I Ain't Lyin': Zion Pads ACC Lead for Most National Player of Year Winners
Duke freshman Zion Williamson became the 17th ACC product to become national player of the year. Excluding specialty publications, there are five nationally-recognized Player of the Year awards. None of them, however, comes anywhere close to being the equivalent to college football's undisputed most prestigious honor, the Heisman Trophy. The basketball stalemate stems from essentially the same people voting on the major awards (writers or coaches or a combination) and the announcements coming one after another right around the Final Four when the playoff games dominate the sports page.
United Press International, which was a sixth venue for major awards through 1996, got all of this back slapping started in 1955. Four years later, the United States Basketball Writers Association, having chosen All-American teams in each of the two previous seasons, added a Player of the Year award to its postseason honors. In recent years, the USBWA award was sponsored by Mercedes and then RCA.
The third oldest of the awards comes from the most dominant wire service, the Associated Press. Perhaps because of its vast network of media outlets, the AP award gets more print and broadcast attention than the other honors. The AP award started in 1961 before affiliating in 1972 with the Commonwealth Athletic Club of Lexington, Ky., which was looking for a way to honor Hall of Fame Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp. The result of their merger is the Rupp Trophy.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club initially was associated with UPI before starting its own Naismith Award in 1969. Six years later, the National Association of Basketball Coaches initiated its award, which was sponsored from the outset by the Eastman Kodak Company. In 1977, the Los Angeles Athletic Club began honoring Hall of Fame UCLA coach John Wooden with the Wooden Award sponsored by Wendy's.
Duke has nine different national player of the year winners, including seven of them in a 21-year span from 1986 through 2006. UCLA is runner-up with six individuals earning POY acclaim. Incredibly, perennial power Kentucky never had a representative win one of the six principal national player of the year awards until freshman center Anthony Davis achieved the feat in 2012.
In 2015, Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky became the fourth Big Ten Conference player to capture national POY honors in a six-year span. The Big East, Pac-10 and SEC combined to go 15 straight seasons from 1996-97 through 2010-11 without a national POY. Following is a look at the seven conferences with at least three different individuals capturing one of the six principal national player of the year awards since UPI's initial winner in 1955:
ACC (17) - Shane Battier (Duke), Elton Brand (Duke), Johnny Dawkins (Duke), Tim Duncan (Wake Forest), Danny Ferry (Duke), Phil Ford (North Carolina), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Art Heyman (Duke), Antawn Jamison (North Carolina), Michael Jordan (North Carolina), Christian Laettner (Duke), J.J. Redick (Duke), Ralph Sampson (Virginia), Joe Smith (Maryland), David Thompson (North Carolina State), Jason Williams (Duke), Zion Williamson (Duke).
Big Ten (14) - Gary Bradds (Ohio State), Trey Burke (Michigan State), Dee Brown (Illinois), Calbert Cheaney (Indiana), Draymond Green (Michigan State), Jim Jackson (Ohio State), Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin), Jerry Lucas (Ohio State), Scott May (Indiana), Shawn Respert (Michigan State), Glenn Robinson Jr. (Purdue), Cazzie Russell (Michigan), Evan Turner (Ohio State), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State).
Pacific-12 (7) - Lew Alcindor (UCLA), Sean Elliott (Arizona), Walt Hazzard (UCLA), Marques Johnson (UCLA), Ed O'Bannon (UCLA), Bill Walton (UCLA), Sidney Wicks (UCLA).
Big 12 (6) - Nick Collison (Kansas), Kevin Durant (Texas), T.J. Ford (Texas), Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Frank Mason III (Kansas).
Big East (6) - Ray Allen (Connecticut), Walter Berry (St. John's), Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Chris Mullin (St. John's).
Missouri Valley (3) - Larry Bird (Indiana State), Hersey Hawkins (Bradley), Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati).
SEC (3) - Anthony Davis (Kentucky), Pete Maravich (Louisiana State), Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State).
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on April 6 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Amid the opening of a new season, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.
Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Two former small-college hoopers from Iowa - Davey Lopes (Iowa Wesleyan) and Jim Todd (Parsons) before transferring to schools in other states - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 6 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 6
Oakland A's RHP Mark Acre (played in 1990 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament with New Mexico State) earned his second relief victory in three days against the New York Yankees in 1997.
Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) scored four runs against the Kansas City Royals in 1983.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) contributed two sixth-inning hits, including a grand slam, in a 10-inning, 10-9 win over the Chicago White Sox in 2001. Eight years later, Clark clobbered back-to-back homers for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a season-opening, 9-8 win against the Colorado Rockies in 2009.
In 2006, LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding 1992-93 through 1995-96) hurled first complete-game shutout for the Tampa Devil Rays in a span of 349 contests (three-hit, 2-0 whitewash against Baltimore Orioles).
Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring to Washburn KS with his coach) collected three runs and three stolen bases against the San Diego Padres in 1974.
RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) purchased from the Atlanta Braves by the Houston Astros for $35,000 in 1975.
In his first start with the St. Louis Cardinals, RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974.
RHP Darrell Sutherland (averaged 8.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Stanford from 1960-61 through 1962-63) awarded on waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Mets as a first-year waiver selection in 1964.
RHP Jim Todd (Parsons IA hooper before averaging 16 ppg with Millersville PA in 1968-69) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for a player to be designated and cash in 1975.
After 159 MLB starts, RHP Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection as Princeton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1999-00) made his debut with the Seattle Mariners as a reliever (two hitless innings against Oakland Athletics in 2014).
College Exam: Day #21 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 21 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) 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 player to post the highest-scoring game in a single tournament the same year he also played major league baseball? Hint: He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Who is the only Final Four player to become AAU national champion in the decathlon in the same year? Hint: The Final Four team's third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder finished third in decathlon the previous year.
3. Who is the only Final Four player to finish among the top two high jumpers in four NCAA national track meets? Hint: The starting center for a national championship team is first athlete to place in the NCAA high jump four consecutive years.
4. Name the only coach in NCAA history to reach an NCAA Division I Tournament regional final in back-to-back years with different schools. Hint: He also reached a regional final in his first season at next coaching outpost.
5. Name the only top-ranked team entering the tournament to be eliminated by an opponent it defeated by more than 40 points during the regular season. Hint: The school avenging the embarrassing defeat upended nation's second-ranked team in its next playoff game.
6. Who is the only individual to play in the NCAA Tournament before setting several major league fielding records for a second baseman? Hint: He was the second-leading scorer for his school's playoff team and one of his teammates was a prominent college basketball coach for more than 20 years.
7. Who is the only member of the College Football Hall of Fame to participate in back-to-back Final Fours? Hint: He is one of the few athletes to earn consensus football All-American honors at two positions.
8. Who is the only individual to lead a school in scoring in an NCAA Tournament before leading a major league in doubles as a player and manage a team in a World Series? Hint: The outfielder drove in six runs in one inning of an American League game.
9. Name the only university to win a minimum of two games in four different postseason national tournaments - NAIA, NCAA Division II, NIT and NCAA Division I. Hint: Of the schools to win at least one game in all four national tourneys, it is only one with an overall losing record in postseason competition.
10. Name the only school to win back-to-back basketball championships the same academic school years it participated in New Year's Day football bowl games. Hint: One of the two basketball title teams is the only school to have as many as 26 different players appear in its games in a season winning an NCAA crown. The two titlists helped school become only university to reach NCAA championship game in its first three playoff appearances.
Against All-American Odds: House Stacked Versus Jerry's Kids At Vanderbilt
Patrick Ewing, who won more than 84% of his games with Georgetown the first half of the 1980s (121-23 record) assumed control of coaching position at his alma mater two years ago with an impressive player pedigree as four-time All-American. But the odds are overwhelmingly against Ewing compiling a higher winning percentage as a bench boss than he did as premium player. He would need to supplant UCLA's John Wooden (.808) atop the coaching list in this category. Coincidentally, Wooden assembled the same winning percentage as an A-A player with Purdue as Ewing did for the Hoyas.
