-12
Ted Kitchel F Indiana 1.7 ppg in 1979-80
Bob Kurland C Oklahoma A&M 2.5 ppg in 1942-43
Tom LaGarde C North Carolina 2.2 ppg in 1973-74
Jock Landale C Saint Mary's 2.1 ppg in 2014-15
Kenyon Martin C Cincinnati 2.8 ppg in 1996-97
Luke Maye F North Carolina 1.2 ppg in 2015-16
John Pilch G Wyoming 2.4 ppg in 1946-47
Thomas Robinson F Kansas 2.5 ppg in 2009-10
Steve Scheffler C Purdue 1.5 ppg in 1986-87
Russ Smith G Louisville 2.2 ppg in 2010-11
Earl Tatum G-F Marquette 1.5 ppg in 1972-73
Kurt Thomas F-C Texas Christian 0.8 ppg in 1990-91
Al Thornton F Florida State 2.8 ppg in 2003-04
B.J. Tyler G Texas 2.9 ppg in 1989-90 with DePaul
Scottie Wilbekin G Florida 2.4 ppg in 2010-11
Jeff Withey C Kansas 1.3 ppg in 2009-10

NOTES: Oregon's Wally Borrevik (1.8 ppg in 1940-41), Wisconsin's Gene Englund (2.3 ppg in 1938-39), California's Darrall Imhoff (0.9 ppg in 1957-58), Kansas' Dean Kelley (0.8 in 1950-51), Purdue's Bob Kessler (2.3 ppg in 1933-34), Notre Dame's Leo Klier (2.7 in 1942-43), Oklahoma A&M's Gale McArthur (2.96 ppg in 1948-49), Notre Dame's Bob Rensberger (1.5 ppg in 1940-41) and Stanford's George Yardley (2.9 ppg in 1947-48) averaged fewer than three points per game as sophomores when freshmen weren't eligible to play varsity basketball before becoming All-Americans. . . . Withey originally attended Arizona.

College Exam: Day #11 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, wondering how many translators are required for world leaders to try to understand Plagiarist Bidumb or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 11 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only one of the 60 or so two-time consensus first-team All-Americans since 1946 never to participate in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT? Hint: His school was a total of 10 games over .500 in Big Ten Conference competition in his junior and senior seasons. He never played on a team to win playoff series in his nine-year NBA career.

2. Who is the only player to score more than 20,000 pro points yet never reach the conference finals in the NBA playoffs after playing at least two seasons of varsity basketball at a major college and never participating in the NCAA Division I playoffs? Hint: The college he attended made its NCAA Tournament debut the first year after he left school early to become third pick overall in NBA draft.

3. Who is the only coach since the tourney field expanded to at least 48 teams to take two different universities to the playoffs when the schools appeared in the tournament for the first time? Hint: His last name begins with a "F" and he no longer is Division I head coach.

4. Name the only school with a losing record to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs by winning a regular-season conference title. Hint: The league started a postseason tournament two years later and the school in question has lost all six times it reached conference tourney championship game.

5. Name the only major university to have two graduates score more than 17,000 points in the NBA after playing at least three varsity seasons in college and failing to appear in the NCAA Tournament. Hint: The school has had three other players score more than 10,000 points in the NBA after never appearing in NCAA playoffs.

6. Name the only former titlist to have an all-time playoff record 10 games below the .500 mark. Hint: Longtime network broadcaster Curt Gowdy played in the tournament for the school.

7. Name the only state with three schools to compile tournament records at least nine games below .500. Hint: The three institutions from same state are members of different conferences.

8. Who was the only player shorter than Bobby Hurley, Duke's 6-0 guard, to play for a championship team and be selected as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player? Hint: There was another Final Four MOP who was also shorter than 6-0, but he played for a national third-place finisher in the mid-1950s.

9. Who is the only individual to play in an NCAA Tournament championship game and later coach his alma mater to a final? Hint: He served as an assistant to the coach with the most NCAA playoff victories and a college teammate is one of the winningest coaches of all time.

10. Name the only one of the schools with multiple national titles to have two teams participate in the NCAA playoffs as defending champions but lose their opening-round game. Hint: Both of the opening-round setbacks for the school when it was defending champion occurred in East Regional.

Answers (Day 11)

Day 10 Questions and Answers

Day 9 Questions and Answers

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Training Ground: Murray State First School to Lose Eight Different Coaches

Matt McMahon's departure to Louisiana State enabled Murray State to become the first school to lose eight head coaches over the years to other major colleges or the NBA. LSU is the fourth different current SEC member to poach a coach from the Racers in the last 31 years.

Incredibly, Tulsa lost four coaches in a seven-year period from 1995 to 2001. The following list shows Idaho (11 years from 1983 to 1993), Princeton (12 years from 2000 to 2011), Murray State (14 years from 1985 to 1998), New Orleans (14 years from 1994 to 2007), Penn (15 years from 1971 to 1985) and Louisiana Tech (16 years from 1974 to 1989) losing four coaches in comparable short spans:

Murray State (lost 8 head coaches to other schools) - Ron Greene (departed for Indiana State/1985), Steve Newton (South Carolina/1991), Scott Edgar (Duquesne/1995), Mark Gottfried (Alabama/1998), Mick Cronin (Cincinnati/2006), Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M/2011), Steve Prohm (Iowa State/2015), Matt McMahon (Louisiana State/2022)

Idaho (7) - Dave MacMillan (Minnesota/1927), Dave Strack (Michigan/1960), Joe Cipriano (Nebraska/1963), Don Monson (Oregon/1983), Tim Floyd (New Orleans/1988), Kermit Davis (Texas A&M/1990), Larry Eustachy (Utah State/1993)

Kansas State (7) - Jack Gardner (Utah/1953), Tex Winter (Washington/1968), Cotton Fitzsimmons (Phoenix Suns/1970), Lon Kruger (Florida/1990), Dana Altman (Creighton/1994), Bob Huggins (West Virginia/2008), Frank Martin (South Carolina/2012)

Louisiana Tech (7) - Scotty Robertson (New Orleans Jazz/1974), J.D. Barnett (Virginia Commonwealth/1979), Andy Russo (Washington/1985), Tommy Joe Eagles (Auburn/1989), Jim Wooldridge (assistant with Chicago Bulls/1998), Michael White (Florida/2015), Eric Konkol (Tulsa/2022)

Montana (7) - Jud Heathcote (Michigan State/1976), Jim Brandenburg (Wyoming/1978), Mike Montgomery (Stanford/1986), Stew Morrill (Colorado State/1991), Pat Kennedy (Towson/2004), Larry Krystkowiak (assistant with Milwaukee Bucks/2006), Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State/2014)

Penn (7) - Howie Dallmar (Stanford/1954), Jack McCloskey (Wake Forest/1966), Dick Harter (Oregon/1971), Chuck Daly (assistant with Philadelphia 76ers/1977), Bob Weinhauer (Arizona State/1982), Craig Littlepage (Rutgers/1985), Fran Dunphy (Temple/2006)

Tulsa (7) - Ken Hayes (New Mexico State/1975), Nolan Richardson Jr. (Arkansas/1985), Tubby Smith (Georgia/1995), Steve Robinson (Florida State/1997), Bill Self (Illinois/2000), Buzz Peterson (Tennessee/2001), Danny Manning (Wake Forest/2014)

Virginia Commonwealth (7) - Dana Kirk (Memphis State/1979), J.D. Barnett (Tulsa/1985), Mike Pollio (Eastern Kentucky/1989), Jeff Capel III (Oklahoma/2006), Anthony Grant (Alabama/2009), Shaka Smart (Texas/2015), Will Wade (Louisiana State/2017)

Xavier (7) - Ned Wulk (Arizona State/1957), Bob Staak (Wake Forest/1985), Pete Gillen (Providence/1994), Skip Prosser (Wake Forest/2001), Thad Matta (Ohio State/2004), Sean Miller (Arizona/2009), Chris Mack (Louisville/2018)

Fall-Americans: NCAA Consensus First-Teamers Failing to Reach Sweet 16

This year marks the first time four available NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans - three from Big Ten Conference - failed to reach the national tournament Sweet 16 since 1975 when field expanded to 32 teams and every entrant had to win at least one game before advancing to regional semifinals. Hopefully, none of the dearly departed will cross over to women's tourney to try to be hoops version of Lia Thomas. The only first-teamer boasting a regional final playoff pulse was Kansas' Ochai Agbaji.

