ESPN Ranks All of the NCAA Championship Teams

[Lock City Husky]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...oden-1972-ucla-bruins-top-list-ncaa-champions

BAR ROOM DEBATE ALERT: Naturally, one of the Wooden UCLA teams was named the top-ranked champion, but it's interesting to see where the 4 UConn championship teams appeared in the list.

 

[upstater]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...oden-1972-ucla-bruins-top-list-ncaa-champions

BAR ROOM DEBATE ALERT: Naturally, one of the Wooden UCLA teams was named the top-ranked champion, but it's interesting to see where the 4 UConn championship teams appeared in the list.

OK, I can accept the ranking of 1999.

But the 2004 team would blow away half the teams ranked above them. That team was a juggernaut.

With the exception of Emeka's 2 fouls in under 3 minutes of the first half, that tourney had less suspense than watching the Sixth Sense knowing the spoiler.

Most anticlimactic tournament of my life.

 

[Inyatkin]

OK, I can accept the ranking of 1999.

But the 2004 team would blow away half the teams ranked above them. That team was a juggernaut.

With the exception of Emeka's 2 fouls in under 3 minutes of the first half, that tourney had less suspense than watching the Sixth Sense knowing the spoiler.

Most anticlimactic tournament of my life.

The six losses hurt. And they did look a little lost halfway through the year. But at their peak, in the tournament, very few teams above them.
The list is weird. They love the 70s, hate the 40s, and apparently don't know how to distinguish our '11 and '14 teams.

 

[upstater]

The six losses hurt. And they did look a little lost halfway through the year. But at their peak, in the tournament, very few teams above them.
The list is weird. They love the 70s, hate the 40s, and apparently don't know how to distinguish our '11 and '14 teams.

but weren't those losses all about Emeka's back?

One of those losses was early in the year to Georgia Tech at MSG.

A complete fluke.

 

[tcf15]

Just looking at the champs since the modern era (1984-85), here's how ESPN ranks them:

1. UK (1996)
2. Duke (1992)
3. UK (2012)
4. UConn (1999)
5. Duke (2001)
6. Arkansas (1994)
7. Kansas (2008)
8. UNC (1993)
9. UNC (2009)
10. Florida (2007)
11. UNC (2005)
12. Indiana (1987)
13. Maryland (2002)
14. Duke (2015)
15. UCLA (1995)
16. Louisville (2013)
17. UK (1998)
18. Syracuse (2003)
19. UNLV (1990)
20. Duke (2010)
21. UConn (2004)
22. MSU (2000)
23. Duke (1991)
24. Florida (2006)
25. Louisville (1987)
26. Michigan (1989)
27. Arizona (1997)
28. UConn (2011)
29. UConn (2014)
30. Kansas (1988)
31. Villanova (1985)

 

[Inyatkin]

18. Syracuse (2003)
19. UNLV (1990)

See now that's funny.

 

[CallMeBruce]

89-90 UNLV should be #1, top-5 at minimum.

 

[tzznandrew]

The six losses hurt. And they did look a little lost halfway through the year. But at their peak, in the tournament, very few teams above them.
The list is weird. They love the 70s, hate the 40s, and apparently don't know how to distinguish our '11 and '14 teams.

Yeah, sorry, the 2004 UConn team would kill Duke 2010, 2015, UK 2012, Maryland 2002 and Syracuse 2003 at the least. Those aren't even debateable in my mind. I think they'd debateably win a bunch of the other games too.

 

[Dogdeacon]

18. Syracuse (2003)
19. UNLV (1990)

See now that's funny.

1000% yes, putting 1990 UNLV 19th on the list AND behind Syracuse makes debating about the list pointless.

 

[7774]

18. Syracuse (2003)
19. UNLV (1990)

See now that's funny.

I really wish they would release some details about the criteria that was used. I just have no idea what possible combination of metrics puts 1990 UNLV at 19.