The odds of succeeding on Vanderbilt's sideline are even more remote for former North Carolina A-A Jerry Stackhouse, who has zero experience as head coach at the collegiate or NBA level. It's the same amount of experience that Penny Hardaway had when hired by his alma mater last season. But commercial comrade Lil' Penny could lounge in a Memphis Mafia sideline chair and assemble a better differential at Big Penny's alma mater than St. John's luminary Chris Mullin regarding winning percentage as a A-A player compared to coaching acumen. Mullin's winning percentage in his four seasons as coach of alma mater was 31.9% lower than as a player. Other All-Americans who posted significantly worst winning percentages as a DI coach than as a player include Sidney Moncrief (69.3% lower), Bo Ellis (67.1%), Juan Dixon (58%), Corliss Williamson (52.2%), Tony Yates (50.9%), Mark Macon (48.2%), Darrell Walker (47.9%), Clyde Drexler (46.6%), Butch Beard (45.7%), Isiah Thomas (44.8%), Monte Towe (44.6%), Henry Bibby (44.1%), Damon Stoudamire (39.8%), Jason Gardner (37.9%) and Donyell Marshall (35.9%).
Stackhouse faces an uphill battle as a bench boss resembling Hardaway's 31-point defeat with Tigers against Cincinnati in 1992 regional final. Indiana's Branch McCracken, who directed the Hoosiers to NCAA tourney titles in 1940 and 1953, is the only one of the first 61 All-Americans who became major-college mentors to compile a higher winning percentage as coach. Fewer than half of the following alphabetical list of All-American players posted winning career records as a DI mentor:
*Active coaches.
Playing Race Card: Wisconsin's Ethan Happ Only White NCAA Consensus A-A
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 presidential prowess of Donald Trump or previous POTUS lecturing Christians rather than unprincipled marauders, but it could be time to proclaim white players matter. 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.
A milestone didn't trigger White History Month several seasons ago, 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. "Resist We Much" RevAl and (Mad)Maxine Waters may consider this repulsive racist research but he probably should be more concerned about paying his fair share of taxes on filing deadline day and she should return to concocting conspiratorial claptrap more worthy of April Fool's Day about CIA planting drugs in the hood.
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 and Kyle Wiltjer) was alone boasting the most white consensus All-Americans thus far in 21st Century with five until Duke tied the Zags a couple of seasons ago when Luke Kennard was anointed.
It might not reign purple important as a photograph of Prince in a junior high basketball uniform 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 keeping track of such demographics or who might be a dues-paying member of another 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:
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).
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on April 5 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! As a new season continues to unfold, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.
Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Former college hoopers Frank Baker (Southern Mississippi), Fred Kipp (Emporia State KS), Roger Mason (Saginaw Valley State MI), Ted Savage (Lincoln MO) and Ken Singleton (Hofstra) were involved in MLB transactions on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 5 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 5
INF Frank Baker (Southern Mississippi basketball letterman in 1965-66 and 1966-67) traded by the New York Yankees to the Baltimore Orioles in 1973.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) smacked two homers among his four hits in a 15-12 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1997. Four years later, Clark contributed four hits against the Minnesota Twins in 2001.
LHP Fred Kipp (two-time all-conference selection for Emporia State KS in early 1950s) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Yankees in 1960.
RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year letterman for Saginaw Valley State MI in late 1970s) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the San Francisco Giants in 1985.
California Angels 3B Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) supplied four hits in an 8-2 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1974 season opener.
OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln MO in scoring average in 1955-56) purchased from the Cincinnati Reds by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970.
OF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman squad in mid-1960s) traded with Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Rusty Staub in 1972.
Atlanta Braves reliever Cecil Upshaw (led Centenary in scoring as junior while averaging 13.7 ppg and 6 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64) registered the victory in a season-opening 7-4 success at Cincinnati in 1971. Upshaw missed the previous campaign after almost losing the ring finger on his right hand when it got entangled in a net while dunking basketball.
RHP Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection as Princeton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1999-00) became the first hurler in New York Mets history to collect two hits in an inning (pair of singles in third against Philadelphia Phillies in 2011). Young contributed a third single in the fifth in his first start with the Mets.
College Exam: Day #20 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 20 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) 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 athlete to rank among the top five in scoring average in an NCAA Tournament and later start for an NFL champion? Hint: He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection who played in back-to-back Super Bowls. His brother was the first black player for major leagues' last integrated team.
2. Who is the only player to lead an NCAA championship game in scoring while playing for his father? Hint: The son has the lowest game-high point total in NCAA final history.
3. Who comprise the only father/son combination to twice reach the Final Four together as coach and player? Hint: The son was a starter for team undefeated entering Final Four.
4. Who is the only active coach to have played in the NCAA Tournament and College World Series in the same year? Hint: He served as captain on the baseball and basketball teams as a college senior. After graduation, he played minor league baseball before becoming an outstanding fast-pitch softball player named to a couple of national All-Star teams.
5. Name the only school to have a single coach guide the same group of players to victories in the NAIA Tournament, NIT and NCAA Tournament. Hint: It's the only school in last 60-plus years entering the NIT with an undefeated record. One of the five regulars from the three national postseason tournament winners was one of NBA's premier rebounders before becoming an assistant coach in the league and head coach of his alma mater.
6. Who is the only coach to guide teams to the championship game in both the Division I and Division II Tournaments? Hint: He is the only coach to have a career NCAA Division I Tournament record as many as eight games below the .500 mark, only title-team coach compiling a non-winning career playoff mark and only coach to lose three consecutive regional final games.
7. Who is the only player to score more than 60% of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game and be on the losing end of the score? Hint: It was a first-round contest and the individual was national player of the year.
8. Who is the only player to score more than two-thirds of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game? Hint: He scored more than 50% of his squad's points over three playoff outings.
9. Name the only school to win a small college national postseason tournament before capturing at least one NCAA Division I title. Hint: The school opposed same coach in championship game of small-college tournament and NCAA Final Four. The school also supplied only team to win an NCAA crown after setting or tying an existing school record for most defeats previous season.
10. Who is the only individual to participate in the Final Four before playing and coaching in the NFL at least five seasons apiece? Hint: He was a member of an NFL team moving to another city the year after capturing league title.
False Start: NIT Championship Won't Mean Too Much for Texas Next Season
Don't mean to hurt "wittle" feelings of safe-space snowflakes sympathetic to roof-top dancing bartender #AOC (Always Outlandish Commentary), Jussie Smollett supporters believing fictional tale about #MAGA caps/bleach/noose/nutritional white face, Mayor Pete pundits accepting "All Lives Matters" whether you're the husband or wife and Emory students terrified by Trump chalk talk. But if history means anything, a National Invitation Tournament crown earned in a poorly-attended game won't serve as a springboard to NCAA playoff success for Texas. Defending NIT champions combined for a 12-18 NCAA Tournament record from 1986 through 2019 with four of the previous five kingpins not participating at all in NCAA tourney or NIT.
The NIT titlists from 1985 through 2004 combined for a losing national postseason tournament record (15-17) the year after capturing an NIT championship - NCAA (8-13) and NIT (7-4) - with three of them not reaching national postseason play. Four more NIT champions in the last 12 years - South Carolina '06, Penn State '09, Minnesota '14 and Stanford '16 - also failed to appear in NCAA playoffs or NIT the next season. West Virginia '08, Ohio State '09, Wichita State '12 and TCU '17 combined for a 2-4 NCAA playoff mark the years after winning an NIT title.