Four consensus first-teamers didn't reach Sweet 16 in 2000 but one of them was injured (Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin broke his right leg in C-USA Tournament). There has been only one year (2006) when every consensus first-teamer appeared in Sweet 16 since seeding was introduced in 1979.

Creighton's Doug McDermott is the only first-teamer in that span failing to play in second weekend three straight seasons (2012 through 2014) and DePaul's Mark Aguirre is lone first-teamer to be eliminated in opening round in back-to-back years (1980 and 1981). Following in reverse order is list of NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans failing to appear in Sweet 16 since 1975:

Year NCAA Consensus First-Team All-Americans Failing to Reach Sweet 16
2022 Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Keegan Murray (Iowa) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky^)
2021 Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) and Luka Garza (Iowa)
2020 tourney cancelled
2019 Ja Morant (Murray State)
2018 Deandre Ayton (Arizona^) and Trae Young (Oklahoma^)
2017 Josh Hart (Villanova)
2016 Ben Simmons (Louisiana State/dnp), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State^)
2015 D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State)
2014 Doug McDermott (Creighton) and Jabari Parker (Duke^)
2013 Doug McDermott (Creighton), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga) and Otto Porter (Georgetown^)
2012 Doug McDermott (Creighton)
2011 JaJuan Johnson (Purdue)
2010 Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)
2009 Stephen Curry (Davidson/dnp) and James Harden (Arizona State)
2008 Michael Beasley (Kansas State)
2007 Kevin Durant (Texas) and Alando Tucker (Wisconsin)
2006 none
2005 Chris Paul (Wake Forest), Wayne Simien (Kansas^) and Hakim Warrick (Syracuse^)
2004 Andre Emmett (Texas Tech), Ryan Gomes (Providence^) and Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State)
2003 Josh Howard (Wake Forest) and David West (Xavier)
2002 Dan Dickau (Gonzaga^) and Steve Logan (Cincinnati)
2001 Joseph Forte (North Carolina) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame)
2000 A.J. Guyton (Indiana^), Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati), Chris Mihm (Texas) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame/dnp)
1999 Andre Miller (Utah) and Jason Terry (Arizona^)
1998 Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce (Kansas)
1997 Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) and Danny Fortson (Cincinnati)
1996 Kerry Kittles (Villanova)
1995 Shawn Respert (Michigan State^) and Damon Stoudamire (Arizona^)
1994 Jason Kidd (California^)
1993 Penny Hardaway (Memphis State^) and Bobby Hurley (Duke)
1992 Harold Miner (Southern California), Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) and Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State)
1991 Kenny Anderson (Georgia Tech), Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State^) and Billy Owens (Syracuse^)
1990 Chris Jackson (Louisiana State), Gary Payton Sr. (Oregon State^) and Lionel Simmons (La Salle)
1989 Chris Jackson (Louisiana State^)
1988 Hersey Hawkins (Bradley^)
1987 David Robinson (Navy^)
1986 Steve Alford (Indiana^), Walter Berry (St. John's) and Len Bias (Maryland)
1985 Johnny Dawkins (Duke) and Xavier McDaniel (Wichita State^)
1984 Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma^)
1983 Dale Ellis (Tennessee), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) and Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma)
1982 Terry Cummings (DePaul^) and Quintin Dailey (San Francisco^)
1981 Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Steve Johnson (Oregon State^)
1980 Mark Aguirre (DePaul^) and Michael Brooks (La Salle^)
1979 Mike Gminski (Duke^)
1978 Larry Bird (Indiana State/dnp), Phil Ford (North Carolina^), Butch Lee (Marquette^) and Mychal Thompson (Minnesota/dnp)
1977 Kent Benson (Indiana/dnp), Otis Birdsong (Houston/dnp) and Bernard King (Tennessee^)
1976 John Lucas (Maryland/dnp)
1975 David Thompson (North Carolina State/dnp due to probation)

^Lost opening-round game.
NOTE: Martin was injured (broke his right leg in C-USA Tournament).

Foreign Invasion: Several More All-Americans From Outside Mainland U.S.

Foreigners such as All-Americans Kofi Cockburn (Illinois/Jamaica), Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona/Quebec) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky/Congo) are much more than bit players in a modern-day immigrant version of "Coming to America." Following is an alphabetical list of more than 40 hoop-prince All-Americans spending most or all of their formative years in a country outside mainland U.S.:

Foreigner Pos. College Native Country Year(s) All-American NBA Draft Status
Deandre Ayton C Arizona Bahamas 2018 1st pick overall by Phoenix
Udoka Azubuike C Kansas Nigeria 2020 27th by Utah Jazz
R.J. Barrett G-F Duke Toronto, Ontario 2019 3rd by New York
Charles Bassey C Western Kentucky Nigeria 2021 53rd by Philadelphia
Andrew Bogut* C Utah Australia 2005 1st by Milwaukee
Dillon Brooks F Oregon Ontario 2017 2nd by Houston
Kofi Cockburn C Illinois Jamaica 2021 and 2022 undrafted
Kresimir Cosic C Brigham Young Yugoslavia 1972 and 1973 66th by L.A. Lakers
Chris Duarte G Oregon Dominican Republic 2021 13th by Indiana
Tim Duncan* C Wake Forest Virgin Islands 1995 through 1997 1st by San Antonio
Melvin Ejim F Iowa State Ontario 2014 undrafted
Patrick Ewing* C Georgetown Jamaica 1982 through 1985 1st by New York
Adonal Foyle C Colgate West Indies 1997 8th by Golden State
Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga Japan 2019 9th by Washington
Buddy Hield G Oklahoma Bahamas 2015 and 2016 6th by New Orleans
Al Horford F-C Florida Dominican Republic 2007 3rd by Atlanta
Kris Joseph F Syracuse Quebec 2012 51st by Boston
Jock Landale C Saint Mary's Australia 2018 undrafted
Lauri Markkanen C Arizona Finland 2017 1st by Minnesota
Bennedict Mathurin G Arizona Quebec 2022 6th by Indiana
Jamal Murray G Kentucky Ontario 2016 7th by Denver
Dikembe Mutombo C Georgetown Zaire 1991 4th by Denver
Eduardo Najera F Oklahoma Mexico 2000 38th by Houston
Jordan Nwora F Louisville Nigeria 2020 45th by Milwaukee Bucks
Hakeem Olajuwon C Houston Nigeria 1983 and 1984 1st by Houston
Kelly Olynyk C Gonzaga British Columbia 2013 13th by Dallas
Kevin Pangos G Gonzaga Ontario 2015 undrafted
Filip Petrusev C Gonzaga Serbia 2020 withdrew and returned to Serbia
Jakob Poeltl C Utah Austria 2016 9th by Toronto
Juan "Pepe" Sanchez G Temple Argentina 2000 undrafted
Detlef Schrempf F Washington Germany 1985 8th by Dallas
Rony Seikaly C Syracuse Greece 1988 9th by Miami
Doron Sheffer G Connecticut Israel 1996 36th by L.A. Clippers
Ben Simmons F Louisiana State Australia 2016 1st by Philadelphia
Nik Stauskas G Michigan Ontario 2014 8th by Sacramento
Hasheem Thabeet C Connecticut Tanzania 2009 2nd by Memphis
Mychal Thompson F-C Minnesota Bahamas 1977 and 1978 1st by Portland
Oscar Tshiebwe C Kentucky Congo 2022 TBD
Greivis Vasquez G Maryland Venezuela 2010 28th by Memphis
Andrew Wiggins G-F Kansas Ontario 2014 1st by Cleveland

*Named National Player of the Year.

College Exam: Day #10 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, wondering if Plagiarist Bidumb is male version of bike-riding witch stealing Toto in Wizard of Oz or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 10 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only All-American to coach three different schools in the NCAA playoffs? Hint: He was the leading scorer for an NCAA champion.

2. Who is the only coach to take three different schools to a regional final in a 10-year span? Hint: He is the only individual to meet two different schools in the playoffs he had previously coached to the Final Four. He had a chance to become the first coach to guide three different universities to national semifinals, but retired and turned reins over to his son.

3. Who is the only seven-foot player to lead a Final Four in scoring and win a conference high jump title in the same year? Hint: He is the only player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists in same season.

4. Of the total of 10 different teams in the 1980s to defeat a school twice in a season the opponent eventually won the national title, name the only one of the 10 to fail to win its NCAA Tournament opener. Hint: The team had the misfortune of opening playoffs on home court of its opponent.