 

[Lock City Husky]

Yeah, sorry, the 2004 UConn team would kill Duke 2010, 2015, UK 2012, Maryland 2002 and Syracuse 2003 at the least. Those aren't even debateable in my mind. I think they'd debateably win a bunch of the other games too.

Basically, that 2004 UConn team did get the 2003 Syracuse squad twice during that season. Tony Robertson was the only senior of note lost off the 2003 Sweet 16 team. The 2003 UConn squad beat Syracuse 75-61 at the Civic Center and 80-67 in the Big East semis in MSG.

 

[Matrim55]

Just looking at the champs since the modern era (1984-85), here's how ESPN ranks them:

1. UK (1996)

Oh man. If only Ricky didn't get hurt...

 

[MattMang23]

18. Syracuse (2003)
19. UNLV (1990)

See now that's funny.

Yup. That Cuse team wouldn't have sniffed a win against our '04 team.

 

[businesslawyer]

Basically, that 2004 UConn team did get the 2003 Syracuse squad twice during that season. Tony Robertson was the only senior of note lost off the 2003 Sweet 16 team. The 2003 UConn squad beat Syracuse 75-61 at the Civic Center and 80-67 in the Big East semis in MSG.

I was at both the Syracuse wins in '03. Walking out of MSG after we beat them in the Big East semis (easily), some Syracuse fans were saying that if they played us 10 times they would lose all 10, because they needed McNamara being Robin to Carmelo's Batman to beat a good team and our guards (Taliek, Robertson and Gordon) were all too tall, strong and quick for McNamara to get anything done. None of their fans leaving MSG that night thought they had any chance to win a National Championship.

 

[selles]

UK 2012 is vastly overrated in both of these exercises. They were really good, but they were freshmen. Our 1999 squad would have utterly destroyed them.

 

[superjohn]

2004 UConn team way too low. Tbey had the best big man in the country who was also the best player in the country, the best guard in the country and a whole bunch of athletes and size all over the court.

 

[superjohn]

Just saw the UNLV team ranking, what a freaking joke. That UNLV team and 2004 UConn would slaughter a bunch of teams ahead of them.

 

[CL82]

Anyone else think that if Duke had won in 1999, they'd be ranked much higher?

 

[Scoe]

UK 2012 is vastly overrated in both of these exercises. They were really good, but they were freshmen. Our 1999 squad would have utterly destroyed them.

Yes 2012 was the perfect storm for that 2012 UK team, Uconn would dominate 4/5 and the bench. Jake, Souleymane, and Edmund would hold their own against Davis even if he went off big deal. The 99 team played on way more closer games and that UK wouldn't blow the 99 team out. Ill take my money on Calhoun and our vets over Squid and Freshmen.

 

[UConNick]

This is the same exercise they did, 2 years ago:

http://m.espn.go.com/general/videofeature?id=8975085&num=0

'99 UConn: no. 15

'12 UK: 16

'04 UConn: no. 24

'90 UNLV: Top 10

'03 Cuse: Not upper half

MUCH better rankings.

I'm dumbfounded as to why they did this again, and so poorly.

 

[UConNick]

EDIT: they did rate Syrcause something overrated like no. 28, I drunkenly posted that after seeing where we were, and assuming this list was better all around.

Still doesn't take away from how stupid they are for doing this again so soon, and having the ranking so vastly different.

 

[dogpause]

FOUR! The only number I care about.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

This is the same exercise they did, 2 years ago:

http://m.espn.go.com/general/videofeature?id=8975085&num=0

'99 UConn: no. 15

'12 UK: 16

'04 UConn: no. 24

'90 UNLV: Top 10

'03 Cuse: Not upper half

MUCH better rankings.

I'm dumbfounded as to why they did this again, and so poorly.

Rule #1

 

[Horatio]

During our entire run over the years the one glaring, nagging issue I have is Florida winning back to back championships due to our 2006 George Mason disaster . Noah didn't get to face our Bigs.

 

[Waquoit]

Most anticlimactic tournament of my life.

I doubt you were saying that with 5 minutes left in the Duke game.