Only three schools in the last 35 years reached an NCAA regional semifinal the year after capturing an NIT title - (Virginia '93, West Virginia '08) and Baylor '14. Following is a breakdown of how the NIT champions fared the next season since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985:
Year NIT Champion Season Summary the Following Campaign 1985 UCLA 15-14 record in 1985-86; 9-9 in Pacific-10 (4th place); no postseason 1986 Ohio State 20-13 in 1986-87; 9-9 in Big Ten (6th); lost in NCAA 2nd round 1987 Southern Mississippi 19-11 in 1987-88; 5-7 in Metro (7th); lost in NIT 2nd round 1988 Connecticut 18-13 in 1988-89; 6-10 in Big East (T7th); lost in NIT 3rd round 1989 St. John's 24-10 in 1989-90; 10-6 in Big East (4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round 1990 Vanderbilt 17-13 in 1990-91; 11-7 in SEC (4th); lost in NCAA 1st round 1991 Stanford 18-11 in 1991-92; 10-8 in Pacific-10 (4th); lost in NCAA 1st round 1992 Virginia 21-10 in 1992-93; 9-7 in ACC (5th); lost in NCAA regional semifinal 1993 Minnesota 21-12 in 1993-94; 10-8 in Big Ten (T4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round 1994 Villanova 25-8 in 1994-95; 14-4 in Big East (2nd); lost in NCAA 1st round 1995 Virginia Tech 23-6 in 1995-96; 13-3 in Atlantic 10 (T1st/W); lost in NCAA 2nd round 1996 Nebraska 19-14 in 1996-97; 7-9 in Big 12 (4th/N); lost in NIT 3rd round 1997 Michigan 25-9 in 1997-98; 11-5 in Big Ten (4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round 1998 Minnesota 17-11 in 1998-99; 8-8 in Big Ten (6th); lost in NCAA 1st round 1999 California 18-15 in 1999-00; 7-11 in Pacific-10 (7th); lost in NIT 3rd round 2000 Wake Forest 19-11 in 2000-01; 8-8 in ACC (T5th); lost in NCAA 1st round 2001 Tulsa 27-7 in 2001-02; 15-3 in WAC (T1st); lost in NCAA 2nd round 2002 Memphis 23-7 in 2002-03; 13-3 in C-USA (1st/National); lost in NCAA 1st round 2003 St. John's 6-21 in 2003-04; 1-15 in Big East (14th); no postseason 2004 Michigan 13-18 in 2004-05; 4-12 in Big Ten (9th); no postseason 2005 South Carolina 23-15 in 2005-06; 6-10 in SEC (5th/East); won NIT championship 2006 South Carolina 14-16 in 2006-07; 4-12 in SEC (6th/Eastern); no postseason 2007 West Virginia 26-11 in 2007-08; 11-7 in Big East (T5th); lost in NCAA regional semifinals 2008 Ohio State 22-11 in 2008-09; 10-8 in Big Ten (T4th); lost in NCAA 1st round 2009 Penn State 11-20 in 2009-10; 3-15 in Big Ten (11th); no postseason 2010 Dayton 22-14 in 2010-11; 7-9 in Atlantic 10 (T8th); lost in NIT 1st round 2011 Wichita State 27-6 in 2011-12; 16-2 in Missouri Valley (1st); lost in NCAA 1st round 2012 Stanford 19-15 in 2012-13; 9-9 in Pac-12 (T6th); lost in NIT 2nd round 2013 Baylor 26-12 in 2013-14; 9-9 in Big 12 (T6th); lost in NCAA regional semifinals 2014 Minnesota 18-15; 6-12 in Big Ten (T10th); no postseason 2015 Stanford 15-15; 8-10 in Pac-12 (9th); no postseason 2016 George Washington 20-15; 10-8 in Atlantic 10 (6th); lost in CBI 2nd round 2017 Texas Christian 21-12; 9-9 in Big 12 (5th); lost in NCAA 1st round 2018 Penn State 14-18; 7-13 in Big Ten (T10th); no postseason 2019 Texas To be determined in 2019-20
Slow Start: Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura Averaged Only 2.6 PPG as Freshman
In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura (2.6 points per game in 2016-17) failed to generate national headlines in his freshman season before blossoming into an All-American. He is a textbook example why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics.
Hachimura isn't the only All-American who endured growing pains. He joins the following alphabetical list of players who averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:
Eventual All-American Pos. 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 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 DePaul 2.9 ppg in 1989-90 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. . . . Tyler became an All-American with Texas after transferring to his home state. . . . Withey originally attended Arizona.
Mid-Majors Hachimura and Morant Named NCAA Consensus First-Team A-As
NBA success in several years likely will reveal voter shortcomings after Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura and Murray State guard Ja Morant became the only mid-major players anointed as an NCAA consensus All-American this campaign. Hachimura and Morant represent only the third mid-major duo in the last 46 years to be named NCAA consensus first-team A-As in the same season. Following is a chronological list of mid-level NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since the ACC was introduced in 1953-54:
Sky is Falling: Can Auburn or Michigan State Capture Crown Sans Key Starter?
Villanova captured two NCAA championships in the previous three campaigns - one without star sixth man Donte DiVincenzo and one with him. His absence in 2016 offered a classic example depicting lame-stream media and so-called experts getting all bent out of shape while possessing little more than a rudimentary NCAA playoff perspective. They should brush up on their amateurish hoops history and go beyond "feeling" to "knowing" what in the world they are discussing. How about a little texture describing numerous teams boasting the resourcefulness to cope without a key player and go on to capture a national championship? Auburn (without Chuma Okeke/ACL surgery) or Michigan State (Joshua Langford/stress injury in left foot) could join the following titlists not fond of Chicken Little:
Stanford '42 overcame the title game absence of flu-ridden Jim Pollard, who scored 43.4% of Stanford's points in its first two tourney contests.
Kentucky '51 (sans Walt Hirsch) and San Francisco '56 (K.C. Jones) won NCAA titles although key players were ineligible for the tournament.
Forward Edgar Lacey, the leading rebounder for UCLA's 1965 NCAA titlist when he was an All-Tournament team selection, missed the 1966-67 championship campaign because of a fractured left kneecap. Lacey dropped off the Bruins' titlist the next year in mid-season following a dispute with all-time great coach John Wooden after a highly-publicized defeat against Houston before 52,693 fans at the Astrodome when UH All-American Elvin Hayes erupted for 29 first-half points.
All-American guard Lucius Allen missed the 1968-69 campaign because of academic problems but it didn't stop UCLA from winning its third of seven straight NCAA titles.
Louisville '80 excelled with a freshman center Rodney McCray, who replaced his brother, Scooter, in the middle after Scooter suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Kansas, riding the coattails of national player of the year Danny Manning, withstood the loss of regulars Marvin Branch (academic problems) and Archie Marshall (knee injury) to capture the 1988 NCAA title.
In 1990, UNLV was without frontcourter George Ackles (medical redshirt because of a wrist injury) when the Rebels' 103-73 rout of Duke enabled them to become the only team to score more than 100 points in a championship game and establish a record for widest margin of victory in a final.
Donte DiVincenzo, sixth man as redshirt freshman for top-ranked Villanova's defending NCAA titlist in 2016-17, missed majority of previous championship campaign because of a broken right foot.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on April 4 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! As a new season unfolds, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Small-school hoopers Chuck Hinton (Shaw NC) and "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State) were traded for each other in 1969.
Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 4
OF-INF Chuck Hinton (played multiple sports for Shaw NC before serving two years in U.S. Army in mid-1950s) traded in 1969 by the California Angels to the Cleveland Indians.
LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State basketball teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded in 1969 by the Cleveland Indians to the California Angels.