5. Of the Final Four teams in the last several decades to have standouts whose high school coach was reunited with a star player as a college assistant, name the only school to win a national championship. Hint: The high school coach who tagged along with his prep All-American as a college assistant was also first minority player to play for his alma mater.

6. Who is the only coach to take a team more than two games below .500 one season to the national title the next year? Hint: He is the only championship team coach to finish his college career with a losing record. He is also the only major-college coach to stay at a school at least 25 seasons and finish with a losing career record at that institution.

7. Who is the only coach to reach the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament and NIT at least five times apiece? Hint: Of the coaches to win basketball championships at every major level (the NCAA, NIT and Summer Olympics), he is the only one to capture the "Triple Crown" in a span of less than 10 years.

8. Of the players to score more than 225 points in the playoffs and/or average in excess of 25 points per tournament game (minimum of six games), who is the only individual to score more than 22 points in every postseason contest? Hint: He is the only player from group to have a single-digit differential between his highest-scoring game and his lowest-scoring game.

9. Who is the only one of the first 20 players to accumulate at least 235 points in NCAA playoff competition to fail to score at least 25 points in a tournament game? Hint: He is the only one of the more recent Most Outstanding Players to score fewer than 28 points in two Final Four games and his highest-scoring playoff performance couldn't avert a defeat in the only one of his four years he didn't participate in Final Four.

10. Among the all-time leading scorers in NCAA Tournament history, who is the only player in this group to go scoreless in a playoff game? Hint: He scored less than 10 points in six consecutive tournament games before averaging 20 points per game in his last 11 playoff outings.

Answers (Day 10)

Day 9 Questions and Answers

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Playing Race Card: Luka Garza Only White 1st-Team A-A in Last Seven Years

Since MJ couldn't handle him one-and-one, heaven knows how Daddy Ball Game would treat average white player. If not a generous dose of humility, "Slow" Hoops Daddy Lavar Ball probably needs a history lesson. The hoop lowdown might not rise to the level of aggressive African-American commentary on Donald Trump or previous POTUS #AudacityofHype lecturing Christians rather than unprincipled marauders. Nonetheless, it could be time to proclaim white players matter after Gonzaga supplied two white NCAA consensus All-Americans. Many white-privilege provocateurs, who should seek reparations of their own for being exposed to race hustlers such as "Not So" Sharpton clamoring for "R-E-S-P-I-C-T," seem to care as much about the basketball topic, however, as far-left zealots are outraged about Muslim terrorists murdering saints and believers. Perhaps they should dwell a mite more on how in hell giving $1,400 to jailed prisoner helps with COVID-19 relief.

A milestone didn't trigger White History Month during the previous decade, but 2013 marked the first time in 34 years at least half of the list of NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans were white players. From 1980 through 2012, less than one-fifth of the NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans were Caucasian. Struggling as much as Marxist BLM founder purchasing luxury homes in white neighborhoods, Plagiarist Biden ascending Stair Force One, #MSLSD's "Resist We Much" RevAl and #JoylessReid plus confused Congresswoman #(Mad)Maxine Waters may consider this repulsive racist research. However, they probably should be more concerned about paying fair share of taxes on filing deadline day, candor about hacked computer and concocting conspiratorial claptrap more worthy of April Fool's Day about CIA planting drugs in the hood.

All of America needs more critical thinking than critical race theory. Unless there are some closet Rachel Dolezals in the identity mix or Jussie Smollett's air-head attorney is accurate about an outbreak of white-face escapades, Gonzaga (Dan Dickau, Blake Stepp, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, Kyle Wiltjer, Corey Kispert, Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren) was alone boasting the most white consensus All-Americans thus far in 21st Century with eight. It might be accurate-but-unacceptable information to cancel-culture leftists indoctrinating students in public schools with critical race theory, but the Zags in each of the last two seasons are the first school to feature a set of white consensus All-Americans in same season since Missouri's Steve Stipanovich and Jon Sundvold in 1982-83.

It might not reign purple important as a photograph of Prince in a junior high basketball uniform to African-American Studies majors but we could be in the midst of a modest resurgence for the white player represented each year thus far this century. After all, Duke was the nation's only school to supply a white first-team All-American in a nine-year span from 1987-88 through 1995-96 (Danny Ferry in 1989, Christian Laettner in 1992 and Bobby Hurley in 1993). For those monitoring such identity demographics or who might be a dues-paying member of an alternative version of NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Caucasian Players), following is a list of white NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since Indiana State's Larry Bird was unanimous national player of the year in 1979:

Year Ratio White NCAA Consensus All-Americans
1979 6 of 12 Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st), Duke's Mike Gminski (1st), North Carolina's Mike O'Koren (2nd), Dayton's Jim Paxson (2nd), Duke's Jim Spanarkel (2nd) and Notre Dame's Kelly Tripucka (2nd)
1980 3 of 10 Duke's Mike Gminski (2nd), Kentucky's Kyle Macy (1st) and North Carolina's Mike O'Koren (2nd)
1981 4 of 11 Brigham Young's Danny Ainge (1st), Virginia's Jeff Lamp (2nd), Notre Dame's Kelly Tripucka (2nd) and Utah's Danny Vranes (2nd)
1982 1 of 10 Notre Dame's John Paxson (2nd)
1983 4 of 14 Notre Dame's John Paxson (2nd), Missouri's Steve Stipanovich (2nd), Missouri's Jon Sundvold (2nd) and Indiana's Randy Wittman (2nd)
1984 2 of 11 Brigham Young's Devin Durrant (2nd) and St. John's Chris Mullin (2nd)
1985 3 of 11 Southern Methodist's Jon Koncak (2nd), St. John's Chris Mullin (1st) and Georgia Tech's Mark Price (2nd)
1986 2 of 11 Indiana's Steve Alford (1st) and Michigan State's Scott Skiles (2nd)
1987 1 of 10 Indiana's Steve Alford (1st)
1988 2 of 11 Duke's Danny Ferry (2nd) and Brigham Young's Michael Smith (2nd)
1989 2 of 11 Duke's Danny Ferry (1st) and Stanford's Todd Lichti (2nd)
1990 0 of 12
1991 1 of 10 Duke's Christian Laettner (2nd)
1992 2 of 10 Duke's Christian Laettner (1st) and UCLA's Don MacLean (2nd)
1993 3 of 12 Duke's Bobby Hurley Jr. (1st), Vanderbilt's Billy McCaffrey (2nd) and North Carolina's Eric Montross (2nd)
1994 1 of 11 North Carolina's Eric Montross (2nd)
1995 0 of 10
1996 1 of 11 Utah's Keith Van Horn (2nd)
1997 2 of 10 Kansas' Raef LaFrentz (1st) and Utah's Keith Van Horn (1st)
1998 2 of 10 Notre Dame's Pat Garrity (2nd) and Kansas' Raef LaFrentz (1st)
1999 2 of 10 Northwestern's Evan Eschmeyer (2nd) and Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak (2nd)
2000 2 of 12 Texas' Chris Mihm (1st) and Notre Dame's Troy Murphy (1st)
2001 3 of 10 Villanova's Michael Bradley (2nd), Stanford's Casey Jacobsen (1st) and Notre Dame's Troy Murphy (1st)
2002 3 of 10 Gonzaga's Dan Dickau (1st), Duke's Mike Dunleavy (2nd) and Stanford's Casey Jacobsen (2nd)
2003 2 of 10 Kansas' Nick Collison (1st) and Creighton's Kyle Korver (2nd)
2004 2 of 10 Oregon's Luke Jackson (2nd) and Gonzaga's Blake Stepp (2nd)
2005 2 of 11 Utah's Andrew Bogut (1st) and Duke's J.J. Redick (1st)
2006 3 of 12 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (2nd), Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (1st) and Duke's J.J. Redick (1st)
2007 2 of 10 Nevada's Nick Fazekas (2nd) and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st)
2008 3 of 11 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st), Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd) and UCLA's Kevin Love (1st)
2009 2 of 11 North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (1st) and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd)
2010 3 of 11 Kansas' Cole Aldrich (2nd), Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (2nd) and Duke's Jon Scheyer (2nd)
2011 2 of 11 Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (1st) and Notre Dame's Ben Hansbrough (2nd)
2012 2 of 10 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st) and North Carolina's Tyler Zeller (2nd)
2013 5 of 10 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st), Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk (1st), Duke's Mason Plumlee (2nd), Kansas' Jeff Withey (2nd) and Indiana's Cody Zeller (2nd)
2014 2 of 11 Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st) and Michigan's Nik Stauskas (2nd)
2015 3 of 11 Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky (1st), Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle (2nd) and Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer (2nd)
2016 2 of 11 Utah's Jakob Poeltl (2nd) and Iowa's Jarrod Uthoff (2nd).
2017 1 of 10 Duke's Luke Kennard (2nd).
2018 1 of 11 Saint Mary's Jock Landale (2nd).
2019 1 of 10 Wisconsin's Ethan Happ (2nd).
2020 2 of 10 Iowa's Luka Garza (1st) and Oregon's Payton Pritchard (1st).
2021 4 of 10 Iowa's Luka Garza (1st), Gonzaga's Corey Kispert (1st), Michigan's Hunter Dickinson (2nd) and Gonzaga's Drew Timme (2nd).
2022 2 of 11 Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren (2nd) and Drew Timme (2nd).

