Interesting List: Top 33 Teams that Didn't Win the Tournament

[UConnSwag11]

The three best teams to not win the tournament in my mind were UNLV in '91, Kentucky two years ago and Duke in '99. I have a hard time going much further than that, although I've always thought very highly of both UConn and UMass' 1996 teams. Both were really, really, really good.

Kentucky two years ago is better than UConn ‘06 and ‘09?

 

[the Q]

Kentucky two years ago is better than UConn ‘06 and ‘09?

Even with both teams lacking any guard depth I’ll take the Uconn teams solely because you could goad the Harrison twins into thinking they’re the best players on that team instead of the like 7th and 8th they were in reality.

Cal not taking them out for Ulis and booker against wisky cost them the title. All they had to do was keep getting the ball to KAT.

 

[Matrim55]

'96 Ricky vs Adonal Foyle was a killer (shouldn't have been in the game lol) and then not only is Sheffers hammy bothering him the 2 guards form the Bulldogs have their career games.

Honestly thought the pain of that game would never leave me, and waited so long for the karma gods to pay us back. Finally got around to it with the Niang injury – no way we get past ISU in '14 if he's fit.

Now they owe us for AJ, Dyson and *****ng Laettner.

 

[the Q]

Honestly thought the pain of that game would never leave me, and waited so long for the karma gods to pay us back. Finally got around to it with the Niang injury – no way we get past ISU in '14 if he's fit.

Now they owe us for AJ, Dyson and *****ng Laettner.

I think 2011 would get us there. Wasn't any injuries, but I mean, that has to be some kind of karmic give back.

 

[freescooter]

The 2006 team was the one that pained me the most. That might have been the most talented “failure” ever at Storrs. In hindsight probably we should have seen this coming. Despite being really talented they started to lose focus late in the year and struggled with Albany in the first round. They were winning games but not with the same dominating fashion they had. I don’t buy the lack of a backup point guard. It was George Mason for heaven sakes. That one was 100% attitude. One team wanted to win. One team wanted to get it over with so they could sign their NBA deals.

 

[the Q]

The 2006 team was the one that pained me the most. That might have been the most talented “failure” ever at Storrs. In hindsight probably we should have seen this coming. Despite being really talented they started to lose focus late in the year and struggled with Albany in the first round. They were winning games but not with the same dominating fashion they had. I don’t buy the lack of a backup point guard. It was George Mason for heaven sakes. That one was 100% attitude. One team wanted to win. One team wanted to get it over with so they could sign their NBA deals.

Agreed. That’s what made it so frustrating. And watching future first rounders get thrown around by total nobodies.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Agreed. That’s what made it so frustrating. And watching future first rounders get thrown around by total nobodies.

In context, Adrien was a better nobody.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Honestly thought the pain of that game would never leave me, and waited so long for the karma gods to pay us back. Finally got around to it with the Niang injury – no way we get past ISU in '14 if he's fit.

Again, I completely agree with you.
Niang' s injury is the rarely mentioned secret to the 2014 NC. The 5 games after St Joe's were a fully legitimate & quite impressive path to a very well-earned title, but Niang's absence helped a lot.

 

[the Q]

In context, Adrien was a better nobody.

and yet the front court consisted of 3 first rounders, including 2 lotto picks.

 

[Yorkeez4]

Texas Western over Kensucky
Only because Nova and Gtown played each other twice before that season and knew each other so that is a built in advantage for the underdog
TW came from nowhere and absolutely shocked the world

I'm not sure TW came from nowhere. They had one loss that year by two points. They were also ranked bumber 2. There front court was much bigger than Kentucky's. TW did start a short guard but he was very quick and fast. If TW had been an East Coast team the hype surrounding them would have been much greater.

Their situation reminds me of UConn's in 1999. Tremendous team and record but Duke was the pre-ordained National Champion. Just didn't work out for Duke in '99 bor for Kentucky in '66.