Seattle Mariners RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) smacked a go-ahead, two-run homer off Frank Tanana in sixth inning of 5-4 win against the California Angels in 1979 season opener.
College Exam: Day #19 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 19 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) 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. Name the only Final Four team to have a trio all average more than 20 points per game in the same season. Hint: The school won its conference tournament that year although none of threesome shot better than 50% from floor over the three games.
2. Name the only duo to twice reach the Final Four and both players average more than 20 points per game each season. Hint: Their team lost each year at the Final Four by same score. One of the pair is only player to score more than 25 points in Final Four defeats in back-to-back years.
3. Who is the only one of UCLA's eight first-team All-Americans from 1964 through 1975 to fail to earn a spot on an All-NCAA Tournament team when the Bruins won 10 national titles? Hint: He averaged more than 15 points per game in two of his three varsity seasons and went on to coach the Bruins' crosstown rival to a regional final.
4. Who is the only NCAA baseball championship coach to direct a basketball team from the same school to the Final Four? Hint: He is the school's all-time winningest basketball coach.
5. Who is the only championship team senior to average seven points per game or less entering the national semifinals before seizing the moment and averaging double digits in scoring in his last two games with an increase of at least six points per game from his pre-Final Four scoring mark? Hint: He was the seventh-leading scorer for the season on a team with only two seniors among its top eight point producers.
6. Who is the only player to score more than half of a championship team's points in a single NCAA Tournament? Hint: He was the team's only player to compile a double-digit season scoring average and no teammate scored more than seven points in either of two Final Four games.
7. Name the only school to lose three national championship games in a city where it enjoyed a distinct homecourt advantage. Hint: The school lost two of the three title games by one point before capturing title there in a season it became the only NCAA champion to lose four consecutive conference contests.
8. Name the only team to fail to have at least one player score in double figures in the championship game. Hint: It was the school's only NCAA Tournament appearance until university started appearing regularly in tourney since 1975.
9. Name the only Division II school to have three of its former head coaches go on to direct major-college teams to the NCAA Division I Tournament championship game. Hint: None of the three coaches compiled a losing record in any of the total of 11 seasons they coached at small school, which won Division II Tournament in 1984 and captured first two NAIA Tournament titles.
10. Who is the only one of the individuals named NBA Most Valuable Player, score more than 20,000 pro points or be selected to at least five All-NBA teams after participating in more than six NCAA Division I Tournament games and not compile a winning tourney record? Hint: He left college with eligibility remaining, but was involved in two NCAA playoff defeats when the tournament conducted regional third-place games.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made Mark on April 3 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! With a new season underway, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 3
1B Donn Clendenon (played basketball for Morehouse GA) ended his retirement and reported to the Montreal Expos in 1969.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in 1996.
1B Bill White (played two years of hoops with Hiram OH in early 1950s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969.
RHP Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection as Princeton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1999-00) traded by the Montreal Expos to the Texas Rangers in 2004.
College Exam: Day #18 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 18 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) 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 major-college coach to finish his career with more than 500 victories and never participate in the NCAA playoffs? Hint: The coach spent his entire four-year school coaching career at one institution and had nine consecutive winning seasons at Division I level from 1972-73 through 1980-81.
2. Who is the only player to average more than 26 points per game for an undefeated NCAA champion before averaging less than five points per game in his NBA career? Hint: He averaged the same number of points in NCAA Tournament as he did for entire season.
3. Who is the only coach to win three national third-place games? Hint: No coach accumulated as many different All-Americans as he did (16) in his first 20 campaigns at a single school.
4. Who is the only former major-college player to score more than 23,000 points in the NBA after never participating in the NCAA Tournament or NIT? Hint: His alma mater returned to small-college status after being at the Division I level for more than 50 years but never appearing in NCAA playoffs or NIT.
5. Of the 10 different players to compile season scoring averages of more than 23 points per game for a national champion, who is the only individual in this group to tally fewer than 40 points in two games at the Final Four? Hint: His team won both Final Four games that year by a minimum of 20 points.
6. Who is the only individual to coach a team to the Final Four after becoming an NCAA consensus first-team All-American and NBA first-round draft choice? Hint: He joined Chet Walker and Bob Love as 20-points-per-game scorers for the Chicago Bulls in 1969-70 after becoming the first African-American to earn a league MVP while attending Southern school.
7. Who is the only national player of the year to score less than 10 points when his school was eliminated in a Final Four contest the same season? Hint: He averaged more than 25 points per game in his four previous playoff contests that year.
8. Name the only Final Four team to have as many as six players still on its roster with double-digit season scoring averages. Hint: All six individuals played in the NBA as did another player on squad who averaged eight points per game.
9. Who is the only All-Tournament selection to finish his college playing career at another major university? Hint: His brother was a wide receiver for a Super Bowl champion.
10. Who is the only leading scorer for a Final Four team to also play for the school's football squad in a New Year's Day bowl game and win a silver medal in the Olympics as a high jumper? Hint: The Olympics climaxed a superb academic school year for the versatile athlete who won NCAA high jump crown and led his school's football and basketball teams in scoring. He also appeared in the first two NBA All-Star Games.
Youth Movement: Duke Duo Among First-Team All-Americans as Freshmen
Duke's R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson 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. Barrett and Williamson, joining Kentucky tandem DeMarco Cousins and John Wall in 2009-10, became an NCAA consensus first-team All-American as a freshman. Eighteen of the 24 yearlings on the following chronological list in this rare-air category were named first-team A-A in the last 13 seasons:
| 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 |
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made Mark on April 2 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! As a new season unfolds, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.
Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only four percent of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 2
In 2001, San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC basketball second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) became the fifth player in N.L. history to spend 20-plus years playing his entire career with one franchise.
New York Mets manager Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948), two days shy of his 48th birthday, suffered a fatal heart attack in 1972 after playing a round of golf in West Palm Beach with his coaches on Easter Sunday.
RHP Bobby Humphreys (four-year hoops letterman for Hampden-Sydney VA in mid-1950s) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Washington Senators in 1966.
LF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85), debuting with the Cleveland Indians, whacked a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning in a 9-7 decision over the Oakland A's in 1997.
College Exam: Day #17 of One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 17 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) 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. Which school had the only trio to each score at least 20 points in two Final Four games? Hint: All three players finished their college careers with more than 2,000 points and were on roster the next year when school lost its playoff opener. The school is only national runner-up to score more than 85 points in an NCAA final.
2. Name the only school to have three players score more than 20 points in a Final Four game. Hint: The school lost championship game that year by more than 20 points although score was tied at halftime.
3. Who is the only player to score 40 or more points in a Final Four game and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: He was held under 10 points in his other Final Four game that year.
4. Who is the only coach to go more than 40 years from his first to his last appearance in the playoffs? Hint: He and his son, who succeeded him, both compiled a losing tourney record.
5. Who is the only player to compile an NBA playoff scoring average more than 15 points per game higher than his NCAA Tournament average? Hint: He scored just six points in his NCAA playoff debut against a school participating in the tourney for just second time.
6. Who is the only player to lead an NCAA tournament in scoring with more than 120 points and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: He averaged 32.3 points per game in his three-year college career.
7. Who is the only player from 1957 through 1996 to lead a tournament in rebounding and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: His school was making just its second tourney appearance the year he led in rebounding.
8. Who is the only non-guard to be the undisputed leading scorer of an NCAA Tournament and not participate in the Final Four? Hint: He never played in the NBA.
9. Who is the first coach to make more than a dozen NCAA playoff appearances before reaching the Final Four? Hint: He was coach of the first team to win national championship in its first Final Four appearance since Texas Western in 1966.