League of Their Own: No Power Conference Supplied Four Sweet 16 Teams

Packing the court legitimately six years ago, the ACC set an NCAA Tournament record with six Sweet 16 participants. No power league had as many as four this year. In 2016-17, the national media proclaimed the ACC as perhaps the greatest league in history but that assessment came before the nine-bid alliance was fortunate to have one representative among regional semifinalists (North Carolina overcame five-point deficit in last three minutes against Arkansas) and failed to produce a single individual among 19 All-Americans last season. #MessMedia proclaimed the Big Ten as dominant last season but only one of nine participants survived the first weekend of competition. The Big Ten, after having three NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans out of commission prior to Sweet 16, became the first conference securing at least nine entrants in single tourney and have none of them advance to a regional final.

In 2009, the Big East became the first conference to boast five playoff teams reaching the regional semifinals in the same year until the ACC duplicated the feat two years ago. The ACC boasted four members advancing that far on eight occasions in a 12-year stretch from 1984 through 1995.

The ACC in 1985 was the only league in this category not to have at least one of the quartet reach the Final Four until the Big East was foiled in 2006. The following list of thoroughbred leagues supplied at least four Sweet 16 participants a total of 30 times since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to at least 48 teams in 1980:

Year Power League Four or More Conference Members Reaching Sweet 16
1980 Big Ten Indiana, z-Iowa, Ohio State, z-Purdue
1984 ACC Maryland, North Carolina, z-Virginia, Wake Forest
1985 ACC Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State
1985 Big East Boston College, y-Georgetown, z-St. John's, x-Villanova
1986 ACC y-Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State
1986 SEC Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, z-Louisiana State
1989 ACC z-Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia
1989 Big Ten z-Illinois, Indiana, x-Michigan, Minnesota
1990 ACC Clemson, y-Duke, z-Georgia Tech, North Carolina
1992 ACC x-Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina
1993 ACC Florida State, x-North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
1995 ACC Maryland, z-North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
1996 SEC Arkansas, Georgia, x-Kentucky, z-Mississippi State
1997 Pacific-10 x-Arizona, California, Stanford, UCLA
1998 Pacific-10 Arizona, z-Stanford, UCLA, Washington
1999 Big Ten Iowa, z-Michigan State, z-Ohio State, Purdue
2001 Pacific-10 y-Arizona, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA
2002 Big 12 z-Kansas, Missouri, z-Oklahoma, Texas
2003 Big East Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, x-Syracuse
2006 Big East Connecticut, Georgetown, Villanova, West Virginia
2009 Big East z-Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, z-Villanova
2012 Big East Cincinnati, z-Louisville, Marquette, Syracuse
2012 Big Ten Indiana, Michigan State, z-Ohio State, Wisconsin
2013 Big Ten Indiana, y-Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State
2015 ACC x-Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame
2016 ACC Duke, Miami (Fla.), y-North Carolina, Notre Dame, z-Syracuse, Virginia
2018 ACC Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse
2019 ACC Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, z-Virginia, Virginia Tech
2019 SEC z-Auburn, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Tennessee
2021 Pacific-12 Oregon, Oregon State, Southern California, z-UCLA

x-Won NCAA championship
y-Finished national runner-up
z-Reached Final Four

Mid-Major Gladness: Peacocks First #15 Seed Reaching NCAA Regional Final

There won't be three mid-major Final Four participants duplicating what Jacksonville, New Mexico State and St. Bonaventure achieved in 1970. After an average of four mid-level schools reached the Sweet 16 in a six-year span from 2006 through 2011, the previous decade could have cemented the premise about mid-major schools deserving additional at-large consideration. But that was before nine mid-level schools - UCF, Gonzaga, New Mexico, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, Saint Mary's, Southern Mississippi, UNLV and Virginia Commonwealth - were eliminated in games against power six conference members by an average of only four points in 2012, the Mountain West Conference flopped in 2013, only two mid-majors reached the Sweet 16 in 2014 and 2015, Northern Iowa and Stephen F. Austin frittered away last-minute leads against power-league opponents in 2016 and Rhode Island squandered a significant lead against Oregon.

Butler, Gonzaga, Virginia Commonwealth and Wichita State advancing to the Final Four the previous decade was invigorating, but the mid-major community missed out on a potential bonanza. Gonzaga reached the second weekend for 11th time this Century. Following is a look at how at least one mid-major conference member advanced to a regional semifinal or beyond since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985:

Year Mid-Major School Coach Conference Playoff Advancement
1985 Louisiana Tech Andy Russo Southland Sweet 16
1985 Loyola of Chicago Gene Sullivan Midwestern City Sweet 16
1986 Cleveland State Kevin Mackey Mid-Continent Sweet 16
1986 Navy Paul Evans Colonial Regional Final
1986 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Sweet 16
1987 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Final Four
1987 Wyoming Jim Brandenburg Western Athletic Sweet 16
1988 Rhode Island Tom Penders Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1988 Richmond Dick Tarrant Colonial Sweet 16
1988 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1989 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Regional Final
1990 Ball State Dick Hunsaker Mid-American Sweet 16
1990 Loyola Marymount Paul Westhead West Coast Regional Final
1990 Texas Tom Penders Southwest Regional Final
1990 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West NCAA Champion
1990 Xavier Pete Gillen Midwestern Collegiate Sweet 16
1991 Eastern Michigan Ben Braun Mid-American Sweet 16
1991 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1991 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Final Four
1991 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16
1992 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1992 New Mexico State Neil McCarthy Big West Sweet 16
1992 Texas-El Paso Don Haskins Western Athletic Sweet 16
1993 George Washington Mike Jarvis Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1993 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1993 Western Kentucky Ralph Willard Sun Belt Sweet 16
1994 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1995 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1995 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1996 Cincinnati Bob Huggins Conference USA Regional Final
1996 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Final Four
1996 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16
1997 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
1997 UT Chattanooga Mack McCarthy Southern Sweet 16
1997 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Regional Final
1998 Rhode Island Jim Harrick Atlantic 10 Regional Final
1998 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic NCAA Title Game
1998 Valparaiso Homer Drew Mid-Continent Sweet 16
1999 Gonzaga Dan Monson West Coast Regional Final
1999 Miami (Ohio) Charlie Coles Mid-American Sweet 16
1999 SW Missouri State Steve Alford Missouri Valley Sweet 16
1999 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2000 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2000 Tulsa Bill Self Western Athletic Regional Final
2001 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2001 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2002 Kent State Stan Heath Mid-American Regional Final
2002 Southern Illinois Bruce Weber Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2003 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16
2004 Nevada Trent Johnson Western Athletic Sweet 16
2004 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2004 UAB Mike Anderson Conference USA Sweet 16
2004 Xavier Thad Matta Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2005 Utah Ray Giacoletti Mountain West Sweet 16
2005 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bruce Pearl Horizon League Sweet 16
2006 Bradley Jim Les Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2006 George Mason Jim Larranaga Colonial Final Four
2006 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2006 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final
2006 Wichita State Mark Turgeon Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2007 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16
2007 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final
2007 Southern Illinois Chris Lowery Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2007 UNLV Lon Kruger Mountain West Sweet 16
2008 Davidson Bob McKillop Southern Regional Final
2008 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA NCAA Title Game
2008 Western Kentucky Darrin Horn Sun Belt Sweet 16
2008 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2009 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2009 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Sweet 16
2009 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2010 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game
2010 Cornell Steve Donahue Ivy League Sweet 16
2010 Northern Iowa Ben Jacobsen Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2010 Saint Mary's Randy Bennett West Coast Sweet 16
2010 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2011 Brigham Young Dave Rose Mountain West Sweet 16
2011 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game
2011 Richmond Chris Mooney Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2011 San Diego State Steve Fisher Mountain West Sweet 16
2011 Virginia Commonwealth Shaka Smart Colonial Final Four
2012 Ohio University John Groce Mid-American Sweet 16
2012 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2013 Florida Gulf Coast Andy Enfield Atlantic Sun Sweet 16
2013 La Salle John Giannini Atlantic 10 Sweet 16
2013 Wichita State Gregg Marshall Missouri Valley Final Four
2014 Dayton Archie Miller Atlantic 10 Regional Final
2014 San Diego State Steve Fisher Mountain West Sweet 16
2015 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Regional Final
2015 Wichita State Gregg Marshall Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2016 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2017 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast NCAA Title Game
2018 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2018 Loyola of Chicago Porter Moser Missouri Valley Final Four
2018 Nevada Eric Musselman Mountain West Sweet 16
2019 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Regional Final
2019 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Sweet 16
2021 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast NCAA Title Game
2021 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Final Four
2021 Loyola of Chicago Porter Moser Missouri Valley Sweet 16
2021 Oral Roberts Paul Mills Summit League Sweet 16
2022 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16
2022 Houston Kelvin Sampson American Athletic Regional Final
2022 Saint Peter's Shaheen Holloway Metro Atlantic Athletic Regional Final