10. Who is the only player to take more than 40 field-goal attempts in a playoff game his team lost? Hint: The guard was the nation's leading scorer with more than 36 points per game for only school to reach national semifinals of a small-college tournament one year and participate in NCAA Tournament the next season.
Penthouse to Outhouse: F4 Appearance Won't Guarantee Success Next Season
Loyola of Chicago was in transition this season after reaching the Final Four last year. The Ramblers became the 35th school since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to at least 48 teams in 1980 to fail to qualify for the NCAA playoffs the ensuing season after advancing to the national semifinals. Despite the disappointment of not participating in the NCAA playoffs, the last 19 schools in this category averaged 20 victories.
Final Four Team Record Next Year League Finish Indiana State '79 16-11 in 1979-80 T5th in MVC Michigan State '79 12-15 in 1979-80 9th in Big Ten Purdue '80 21-11 in 1980-81 4th in Big Ten Louisiana State '81 14-14 in 1981-82 T4th in SEC Georgia '83 17-13 in 1983-84 T7th in SEC North Carolina State '83 19-14 in 1983-84 7th in ACC Houston '84 16-14 in 1984-85 T5th in SWC Virginia '84 17-16 in 1984-85 8th in ACC Louisville '86 18-14 in 1986-87 1st in Metro Providence '87 11-17 in 1987-88 8th in Big East Kansas '88 19-12 in 1988-89 6th in Big Eight Seton Hall '89 12-16 in 1989-90 T7th in Big East UNLV '91 26-2 in 1991-92 1st in Big West Duke '94 13-18 in 1994-95 9th in ACC Oklahoma State '95 17-10 in 1995-96 T4th in Big Eight Mississippi State '96 12-18 in 1996-97 T3rd in SEC Western Syracuse '96 19-13 in 1996-97 T4th in Big East 7 Minnesota '97 20-15 in 1997-98 8th in Big Ten Marquette '03 19-12 in 2003-04 8th in C-USA Louisville '05 21-13 in 2005-06 T11th in Big East George Mason '06 18-15 in 2006-07 T5th in CAA Louisiana State '06 17-15 in 2006-07 6th in SEC Western Florida '07 24-12 in 2007-08 4th in SEC Eastern Ohio State '07 24-13 in 2007-08 5th in Big Ten Connecticut '09 18-16 in 2009-10 T11th in Big East North Carolina '09 20-17 in 2009-10 T9th in ACC Butler '11 22-15 in 2011-12 T3rd in Horizon League Kentucky '12 21-12 in 2012-13 T2nd in SEC Connecticut '14 20-15 in 2014-15 T5th in AAC Florida '14 16-17 in 2014-15 T8th in SEC Oklahoma '16 11-20 in 2016-17 9th in Big 12 Syracuse '16 19-15 in 2016-17 T7th in ACC Oregon '17 23-13 in 2017-18 T6th in Pac 12 South Carolina '17 17-16 in 2017-18 T11th in SEC Loyola of Chicago '18 20-14 in 2018-19 T1st in Missouri Valley NOTES: Kansas and UNLV were on NCAA probation. . . . Duke, Florida '14, George Mason, Indiana State, Louisiana State '07, Louisville '87, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Providence and Seton Hall were eligible schools also failing to participate in the NIT.
First-Year Flash: Scholl Edges Ballard For Most Victories by Rookie DI Coach
Since Gonzaga's Mark Few in 1999-00, 12 of the next 19 winningest first-year head coaches subsequently moved on to other similar jobs. Paul Weir (28-6 record with New Mexico State before leaving for New Mexico) posted the most first-year victories for an NCAA Division I coaching newcomer two seasons ago. Will San Diego's Sam Scholl (21-15) be next newbie seeking greener pastures after edging Florida International's Jeremy Ballard (20-14) for most triumphs by first-year mentor? 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 |
Juco Jewels: Auburn and Texas Tech Extend Impact of J.C. Recruits on Final 4
Junior college products have made a significant difference for NCAA Tournament titlists. Keith Erickson (El Camino CA), Jack Hirsch (Los Angeles Valley CA), Larry Hollyfield (Compton CA), Terry Schofield (Santa Monica CA), John Vallely (Orange Coast CA) and Sidney Wicks (Santa Monica CA) were instrumental in helping UCLA win seven of its NCAA championships (1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973) and mighty mite Bobby Joe Hill (Burlington IA) was the spark-plug for Texas Western when the Miners captured the 1966 title. Wicks is the only individual to become a member of three NCAA champions after playing in junior college.
Auburn and Texas Tech made contributions this year, joining the following alphabetical list of key Final Four team members who previously played for a junior college:
| J.C. Recruit | Pos. | Final Four Team(s) | Junior College(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Ackles | C | UNLV '91 | Garden City (Kan.) |
| Tony Allen | G | Oklahoma State '04 | Wabash Valley (Ill.) |
| Malcolm Armstead | G | Wichita State '13 | Chipola (Fla.) |
| Rex Bailey | G | Western Kentucky '71 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Jarvis Basnight | F | UNLV '87 | Mount San Antonio (Calif.) |
| Warren Baxter | G | San Francisco '55 & '56 | San Francisco City |
| Corey Beck | G | Arkansas '94 & '95 | South Plains (Tex.) |
| Walter Berry | F | St. John's '85 | San Jacinto (Tex.) |
| Kavell Bigby-Williams | F-C | Oregon '17 | Gillette (Wyo.) |
| Daron "Mookie" Blaylock | G | Oklahoma '88 | Midland (Tex.) |
| Corie Blount | C | Cincinnati '92 | Rancho Santiago (Calif.) |
| Carl Boldt | F | San Francisco '56 | Glendale (Calif.) |
| Kenny Booker | F-G | UCLA '70 & '71 | Long Beach (Calif.) |
| Roy Boone | G | Wisconsin '00 | Coffeyville (Kan.) |
| Ron Brewer | G | Arkansas '78 | Westark (Ark.) |
| Karl Brown | G | Georgia Tech '90 | Chipola (Fla.) |
| Terry Brown | G | Kansas '91 | Erie (Pa.) & Northeastern Oklahoma A&M |
| Pembrook Burrows | F | Jacksonville '70 | Brevard (Fla.) |
| David Butler | C | UNLV '90 | San Jacinto (Tex.) |
| Chet Carr | F | Southern California '54 | Vallejo (Calif.) |
| Jerry Chambers | F-C | Utah '66 | Trinidad (Colo.) |
| Jason Cipolla | G | Syracuse '96 | Tallahassee (Fla.) |
| DeShawn Corprew | F | Texas Tech '19 | South Plains (Tex.) |
| Charlie Criss | G | New Mexico State '70 | New Mexico J.C. |
| Howie Dallmar | G | Stanford '42 | Menlo (Calif.) |
| Bennett Davison | F | Arizona '97 | West Valley (Calif.) |
| Art Day | C | San Francisco '57 | Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) |
| Jason Detrick | G | Oklahoma '02 | Southwest Missouri State-West Plains |
| Alex Dillard | G | Arkansas '94 & '95 | Southern Union (Ala.) |
| Don Draper | G | Drake '69 | Coffeyville (Kan.) |
| Al Dunbar | G | San Francisco '57 | Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) |
| Malik Dunbar | G-F | Auburn '19 | College of Central Florida |
| Jerry Dunn | F | Western Kentucky '71 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Cleanthony Early | F | Wichita State '13 | Sullivan County (N.Y.) |
| Ebi Ere | G | Oklahoma '02 | Barton County (Kan.) |
| Denny Fitzpatrick | G | California '59 | Orange Coast (Calif.) |
| Jerry Frizzell | F | Seattle '58 | Grays Harbor (Wash.) |
| Dean Garrett | C | Indiana '87 | City College of San Francisco |
| Alex Gilbert | C | Indiana State '79 | Coffeyville (Kan.) |
| Armon Gilliam | F-C | UNLV '87 | Independence (Kan.) |
| Artis Gilmore | C | Jacksonville '70 | Gardner-Webb (N.C.) |
| Ricky Grace | G | Oklahoma '88 | Midland (Tex.) |
| Harvey Grant | F | Oklahoma '88 | Independence (Kan.) |
| Jeff Graves | F-C | Kansas '03 | Iowa Western |
| Hassani Gravett | G | South Carolina '17 | Pensacola State (Fla.) |
| Evric Gray | F | UNLV '91 | Riverside (Calif.) |
| Rickey Green | G | Michigan '76 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Carl Hall | F | Wichita State '13 | Middle Georgia & Northwest Florida State |
| Arnette Hallman | F | Purdue '80 | Joliet (Ill.) |
| Dick Hammer | G | Southern California '54 | Fullerton (Calif.) |
| Darrin Hancock | F | Kansas '93 | Garden City (Kan.) |
| Josh Harrellson | C | Kentucky '11 | Southwestern Illinois |
| Bobby Joe Hill | G | Texas Western '66 | Burlington (Iowa) |
| Larry Hollyfield | G-F | UCLA '72 & '73 | Compton (Calif.) |
| Lenzie Howell | F | Arkansas '90 | San Jacinto (Tex.) |
| Othello Hunter | F | Ohio State '07 | Hillsborough (Fla.) |
| Roy Irvin | C | Southern California '54 | Fullerton (Calif.) |
| Aundre Jackson | F | Loyola of Chicago '18 | McLennan (Tex.) |
| Bobby Jackson | G | Minnesota '97 | Western Nebraska |
| Alonzo Jamison | F | Kansas '91 | Rancho Santiago (Calif.) |
| David Johanning | C | Kansas '91 | Hutchinson (Kan.) |
| Larry Johnson | F | UNLV '90 & '91 | Odessa (Tex.) |
| Dontae' Jones | F | Mississippi State '96 | Northeast Mississippi |
| Herb Jones | F | Cincinnati '92 | Butler County (Kan.) |
| John Keller | F-G | Kansas '52 | Garden City (Kan.) |
| Larry Kenon | F | Memphis State '73 | Amarillo (Tex.) |
| Weldon Kern | F | Oklahoma A&M '45 & '46 | Cameron (Okla.) |
| Charlie Koon | G | Washington '53 | Olympic (Wash.) |
| Don Kruse | C | Houston '67 | Kilgore (Tex.) |
| Vern Lewis | G | Houston '67 & '68 | Tyler (Tex.) |
| Chadrack Lufile | F | Wichita State '13 | Chipola (Fla.), Vincennes (Ind.) & Coffeyville (Kan.) |
| Akolda Manyang | C | Oklahoma '16 | Indian Hills (Iowa) |
| Archie Marshall | F | Kansas '86 | Seminole (Okla.) |
| Erik Martin | F | Cincinnati '92 | Rancho Santiago (Calif.) |
| Bob McAdoo | C | North Carolina '72 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Bill McClintock | F | California '59 & '60 | Monterey Peninsula (Calif.) |
| J'Von McCormick | G | Auburn '19 | Lee (Tex.) |
| Aaron McGhee | F-C | Oklahoma '02 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Johnny McNeil | C | Georgia Tech '90 | Chowan (N.C.) |
| Lincoln Minor | G | Kansas '88 | Midland (Tex.) |
| Wat Misaka | G | Utah '44 | Weber (Utah) |
| Casey Mitchell | G | West Virginia '10 | Chipola (Fla.) |
| Larry Moffett | C | UNLV '77 | Compton (Calif.) |
| Rex Morgan | G | Jacksonville '70 | Lake Land (Ill.) |
| Roger Morningstar | F | Kansas '74 | Olney (Ill.) Central |
| Willie Murrell | F | Kansas State '64 | Eastern Oklahoma A&M |
| Swen Nater | C | UCLA '72 & '73 | Cypress (Calif.) |
| Carl Nicks | G | Indiana State '79 | Gulf Coast (Fla.) |
| Jim Nielsen | F | UCLA '67 & '68 | Pierce (Calif.) |
| Charles Okwandu | C | Connecticut '11 | Harcum (Pa.) |
| Ehimen Orukpe | C | Wichita State '13 | Three Rivers (Mo.) |
| V.C. "Buck" Overall | F | Texas '43 | Tyler (Tex.) |
| Andre Owens | G | Oklahoma State '95 | Midland (Tex.) |
| Gerald Paddio | F | UNLV '87 | Kilgore (Tex.) & Seminole (Okla.) |
| Hal Patterson | F | Kansas '53 | Garden City (Kan.) |
| Mike Preaseau | F | San Francisco '56 & '57 | Menlo (Calif.) |
| Ryan Randle | F-C | Maryland '02 | Allegany (Md.) |
| George Reese | F | Ohio State '99 | Independence (Kan.) |
| George Reynolds | G | Houston '68 | Imperial Valley (Calif.) |
| Morris "Moe" Rivers | G | North Carolina State '74 | Gulf Coast (Fla.) |
| Dave Rose | G | Houston '83 | Dixie State (Utah) |
| Lynden Rose | G | Houston '82 | North Harris County (Tex.) |
| Terrell Ross | G | Texas '03 | Allegany (Md.) |
| Randy Rutherford | G | Oklahoma State '95 | Bacone (Okla.) |
| Greg Samuel | G | Florida State '72 | Broward (Fla.) |
| Terry Schofield | G | UCLA '69, '70 & '71 | Santa Monica (Calif.) |
| Moses Scurry | F | UNLV '90 | San Jacinto (Tex.) |
| Daryan Selvy | F | Oklahoma '02 | Carl Albert (Okla.) |
| Tony Skinn | G | George Mason '06 | Blinn (Tex.) |
| Keith Smart | G | Indiana '87 | Garden City (Kan.) |
| Odie Smith | G | Kentucky '58 | Northeast Mississippi |
| Robert Smith | G | UNLV '77 | Arizona Western |
| Sam Smith | F | UNLV '77 | Seminole (Okla.) |
| Phil Spence | F | North Carolina State '74 | Vincennes (Ind.) |
| Elmore Spencer | C | UNLV '91 | Connors (Okla.) State |
| Leroy Staley | F | Indiana State '79 | Florida J.C. |
| Dwight Stewart | C | Arkansas '94 & '95 | South Plains (Tex.) |
| Jozsef Szendrei | C | Oklahoma '02 | Northeastern (Colo.) |
| Rich Tate | G | Utah '66 | Trinidad (Colo.) |
| Ron Thomas | F | Louisville '72 | Henderson County (Tex.) |
| Tom Tolbert | F | Arizona '88 | Cerritos (Calif.) |
| Nick Van Exel | G | Cincinnati '92 | Trinity Valley (Tex.) |
| Eloy Vargas | C | Kentucky '11 & '12 | Miami-Dade (Fla.) |
| Toby Veal | F | Virginia Commonwealth '11 | Northwest Florida State |
| Mark Wade | G | UNLV '87 | El Camino (Calif.) |
| Dinjiyl Walker | G | Oklahoma '16 | Iowa Western |
| Russell Walters | F | Mississippi State '96 | Jones County (Miss.) |
| Lloyd Walton | G | Marquette '74 | Moberly (Mo.) |
| Janavor Weatherspoon | G | Oklahoma State '04 | Odessa (Tex.) |
| Wes Westfall | F | Memphis State '73 | Trinidad (Colo.) |
| Quannas White | G | Oklahoma '02 | Midland (Tex.) |
| Jerome Whitehead | C | Marquette '77 | Riverside (Calif.) City |
| Nick Wiggins | G | Wichita State '13 | Vincennes (Ind.) & Wabash Valley (Ill.) |
| Andre Wiley | F | Oklahoma '88 | Compton (Calif.) |
| David Willard | C | UNLV '87 | Laredo (Tex.) |
| Willie Wise | F | Drake '69 | San Francisco City |
| Gary Zeller | G | Drake '69 | Long Beach (Calif.) |
Change of Address: 3 of TT's Top 5 Scorers Transferred From 4-Year School
Although there frequently is a disenchantment stigma attached to transfers, it shouldn't be considered a crime. Three of Final Four newcomer Texas Tech's top five scorers commenced their college playing careers at other four-year NCAA Division I institutions. Including injured Kentucky star Derek Anderson in 1997, 32 of the last 36 Final Fours featured teams with at least one starter or key reserve beginning his college career attending another four-year DI school.