College Exam: Day #9 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand Plagiarist Bidumb before his afternoon nap or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 9 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who was the only athlete to lead his championship team in scoring in two Final Four games and pitch in the major leagues the same year? Hint: He was a guard for three consecutive Final Four teams and was selected to the All-NCAA Tournament team as a senior.

2. Name the only school with more than 1,300 victories in the 20th Century never to reach the Final Four. Hint: The school participated in the NCAA playoffs just once (1992) in last 40-plus years.

3. Name the only school to defeat a team three times in a season the opponent captured the NCAA title. Hint: The school also defeated the same conference foe three times the next season as defending national champion.

4. Name the only champion to win its two Final Four games by a total of more than 50 points. Hint: The titlist suffered its only loss that season against one of the Final Four victims.

5. Of the 35 Final Four Most Outstanding Players selected from 1946 through 1981 when there was a national third-place game, who was the only honoree to play for a fourth-place team? Hint: He never averaged as many as nine points per game in four NBA seasons.

6. Name the only school to lose in back-to-back years in the first round to different institutions going on to capture national titles those years. Hint: The school won a total of 47 games in the two seasons. The two defeats were in the middle of six consecutive playoff appearances for the school after it appeared in playoffs just once from 1939 through 1982.

7. Name the only year four teams arrived at the national semifinals with a composite winning percentage of less than 75 percent. Hint: The two schools that met in the national third-place game are traditional football powers. The college losing both of its Final Four games that year is the only national semifinalist to finish a season with as many as 14 defeats.

8. Who is the only player to score more than 60 points in a single playoff game and to score more than 43 points at least twice? Hint: Of the players who scored more than 235 playoff points and/or averaged more than 25 points per tournament game (minimum of three games), he is the only individual from the select group to have a losing playoff record. He is the only one of the top 25 playoff scorers never to reach Final Four.

9. Who is the only male player to score more than 44 points in a single Final Four game? Hint: He is the only player to twice convert more than 12 free throws without a miss in playoff game.

10. Who is the only player to score more than 400 points in his playoff career? Hint: The only individual to start in four straight Final Fours hit two last-second shots to help his team win East Regional final overtime games and is only player with at least 10 championship game free-throw attempts to convert all of them.

Answers (Day 9)

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Special K's Disciples: Krzyzewski's Aides Combine for Losing Tourney Record

In aftermath of 24 consecutive appearances in tourney coming to a halt last season, one of the biggest questions bubbling up from time to time dealt with who was most likely to eventually succeed Mike Krzyzewski as coach at Duke if they hadn't promoted from within. If any of them had posted an inspiring mark in NCAA playoff competition, they might have secured job as his successor instead of Jon Scheyer. If Krzyzewski needs something to do in retirement, he can go on an extended road trip from coast to coast serving as a consultant to all of his proteges to try to help them experience more success in postseason play.

Coaching community shills frequently proclaim automatic success for Duke assistants when they become bench bosses. But the overall impact of Coach K's 13 disciples in the aftermath of serving under the all-time winningest major-college mentor has been anything but special. They've combined for a losing mark in the NCAA playoffs (more than 60 fewer tourney triumphs than Coach K's all-time high of 99 entering Sweet 16) and only three regional final appearances (Quin Snyder with Missouri in 2002 before Mike Brey with Notre Dame in 2015 and 2016). Nate James is next on hit list (hired by Austin Peay), joining the following alphabetical list summarizing impact of Krzyzewski's assistants after they left his incubator and became a DI mentor on their own:

Coach K Assistant NCAA Tourney Mark Biggest Flaw of DI Head Coaching Career
Tommy Amaker 4-5 14 games below .500 in power conference competition in 10 years with Seton Hall and Michigan
Bob Bender 2-3 36 games below .500 in power conference competition in nine seasons with Washington
Mike Brey 15-15 impressive performance this year but no NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance with Notre Dame
Jeff Capel III 4-3 32 games below .500 in ACC competition with Pitt in first four seasons
Chris Collins 1-1 57 games below .500 in Big Ten Conference play in first nine seasons with Northwestern
Johnny Dawkins 3-2 only one NCAA playoff appearance and 10 games below .500 in Pac-10/12 Conference play in eight seasons with Stanford before dismissal led him to UCF and entertaining NCAA playoff game in 2019
Mike Dement 0-1 losing conference mark in SWC and WAC in nine seasons with Southern Methodist
David Henderson DNP losing overall record in six seasons with Delaware
Nate James DNP losing overall record and in OVC competition in inaugural campaign with Austin Peay in 2021-22
Tim O'Toole DNP losing overall record in eight seasons with Fairfield
Quin Snyder 5-4 never finished among undisputed top five in Big 12 Conference and compiled cumulative losing mark in last three of seven seasons with Missouri
Chuck Swenson DNP lost more than 2/3 of his games in seven seasons with William & Mary
Steve Wojciechowski 0-2 losing Big East Conference record in seven seasons with Marquette before dismissal a year ago

NOTE: Duke All-American guard Bobby Hurley, who never served as an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, has compiled a 1-3 NCAA tourney record with Buffalo and Arizona State before the Sun Devils flopped in 2020-21 as Preseason Top 20 club. Kenny Blakeney, a backup to Hurley in the early 1990s, is 24 games below .500 in three seasons coaching Howard University. Playmaker Greg Paulus, a three-year teammate of Scheyer, posted losing records each of his first three seasons as bench boss for Niagara.

Youth Movement: Banchero/Holmgren/Smith Fall Just Short of Fab Frosh List

Paolo Banchero (Duke), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Auburn) were outstanding as freshmen in becoming NCAA consensus second-team All-Americans and the first three selections in the 2022 NBA draft. But the terrific trio fell short of first-team acclaim. Last year, Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham achieved a distinction luminaries Mark Aguirre, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Patrick Ewing, Phil Ford, Tyler Hansbrough, James Harden, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Bernard King, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Derrick Rose, Ralph Sampson and Russell Westbrook failed to do. Cunningham became an NCAA consensus first-team All-American as a freshman. He was the 25th yearling on the following chronological list in this rare-air category named first-team A-A:

Freshman First-Team All-American Pos. College Year Freshman All-American Recognition
Arnie Ferrin F Utah 1944 C1
Tom Gola C-F La Salle 1952 C1
Keith Lee C Memphis State 1982 C1, AP2
Wayman Tisdale F-C Oklahoma 1983 AP1, C1, USBWA1, UPI2, NABC3
Chris Jackson G Louisiana State 1989 AP1, UPI1, USBWA1, NABC2
Kenny Anderson G Georgia Tech 1990 NABC1, AP3
Kevin Durant F Texas 2007 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Greg Oden C Ohio State 2007 AP1, NABC2, USBWA2
Michael Beasley F Kansas State 2008 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Kevin Love C UCLA 2008 AP1, USBWA1, NABC2
DeMarcus Cousins C Kentucky 2010 AP1, NABC2, USBWA2
John Wall G Kentucky 2010 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Jared Sullinger F-C Ohio State 2011 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Anthony Davis C Kentucky 2012 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Jabari Parker F Duke 2014 USBWA1
Jahlil Okafor C Duke 2015 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
D'Angelo Russell G Ohio State 2015 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Ben Simmons F-G Louisiana State 2016 NABC1, USBWA1, AP2
Lonzo Ball G UCLA 2017 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Deandre Ayton C Arizona 2018 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Marvin Bagley III F-C Duke 2018 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Trae Young G Oklahoma 2018 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
R.J. Barrett G Duke 2019 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Zion Williamson F Duke 2019 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Cade Cunningham G Oklahoma State 2021 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1