Vanderbilt guard Billy McCaffrey, a transfer from Duke, is the only All-Tournament selection to finish his college playing career attending another major university. There was no All-Tournament team in 1942 when Stanford guard Howie Dallmar was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player before completing his undergraduate work at Penn toward the end of World War II. McCaffrey earned a spot on the 1991 All-Tournament team by scoring 16 points to help Duke defeat Kansas (72-65) in the championship game.
"What I really wanted was consistency; not playing a key factor in some games, very minimal in others," McCaffrey said. "My role probably would have been the same if I had stayed. I felt I could do more. I needed to enjoy the game more. I think a player likes to know that he can be counted on for certain things every night. That's how I get pleasure from the games. Your college career is too short to spend somewhere you're not happy.
"I don't regret leaving. I cherish those memories. I was happy for them (when the Blue Devils repeated in 1992). I knew when I left that they had a good chance to win (again). I took that into consideration when I made my decision to leave. I'd already been a part of a national championship. Maybe that made it easier."
Following is a chronological look at how transfers have impacted the Final Four in the last 36 years (in reverse order):
2019 - Auburn G Samir Doughty (transfer from Virginia Commonwealth), Texas Tech G Brandone Francis (Florida), Virginia F Braxton Key (Alabama), Texas Tech G Matt Mooney (Air Force/South Dakota) and Texas Tech F-C Tariq Owens (Tennessee/St. John's)
2018 - Loyola of Chicago G Clayton Custer (Iowa State), Michigan G Charles Matthews (Kentucky), Kansas G-F Malik Newman (Mississippi State), Villanova F Eric Paschall (Fordham), Michigan G-F Duncan Robinson (Williams MA) and Loyola of Chicago G Marques Townes (Fairleigh Dickinson)
2017 - Oregon G Dylan Ennis (Rice/Villanova), Gonzaga G Jordan Mathews (California), Oregon C Paul White (Georgetown), Gonzaga F Johnathan Williams (Missouri) and Gonzaga G Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington)
2016 - Syracuse G Michael Gbinije (Duke) and Oklahoma F Ryan Spangler (Gonzaga)
2015 - Michigan State G Bryn Forbes (Cleveland State)
2014 - Wisconsin F Zach Bohannon (Air Force), Florida F Dorian Finney-Smith (Virginia Tech) and Connecticut G-F Lasan Kromah (George Washington)
2013 - Wichita State G Malcolm Armstead* (Oregon) and Louisville G-F Luke Hancock (George Mason)
2012 - Ohio State F Evan Ravenel (Boston College), Louisville G Chris Smith (Manhattan), Kentucky C Eloy Vargas* (Florida), Kansas F Justin Wesley (Lamar), Kansas C Jeff Withey (Arizona) and Kansas F Kevin Young (Loyola Marymount)
2011 - Kentucky C Eloy Vargas* (Florida), Virginia Commonwealth F Jamie Skeen (Wake Forest), Virginia Commonwealth F Toby Veal* (Colorado)
2010 - None
2009 - None
2008 - Kansas G Rodrick Stewart** (Southern California) and Memphis F Shawn Taggart (Iowa State)
2007 - Georgetown F Patrick Ewing Jr. (Indiana) and Ohio State G Ron Lewis (Bowling Green)
2006 - None
2005 - Illinois F-C Jack Ingram (Tulsa)
2004 - Oklahoma State G Daniel Bobik (Brigham Young), Georgia Tech G Will Bynum (Arizona), Oklahoma State G-F Joey Graham (Central Florida), Oklahoma State F Stephen Graham (Central Florida), Oklahoma State G John Lucas III (Baylor) and Oklahoma State F Jason Miller (North Texas)
2003 - Texas F Deginald Erskin (North Texas) and Marquette F-C Robert Jackson (Mississippi State)
2002 - Oklahoma C Jabahri Brown (Florida International) and F-C Aaron McGhee* (Cincinnati) and Maryland G-F Byron Mouton (Tulane)
2001 - Michigan State F Mike Chappell (Duke), Maryland G-F Byron Mouton (Tulane) and Arizona C Loren Woods (Wake Forest)
2000 - Michigan State F Mike Chappell (Duke)
1999 - Ohio State G Scoonie Penn (Boston College)
1998 - Kentucky F Heshimu Evans (Manhattan) and North Carolina C Makhtar Ndiaye (Michigan)
1997 - Kentucky G-F Derek Anderson (Ohio State)
1996 - Kentucky G-F Derek Anderson (Ohio State) and C Mark Pope (Washington)
1995 - Oklahoma State F Scott Pierce (Illinois)
1994 - None
1993 - Kentucky G Travis Ford (Missouri) and Kansas G Rex Walters (Northwestern)
1992 - Cincinnati G Anthony Buford (Akron) and F Erik Martin* (Texas Christian)
1991 - UNLV G Greg Anthony (Portland) and C Elmore Spencer* (Georgia)
1990 - UNLV G Greg Anthony (Portland)
1989 - Illinois F Kenny Battle (Northern Illinois)
1988 - Kansas G Clint Normore (Wichita State), Oklahoma F Harvey Grant (Clemson) and Arizona F Tom Tolbert* (UC Irvine)
1987 - Providence G Delray Brooks (Indiana) and UNLV G Mark Wade* (Oklahoma)
1986 - Kansas C Greg Dreiling (Wichita State)
1985 - St. John's G Mike Moses (Florida)
1984 - Virginia G Rick Carlisle (Maine)
*Played for a junior college between four-year schools.
**Injured.
Sizzling Scorers: Culver and Winston are Top Point Producers at 2019 Final 4
In 2016, Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, the nation's runner-up in scoring with 25.4 points per game, came close to duplicating one of the most overlooked achievements in NCAA Tournament history. In 1951-52, Clyde Lovellette of champion Kansas became the only player to lead the nation in scoring average (28.4 ppg) while competing for a squad reaching the NCAA tourney title game. Final Four luminaries averaging more than 30 ppg include Elvin Hayes (36.8/Houston '68), Oscar Robertson (33.7/Cincinnati '60 and 32.6/Cincinnati '59), Rick Mount (33.3/Purdue '69), Elgin Baylor (32.5/Seattle '58), Bill Bradley (30.5/Princeton '65) and Len Chappell (30.1/Wake Forest '62).
Lovellette, an 11-year NBA center who passed away two years ago, served as sheriff of Vigo County in his native Indiana (noted for raid on Terre Haute brothels). Michigan State (Cassius Winston/18.87 ppg) and Texas Tech (Jarrett Culver/18.86 ppg) fans would be ecstatic if the leading scorers among this campaign's national semifinalists "raided" the Final Four by joining Lovellette as the only other player cracking the 30-point plateau in the national semifinals and championship contest in the same season (33 against both Santa Clara and St. John's).