Player Outcasts: All-Americans MIA From NCAA Tournament Competition

It doesn't take a genius to deduce All-American players are all-important to teams. Every squad featuring an All-American this year was part of the NCAA bracket. Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis (third-team selection by NABC and USBWA) was the only one of last year's 19 A-As not participating in 2021 NCAA playoffs. Since the national tourney expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975, only three consensus first-team All-Americans never appeared in the NCAA playoffs - Houston guard Otis Birdsong (1977), Minnesota center Mychal Thompson (1978) and LSU swingman Ben Simmons (2016) - until Dayton's Obi Toppin became standout #4 in this category due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Terry Dischinger averaged 28.3 ppg in his three-year varsity career with Purdue in the early 1960s, but he is the only two-time consensus first-team All-American since World War II never to compete in the NCAA Tournament or NIT. Dischinger also endured a star-scorned nine-year NBA career without playing on a squad winning a playoff series. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year as a member of the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962-63 despite playing in only 57 games as he skipped many of the road contests to continue his education. His dedication to the classroom paid off as he became an orthodontist.

Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham averaged 24.8 ppg in his three-year varsity career with North Carolina in the mid-1960s, but he also never appeared in the NCAA tourney or NIT. How good were the players in that era if Cunningham never was a consensus first-team All-American? Auburn's Charles Barkley (defeated by Richmond in 1984) and Florida State's Dave Cowens (East Tennessee State in 1968) were All-Americans but each lost his only NCAA playoff game against a mid-major opponent. Following is a look at Dischinger and three other multiple-year NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans since the mid-1950s never to participate in the NCAA Tournament:

Two- or Three-Time NCAA Consensus First-Team A-A Pos. School Years 1st-Team A-A NIT Mark
Terry Dischinger F Purdue 1961 and 1962 DNP
Sihugo Green G Duquesne 1955 and 1956 6-2
Pete Maravich G Louisiana State 1968 through 1970 2-2
Chet Walker F Bradley 1961 and 1962 3-1

No multiple-season All-American failed to appear in national postseason competition since the NCAA tourney expanded to at least 40 entrants in the late 1970s. Notre Dame guard Kevin O'Shea is the only four-time A-A never to appear in the NCAA playoffs and National Invitation Tournament. While not an NCAA consensus first-team selection multiple times like Dischinger, following is an alphabetical list including O'Shea and six additional three-time All-Americans never participating in a "Big Dance" (NCAA playoffs and NIT):

Three- or Four-Time All-American Pos. School Seasons as A-A
Paul Ebert C Ohio State 1952 through 1954
Fred Hetzel F-C Davidson 1963 through 1965
Kevin O'Shea G Notre Dame 1947 through 1950
Robert Parish C Centenary 1974 through 1976
Frank Selvy F Furman 1952 through 1954
Meyer "Whitey" Skoog F-G Minnesota 1949 through 1951
Doug Smart F-C Washington 1957 through 1959

NOTE: NCAA playoff field ranged from 22 to 25 entrants during 16-year span from 1955 through 1970.

How the West Has Lost: Ex-Champ Wyoming 12 Games Below .500 in Tourney

Amid failures of Arizona and Gonzaga despite securing #1 seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament, the West remains the worst. Such a viewpoint shouldn't be a surprise unless you put stock in creepy porn lawyer #Avenaughty as a #Dimorat presidential candidate, hideous Hunter's laptop is Russian disinformation or always believe contrived comments from Muslim Brotherhood apologist/former CIA chief John "NBC News' Snoopy" Brennan. Brigham Young and Utah State - more games below .500 than any institutions in NCAA playoff history (minus 18) - promptly bowing out of the NCAA playoffs is almost a tradition. Also weighing heavily out West, Wyoming is the only former national champion (1943) to compile an all-time NCAA playoff record more than five games below .500 (9-21).

Everett Shelton, coach of Wyoming's titlist, is the only championship team bench boss to finish with a non-winning playoff record (4-12 from 1941 through 1958) and was more games under .500 in NCAA Division I Tournament competition than any coach in history until supplanted by Fran Dunphy (3-17 with Penn and Temple from 1993 through 2019). Also, Shelton is the only coach to lose three consecutive regional final games (1947, 1948 and 1949).

Joining Dunphy and Shelton among the eight coaches more than six games under .500 in NCAA playoff play are Rick Byrd (1-8 with Belmont from 2006 through 2019), Pete Carril (4-11 with Princeton from 1969 through 1996), Don Corbett (0-7 with North Carolina A&T from 1982 through 1988), Hugh Greer (1-8 with Connecticut from 1951 through 1960), Stew Morrill (1-9 with Montana and Utah State from 1991 through 2011) and Mike Vining (0-7 with Louisiana-Monroe from 1982 through 1996).

More than half of the following 11 schools more than 10 games below .500 in NCAA tourney competition are from west of the Mississippi River:

School Playoff Record Games Below .500 Mark Summary of Tournament Tumult
Brigham Young 15-33 minus 18 only one of victories was by fewer than six points
Utah State 6-24 minus 18 lost 18 of last 19 games with only victory in that span in OT against Ohio State in 2001
New Mexico State 11-28 minus 17 lost 12 straight games until ending streak this year after winning seven of 11 contests from 1968 through 1970
Princeton 13-29 minus 16 lost eight of first nine games from 1952 through 1963 and last five contests since 1998
Iona 1-15 minus 14 14 straight setbacks with first four of them by fewer than four points from 1980 through 1998
Miami (Ohio) 6-19 minus 13 only victory in 10-game span from 1969 through 1992 was in OT against defending NCAA champion Marquette in 1978
Murray State 5-18 minus 13 lost 11 games in a row from 1988 through 2006
Penn 13-26 minus 13 lost last 10 games and 15 of last 16 after entering 1979 Final Four with winning playoff record (11-9)
Wyoming 9-21 minus 12 1943 NCAA titlist before losing 12 of 13 games from 1947 through 1967
Montana 2-13 minus 11 won inaugural game in 1975 but lost last four contests since 2012 by an average of 26 points
Weber State 6-17 minus 11 seven of last nine defeats since 1979 were by fewer than 12 points

College Exam: Day #8 For One-and-Only NCAA Tourney Trivia Challenge

Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand hair-sniffing Plagiarist Bidumb or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 8 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only school to reach the Final Four three consecutive years on two separate occasions in the 20th Century. Hint: In the first three-year stretch, it became the only school to lose three straight national semifinal games. In the second three-year stretch, the school was involved in only times two teams from same state met each other in championship game.

2. What was the only year two undefeated teams reached the Final Four? Hint: One of the squads had a perfect ending after winning in the national semifinals and championship game by an average of 16 points, while the other club that was unbeaten lost in national semifinals and third-place game by an average of 15 points.

3. Who is the shortest player to lead an NCAA champion in scoring average? Hint: He was part of a three-guard starting lineup, averaging under 5-10 in height, playing the entire championship game for the only current Division I school to capture an NCAA title despite never having an NCAA consensus first- or second-team All-American.

4. Who is the only U.S. Olympic basketball coach to win the NCAA and NIT titles with different schools? Hint: He never participated in a national postseason tournament with the third university he coached (Michigan State).

5. Who was the only coach to direct two different schools to the Final Four twice apiece in the 20th Century? Hint: He is the only coach to compile a record of more than four games under .500 in Final Four contests and only coach to guide three teams to national fourth-place finishes.

6. Who is the only coach of a championship team other than Rick Pitino to subsequently coach another university and compile a winning NCAA playoff record at his last major-college job? Hint: He is the only coach to win a national title at a school where he stayed less than five seasons.

7. Of the coaches to reach the national semifinals at least twice, who is the only one to compile an undefeated Final Four record? Hint: He won both of his championship games against the same school. He is also the only NCAA consensus first-team All-American to later coach his alma mater to an NCAA title.

8. Name the only school to lead UCLA at halftime in the 22 Final Four games for the Bruins' 11 titlists. Hint: The school leading one of the 11 UCLA champions at intermission of a Final Four game was coached by a John Wooden protege.