Hield was the first Final Four player since Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott to average in excess of 25 ppg. Only two other Final Four players notched higher scoring averages than Hield since the playoff field expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975 - Larry Bird (28.6 ppg for Indiana State '79 and Glen Rice (25.6 for Michigan '89). Culver and Winston join the following list of individuals in the last 29 years amassing the highest scoring average from a Final Four club since Scott's mark of 27.7 ppg in 1989-90:
Season Top Scorer Among Final Four Teams School Average 1989-90 Dennis Scott Georgia Tech 27.7 ppg 1990-91 Larry Johnson UNLV 22.7 ppg 1991-92 Christian Laettner Duke 21.5 ppg 1992-93 Jamal Mashburn Kentucky 21.0 ppg 1993-94 Khalid Reeves Arizona 24.2 ppg 1994-95 Bryant Reeves Oklahoma State 21.5 ppg 1995-96 John Wallace Syracuse 22.2 ppg 1996-97 Antawn Jamison North Carolina 19.1 ppg 1997-98 Antawn Jamison North Carolina 22.2 ppg 1998-99 Richard Hamilton Connecticut 21.5 ppg 1999-00 Morris Peterson Michigan State 16.8 ppg 2000-01 Jay Williams Duke 21.6 ppg 2001-02 Juan Dixon Maryland 20.4 ppg 2002-03 Carmelo Anthony Syracuse 22.2 ppg 2003-04 Ben Gordon Connecticut 18.5 ppg 2004-05 Sean May North Carolina 17.5 ppg 2005-06 Glen Davis Louisiana State 18.6 ppg 2006-07 Arron Affalo UCLA 16.9 ppg 2007-08 Tyler Hansbrough North Carolina 22.6 ppg 2008-09 Tyler Hansbrough North Carolina 20.7 ppg 2009-10 Jon Scheyer Duke 18.2 ppg 2010-11 Kemba Walker Connecticut 23.5 ppg 2011-12 Thomas Robinson Kansas 17.7 ppg 2012-13 Russ Smith Louisville 18.7 ppg 2013-14 Shabazz Napier Connecticut 18.0 ppg 2014-15 Frank Kaminsky Wisconsin 18.8 ppg 2015-16 Buddy Hield Oklahoma 25.4 ppg 2016-17 Sindarius Thornwell South Carolina 21.6 ppg 2017-18 Jalen Brunson Villanova 19.2 ppg 2018-19 Jarrett Culver Texas Tech 18.9 ppg 2018-19 Cassius Winston Michigan State 18.9 ppg
Melting Pot: Two Final Four Rosters Have Two Foreigners in Regular Rotation
College basketball has taken on an increasingly international flavor with an average of more than 400 foreign athletes annually competing for NCAA Division I men's teams over the last 15 seasons. An all-time high of eight different foreign nations outside North America were represented at the 2017 Final Four as the search for talent knows no borders.
You've heard of a trade deficit. How about the trade surplus at the national semifinals? All but two Final Four since 1993 had an international flavor with at least one player from outside North America in the regular rotation of a team reaching the national semifinals. Two 2019 Final Four squads are in this category, including two regulars for both Texas Tech and Virginia.
"If communism hadn't fallen, I would have had to make the most difficult decision in my life," said center George Zidek, the starting center for UCLA's 1995 national champion who once was yelped at by dogs and arrested during a riot in Prague. "I would have had to leave to play basketball and never come back to my country or my family. I don't know if I could have done that."
An old adage claimed that fans couldn't tell the players without a roster. Now, it's at the point where fans can't pronounce the names on rosters without taking a couple of Berlitz language courses. Following is a chronological look at Final Four regulars in the last 27 years coming from 37 different foreign nations (in reverse order):
2019 - Virginia F-C Mamadi Diakite (Guinea, Africa), Texas Tech G-F Brandone Francis (Dominican Republic), Texas Tech G Davide Moretti (Italy) and Virginia C Jack Salt (New Zealand).
2018 - Kansas C Udoka Azubuike (Nigeria), Kansas F-C Silvio DeSousa (Angola), Kansas G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Ukraine), Loyola of Chicago G Bruno Skokna (Croatia) and Michigan C Moritz Wagner (Germany)
2017 - Oregon F-C Kavell Bigby-Williams (England), South Carolina F-C Khadim Gueye (Senegal), Gonzaga F Rui Hachimura (Japan), Gonzaga C Przemek Karnowski (Poland), South Carolina F-C Mak Kotsar (Estonia), South Carolina F Chris Silva (Gabon), Oregon F Roman Sorkin (Israel) and Gonzaga F-C Killian Tillie (France)
2016 - Oklahoma G Buddy Hield (Bahamas)
2015 - None
2014 - Connecticut C Amida Brimah (Ghana), F Kentan Facey (Jamaica) and G-F Niels Giffey (Germany) and Florida F Will Yeguete (Ivory Coast)
2013 - Louisville C Gorgui Dieng (Senegal), Syracuse C Baye Moussa Keita (Senegal) and Wichita State C Ehimen Orukpe (Nigeria)
2012 - Kentucky C Eloy Vargas (Dominican Republic) and Louisville C Gorgui Dieng (Senegal)
2011 - Connecticut G-F Niels Giffey (Germany) and C Charles Okwandu (Nigeria) and Kentucky C Eloy Vargas (Dominican Republic)
2010 - West Virginia F Deniz Kilicli (Turkey)
2009 - Connecticut C Hasheem Thabeet (Tanzania) and Michigan State C Idong Ibok (Nigeria)
2008 - UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon), F Nikola Dragovic (Serbia) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon) and Kansas C Alexander "Sasha" Kaun (Russia)
2007 - UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon)
2006 - Florida G Walter Hodge (Puerto Rico), F-C Al Horford (Dominican Republic) and G David Huertas (Puerto Rico), Louisiana State F Magnum Rolle (Bahamas) and UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon)
2005 - Louisville F-G Francisco Garcia (Dominican Republic), F-C Otis George (Dominica) and Juan Palacios (Columbia)
2004 - Duke F Luol Deng (Sudan) and Georgia Tech C Luke Schenscher (Australia)
2003 - Texas G Sydmill Harris (The Netherlands)
2002 - Oklahoma C Jabahri Brown (Virgin Islands) and C Jozsef Szendrei (Hungary)
2001 - None
2000 - Wisconsin G Kirk Penney (New Zealand)
1999 - Connecticut C Souleymane Wane (Senegal) and Ohio State G Boban Savovic (Yugoslavia)
1998 - Utah F Hanno Mottola (Finland) and North Carolina C Makhtar Ndiaye (Nigeria)
1997 - North Carolina F Ademola Okulaja (Germany) and C Serge Zwikker (Netherlands)
1996 - Syracuse G Marius Janulis (Lithuania) and Massachusetts G Edgar Padilla (Puerto Rico) and G Carmelo Travieso (Puerto Rico)
1995 - UCLA C George Zidek (Czechoslovakia), Arkansas G Davor Rimac (Yugoslavia) and North Carolina C Serge Zwikker (Netherlands)
1994 - Arkansas G Davor Rimac (Yugoslavia) and Florida F Martti Kuisma (Finland)
1993 - North Carolina G Henrik Rodl (Germany)
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made Mark on April 1 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! As a new season unfolds, read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.
Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only four percent of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Former college hoopers Tom Dettore (Juniata PA) and Paul Popovich (West Virginia) were traded for each other at MLB level on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 1 calendar of trades focusing on several such versatile MLB athletes:
APRIL 1
OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA basketball titlist) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians in 1958.
LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Los Angeles Angels in 1961.
OF-1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985.
INF Paul Popovich (averaged 3.3 ppg for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Tom Dettore (averaged 14.1 ppg and 9 rpg for Juniata PA in 1965-66) and cash in 1974.
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