9. Of the coaches hired by NBA teams after winning an NCAA championship, who is the only one to compile a non-losing NBA playoff record? Hint: He is one of four different men to coach an undefeated NCAA championship team.

10. Name the only school to defeat a team by as many as 27 points in a season the opponent wound up winning the national title. Hint: The school is also the only one to defeat an eventual national titlist twice in same season by at least 12 points.

Answers (Day 8)

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Familiar Territory: Sean Miller Returning to Old Stomping Grounds at Xavier

Sean Miller, rehired by Xavier after controversial stint with Arizona, boasts an opportunity - however unlikely because of previous success - to achieve something rare in the major-college coaching community. The Musketeers reeled Miller back in despite a trend where resurrected mentors failed to come anywhere close to duplicating success during previous tenure. Although eight of them posted losing marks during initial stint, Ronnie Arrow (South Alabama), Jim McCafferty (Loyola LA) and Ritchie McKay (Liberty) are the only three of the 40 mentors a total of 42 times in this "Comeback Club" category over the last 60-plus years to compile a higher winning percentage the second time around.

Miller's most realistic goal probably is to align with Lou Carnesecca (St. John's) and Lake Kelly (Austin Peay State) as the only coaches to win NCAA playoff games in two different stints with the same school. Miller, The Citadel's Ed Conroy, Butler's Thad Matta and Murray State's Steve Prohm join the following alphabetical list of coaches returning to their former major-college stomping grounds if their tenures weren't interrupted solely by World War II:

Two-Time Coach DI College First Stint W-L Pct. Second Stint W-L Pct.
Ronnie Arrow South Alabama 1988-95 114-93 .551 2008-13 97-68 .588
Tom Asbury Pepperdine 1989-94 125-59 .679 2009-11 28-68 .292
Lou Carnesecca St. John's 1966-70 104-35 .748 1974-92 422-165 .719
Ed Conroy The Citadel 2007-10 49-76 .392 since 2023 TBD TBD
Paul Cormier Dartmouth 1985-91 87-95 .478 2011-16 55-116 .322
Kermit Davis Idaho 1989 and 1990 50-12 .806 1997 13-17 .433
Mike Dement UNC Greensboro 1992-95 55-56 .495 2006-12 69-125 .356
Joe Dooley East Carolina 1996-99 57-52 .523 2019-22 44-67 .396
Homer Drew Valparaiso 1989-2002 235-185 .560 2004-11 136-120 .531
Marshall Emery Delaware State 1977-79 30-50 .375 1986-88 18-66 .214
Dan Fitzgerald Gonzaga 1979-81 51-29 .638 1986-97 203-140 .592
Blair Gullion Washington (Mo.) 1948-52 65-41 .613 1954-59 69-61 .531
Lou Henson New Mexico State 1967-75 173-71 .709 1998-2005 136-105 .564
Ben Jobe Southern (La.) 1987-96 191-100 .656 2002 and 2003 16-40 .286
Phil Johnson San Jose State 1999 12-16 .429 2003-05 19-67 .221
Donald Kellett Penn 1944 and 1945 22-9 .710 1947 and 1948 24-22 .522
Lake Kelly Austin Peay State 1972-77 110-52 .679 1986-90 79-70 .530
Joe Lapchick St. John's 1937-47 181-54 .770 1957-65 154-75 .672
Dave Leitao DePaul 2003-05 58-34 .630 2016-21 66-113 .369
Abe Lemons Oklahoma City 1956-73 309-181 .631 1984-90 123-84 .594
Thad Matta Butler 2001 24-8 .750 since 2023 TBD TBD
Jim McCafferty Loyola (La.) 1950 9-15 .375 1955-57 38-36 .514
Dave McDowell Kent State 1949-51 56-20 .737 1956 and 1957 15-29 .341
Ritchie McKay Liberty 2008 and 2009 39-28 .582 since 2016 154-72 .681
Doc Meanwell Wisconsin 1912-17 92-9 .911 1921-34 154-90 .631
Sean Miller Xavier 2005-09 120-47 .719 since 2023 TBD TBD
Robert Moreland Texas Southern 1976-2001 399-352 .531 2008 7-25 .219
Joe Mullaney Providence 1956-69 271-94 .742 1982-85 48-70 .407
Buzz Peterson Appalachian State 1997-2000 79-39 .669 2010 24-13 .649
Steve Prohm Murray State 2012-15 104-29 .782 since 2023 TBD TBD
Bill Reinhart George Washington 1936-42 100-38 .725 1950-66 216-201 .518
Elmer Ripley Georgetown 1928 and 1929 24-6 .800 1939-43 68-39 .636
Elmer Ripley Georgetown 1939-43 68-39 .636 1947-49 41-37 .526
Jack Rohan Columbia 1962-74 154-161 .489 1991-95 43-87 .331
Lorenzo Romar Pepperdine 1997-99 42-44 .488 since 2019 54-71 .432
Glen Rose Arkansas 1934-42 154-47 .766 1953-66 171-154 .526
John "Honey" Russell Seton Hall 1937-43 101-32 .759 1950-60 194-97 .647
Joe Scott Air Force 2001-04 51-63 .447 since 2021 16-38 .296
Larry Shyatt Wyoming 1998 19-9 .679 2012-16 98-69 .587
Norm Sloan Florida 1961-66 85-63 .574 1981-89 150-131 .534
Ken Trickey Oral Roberts 1970-74 118-23 .837 1988-93 96-93 .508
Billy Tubbs Lamar 1977-80 75-46 .620 2004-06 46-43 .517
Butch van Breda Kolff Lafayette 1952-55 68-34 .667 1985-88 64-51 .557
Butch van Breda Kolff Hofstra 1956-62 112-43 .723 1989-94 79-81 .494
Donald White Rutgers 1946-56 98-145 .403 1963 7-16 .304
Davey Whitney Alcorn State 1971-89 395-199 .665 1997-2003 115-93 .553

NOTES: VBK also had two stints at Hofstra, but Hofstra wasn't at the major-college level his first stint there. . . . OCU de-emphasized its program to the NAIA level after Lemons returned. . . . ORU wasn't always at the Division I level for either of Trickey's stints.

Seeds of Doubt: #1-Seeded Teams Unable to Bear NCAA Tournament Fruit

When Baylor trailed North Carolina by 25 points midway through the second half, the Bears appeared they might elbow their way past UCLA to the top of list of most-lopsided losses in NCAA Tournament history for top-seeded squads. But after an elbow-aided comeback sending second-round contest into overtime before UNC prevailed, there remain other top seeds bowing by larger margins. Three #1 seeds from ACC in the previous decade were eliminated prior to the NCAA Final Four by more than 16 points. Five #1 seeds have been kayoed by at least 20 points before the national semifinals since seeding was introduced in 1979. Arizona won two of the following nine games when #1 seeds in this category lost by more than 15 points:

Margin #1 Seed Regional Elimination Result Before F4
27 UCLA 1992 West Finals #2 Indiana (106-79)
25 Arizona 1998 West Finals #3 Utah (76-51)
20 Louisiana State 1980 Midwest Finals #2 Louisville (86-66)
20 Missouri 1994 West Finals #2 Arizona (92-72)
20 Virginia 2018 South First Round #16 Maryland-Baltimore County (74-54)
17 Ohio State 1991 Midwest Semifinals #4 St. John's (91-74)
17 North Carolina 2019 Midwest Semifinals #5 Auburn (97-80)
16 Duke 2011 West Semifinals #5 Arizona (93-77)
16 Oklahoma 2003 East Finals #3 Syracuse (63-47)

Self-Improvement: Only Coach to Twice Take Schools to Back-to-Back Top 20

John Calipari is the only coach ever to guide two different schools to a final Associated Press Top 5 ranking in back-to-back seasons. Meanwhile, Bill Self is the only mentor ever to twice take two different schools to a final AP Top 20 ranking in back-to-back campaigns. Even if you're pondering why Kansas isn't already on probation, consider the following chronological list:

Coach Schools (Year/Final AP Ranking)
William "Tippy" Dye Ohio State (1950/2nd) and Washington (1951/15th)
Paul Evans Navy (1986/17th) and Pittsburgh (1987/12th)
Benny Dees New Orleans (1987/16th) and Wyoming (1988/13th)
Orlando "Tubby" Smith Georgia (1997/17th) and Kentucky (1998/5th)
Bill Self Tulsa (2000/18th) and Illinois (2001/4th)
Bill Self Illinois (2003/11th) and Kansas (2004/16th)
Roy Williams Kansas (2003/6th) and North Carolina (2004/18th)
John Calipari Memphis (2009/3rd) and Kentucky (2010/2nd)

Mixing March Madness & Sadness: BU Latest #1 Seed Ousted Before Sweet 16

For all the bitter disappointment experienced by fans of a highly-ranked team such as Baylor bowing out of the provocative NCAA Tournament early, there is an equal amount of euphoria emanating from supporters of the victor (even if North Carolina squandered a 25-point lead midway through second half). The range of disparate emotions is one of the reasons there is such a fascination with upsets because nothing is guaranteed as evidenced by a power team knocked off its high horse by a darkhorse.

Until 20 1/2-point underdog UMBC blew out Virginia by 20 points in 2018, the ultimate in March Madness materialized in 1993 when Arizona, ranked fifth by AP, was stunned in the first round of the West Regional by Santa Clara (64-61). In terms of point spreads, it was the biggest upset in NCAA playoff history in the 20th Century because Santa Clara was a 20-point underdog. Norfolk State subsequently ignored a 21 1/2-point margin to knock off Missouri.

A total of 27 No. 1 seeds, including DePaul three straight years from 1980 through 1982, failed to reach the regional semifinals since seeding was introduced in 1979. Villanova, bowing out in this category twice in three seasons earlier during the previous decade, was the sixth #1 seed in eight-year span - losing by an average of fewer than three points - joining the following crestfallen top-seeded teams prior to UMBC's clobbering of the Cavaliers and Xavier squandering second-half, double-digit lead against Florida State:

Year No. 1 Seed Regional Loss in Second Round Score
1979 North Carolina East #9 seed Penn 72-71
1980 DePaul West #8 UCLA 77-71
1981 DePaul Mideast #9 St. Joseph's 49-48
1981 Oregon State West #8 Kansas State 50-48
1982 DePaul Midwest #8 Boston College 82-75
1985 Michigan Southeast #8 Villanova 59-55
1986 St. John's West #8 Auburn 81-65
1990 Oklahoma Midwest #8 North Carolina 79-77
1992 Kansas Midwest #9 Texas-El Paso 66-60
1994 North Carolina East #9 Boston College 75-72
1996 Purdue West #8 Georgia 76-69
1998 Kansas Midwest #8 Rhode Island 80-75
2000 Arizona West #8 Wisconsin 66-59
2000 Stanford South #8 North Carolina 60-53
2002 Cincinnati West #8 UCLA 105-101 (2OT)
2004 Kentucky St. Louis/Midwest #9 UAB 76-75
2004 Stanford Phoenix/West #8 Alabama 70-67
2010 Kansas Midwest #9 Northern Iowa 69-67
2011 Pittsburgh Southeast #8 Butler 71-70
2013 Gonzaga West #9 Wichita State 76-70
2014 Wichita State Midwest #8 Kentucky 78-76
2015 Villanova East #8 North Carolina State 71-68
2017 Villanova East #8 Wisconsin 65-62
2018 Xavier West #9 Florida State 75-70
2021 Illinois Midwest #8 Loyola of Chicago 71-58
2022 Baylor East #8 North Carolina 93-86 (OT)
Year No. 1 Seed Regional Loss in First Round Score
2018 Virginia South #16 Maryland-Baltimore County 74-54

Big Blunders: Must Be No-Show Basketball Classes Again as Carolina's Way

Feeling the pressure? If looking at tournament glass as half empty, the coronavirus outbreak was culprit bringing postseason competition to a screeching halt two years ago. If gazing at glass as half full, the shutdown possibly averted additional tourney stigma now attached to North Carolina after their "Way" blowing 25-point advantage midway through second half against defending champion Baylor when torrid scorer Brady Manek was ejected for committing stupid flagrant foul. Last season, Alabama's Herb Jones, the SEC Player of the Year, committed a pair of offensive fouls in opening minute before missing three of four free throws in the last 37 seconds of regulation, making only 2-of-7 from the charity stripe for the entire game, as #2 seed was eliminated by #11 seed UCLA in overtime in regional semifinal.

Remember Northern Iowa's 2016 complete collapse in squandering a 12-point lead in the last 35 seconds of regulation against Texas A&M en route to a 92-88 setback in double overtime. The Panthers' cataclysmic cave-in almost makes you forget about Arizona's fiasco flop when the Wildcats frittered away a 15-point advantage with four minutes remaining in regulation against Illinois in 2005 playoffs.

If you think about gaffes from a human perspective for a moment, having their playoff balloon pop by dull pin is terrible thing to happen to a team. On the other hand, a scorned squad can share the blame-game burden while an individual player could be branded for lifetime. Truth be told, some players probably will live with major miscue in front of God and country for the remainder of their Earthly existence. No one deserves a humiliating label, even after bad blunder on the biggest stage, but spit happens where temperatures rise and afflicted seek a stay-at-home order. Punctuated by fable-like failure, the following chronological list details 10 additional fatal stumbles at the wrong time since the tourney field expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975:

1975: Louisville reserve guard Terry Howard, after converting all 28 of his previous foul shots during season, missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity with 20 seconds remaining in overtime and the Cardinals leading by one point. UCLA prevailed in national semifinal, 75-74, when Richard Washington sank short jumper from right baseline in closing seconds.
1982: Georgetown sophomore guard Fred Brown's errant pass, ostensibly seeing a teammate out of the corner of his right eye, went directly to North Carolina forward James Worthy and prevented the Hoyas from attempting a potential game-winning shot in the closing seconds of 63-62 setback against the Tar Heels.
1993: Michigan rallied to trim deficit to 73-71 before two North Carolina players trapped Chris Webber on the right sideline with only 11 seconds remaining after he dribbled downcourt when referees failed to call him for walking after grabbing rebound of missed free-throw attempt. The Wolverines' consensus first-team All-American called a fateful timeout his team did not have. Donald Williams wrapped up the game with four consecutive free throws to give Carolina a 77-71 triumph. "Sometimes winning a basketball game is just plain luck," UNC coach Dean Smith said. Meanwhile, Webber's family took mental lapse in stride and showed time heals all wounds when his father, Mayce, acquired a vanity license plate proclaiming "Timeout," a reference to his son's excruciating blunder.
1994: The score was tied when Connecticut All-American Donyell Marshall, who hit 77% of his foul shots during three-year college career, missed two free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining in regulation in East Regional semifinals. UConn wound up losing to Florida, 69-60, in overtime.
1995: Upon making splendid steal off baseline in-bounds pass by Arkansas, Lucious Jackson called an unnecessary timeout while prone in right corner with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation although Syracuse was out of them and had possession arrow pointing in direction of the Orange. The Razorbacks made one-of-two technical foul charity tosses to knot score, 82-82, and won second-round game in overtime, 96-94.
2006: In the last 20 seconds, Gonzaga's Jose Bautista committed a foul going for rebound following teammate's missed field-goal attempt and subsequently had ball stolen from him after receiving in-bounds pass triggering go-ahead basket for UCLA, giving the Bruins their first lead of game en route to 73-71 come-from-behind victory. The reversal left national player of the year Adam Morrison of the Zags weeping prostrate at mid-court.
2008: Given multiple chances to put away Kansas in national final including leading by nine points with fewer than two minutes remaining in regulation, Memphis All-Americans Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts combined to convert only one of five foul shots in the final 1:12 of regulation (including one front end of a one-and-one). They were 1-of-4 in the last 16 seconds. Rose and Douglas-Roberts had collaborated to sink 20-of-23 in a semifinal rout of UCLA. The Tigers hit only 59% from the line for the season after losing to KU, 75-68.
2014: Virginia Commonwealth's JeQuan Lewis ran into Stephen F. Austin player (Desmond Haymon) as lefthander made three-point field goal with 3.6 seconds remaining in regulation in second round of South Regional. After Haymon converted free throw to complete four-point play, VCU went on to lose in overtime, 77-75.
2019: New Mexico State's Terrell Brown missed two of three free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining in a 78-77 opening-round setback against Auburn after getting fouled by Bryce Brown beyond the three-point arc. Terrell Brown made a team-leading 77.6% of his charity tosses during the entire season.
2019: Auburn's Samir Doughty fouled Virginia's Kyle Guy at buzzer when sharpshooter launched a three-point attempt from the left corner. Guy sank all three free throws to give the Cavaliers a 63-62 win in national semifinals.

Pages

Subscribe to Front page feed