Ranking the College Basketball National Champions of the Decade

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You are correct. 8-8? Not sure where I got that from. How many teams from the BE made the tournament that year? Wasn't it 11?

It was at least 10 I think. The tournament typically tries to prevent conference foes from playing before the elite 8 but there were so many Big East squads we had to play Cincy in the round of 32. I was so worried about that game because at the time no one knew that Mick Cronin is physically unable to get out of the first weekend.

 

[HooperScooper]

Just looked it up. It was 11. Marquette was the only double digit seed. Crazy.

Seed

3	West	Connecticut	#14 Bucknell – W, 81–52[75]	#6 Cincinnati – W, 69–58[76]	#2 San Diego State – W, 74–67[77]	#5 Arizona – W, 65–63[78]	#4 Kentucky – W, 56–55[79]	#8 Butler – W, 53–41[80]
11	East	Marquette	#6 Xavier – W, 66–55[81]	#3 Syracuse – W, 66–62[82]	#2 North Carolina – L, 81–63[83]
1	Southeast	Pittsburgh	#16 UNC-Asheville – W, 74–51[84]	#8 Butler – L, 70–71[85]
2	Southwest	Notre Dame	#15 Akron – W, 69–56[86]	#10 Florida State – L, 57–71
3	East	Syracuse	#14 Indiana State – W, 77–60[87]	#11 Marquette – L, 62–66[82]
5	East	West Virginia	#12 Clemson – W, 84–76[88]	#4 Kentucky – L, 63–71[89]
6	West	Cincinnati	#11 Missouri – W, 78–63[90]	#3 Connecticut – L, 58–69[76]
4	Southwest	Louisville	#13 Morehead State – L, 61–62[91]
6	Southeast	St. John's	#11 Gonzaga – L, 71–86[92]
6	Southwest	Georgetown	#11 VCU – L, 56–74[93]
9	East	Villanova	#8 George Mason – L, 57–61[94]

 

[superjohn]

It was at least 10 I think. The tournament typically tries to prevent conference foes from playing before the elite 8 but there were so many Big East squads we had to play Cincy in the round of 32. I was so worried about that game because at the time no one knew that Mick Cronin is physically unable to get out of the first weekend.

It was 11, the most ever from any conference.

 

[MadMax1999]

National Champion that was best; I really think last years Virginia team was phenomenal.
Team that made me cry: UConn 2011

 

[upstater]

I was very emotional about the 2014 victory, and will always remember that team best. Especially the Michigan State game. It concluded not only all the crud UConn had been through over the prior 3 years, but also some personal stuff as well.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Just looked it up. It was 11. Marquette was the only double digit seed. Crazy.

Seed

3	West	Connecticut	#14 Bucknell – W, 81–52[75]	#6 Cincinnati – W, 69–58[76]	#2 San Diego State – W, 74–67[77]	#5 Arizona – W, 65–63[78]	#4 Kentucky – W, 56–55[79]	#8 Butler – W, 53–41[80]
11	East	Marquette	#6 Xavier – W, 66–55[81]	#3 Syracuse – W, 66–62[82]	#2 North Carolina – L, 81–63[83]
1	Southeast	Pittsburgh	#16 UNC-Asheville – W, 74–51[84]	#8 Butler – L, 70–71[85]
2	Southwest	Notre Dame	#15 Akron – W, 69–56[86]	#10 Florida State – L, 57–71
3	East	Syracuse	#14 Indiana State – W, 77–60[87]	#11 Marquette – L, 62–66[82]
5	East	West Virginia	#12 Clemson – W, 84–76[88]	#4 Kentucky – L, 63–71[89]
6	West	Cincinnati	#11 Missouri – W, 78–63[90]	#3 Connecticut – L, 58–69[76]
4	Southwest	Louisville	#13 Morehead State – L, 61–62[91]
6	Southeast	St. John's	#11 Gonzaga – L, 71–86[92]
6	Southwest	Georgetown	#11 VCU – L, 56–74[93]
9	East	Villanova	#8 George Mason – L, 57–61[94]

Lol Rutgers

 

[Rocktheworld]

You are correct. 8-8? Not sure where I got that from. How many teams from the BE made the tournament that year? Wasn't it 11?

11 indeed. 2/3 of the conference was in the tournament.

 

[navery12]

I wish I knew about the Boneyard in 2014 to have been here for the championship. Or been a UConn fan for any of the other championships

 

[freescooter]

You are correct. 8-8? Not sure where I got that from. How many teams from the BE made the tournament that year? Wasn't it 11?

I think though that the Big East was horribly over rated that year. Iirc 11 teams went dancing. 2 made it through the first weekend. I could be wrong but only 4 got to the round of 32 and We were the only one left after 3 round though we played Cinci in that game so it isn’t completely fair to knock them. We went all the way but most of the rest were paper tigers. Which is pretty typical of the Big East today.

 

[CL82]

You may like this list better:
The 10 Best Individual College Basketball Seasons of the Decade

3. Kemba Walker, UConn, 2010–11
Stats: 23.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG

The final third of Walker’s junior year at UConn has become the stuff of legend. The Huskies struggled to a 9–9 conference mark, tied for ninth in a deep Big East, relying heavily on a handful of underclassmen to support their star. With a series of fearless performances, the shifty junior guard carried his team to eleven straight wins, the Big East tournament title, and an NCAA championship. Draining a slew of memorable, clutch shots in the process (including a buzzer-beating winner against Pitt), Walker was named most outstanding player in both tournaments, played more total minutes than any Division I player this decade, led the NCAA in win shares, and averaged 23.5 points (fifth in the country), 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists on the year. His 130 points in five Big East tournament wins in a five-day span was the most by any player in any conference tournament in 15 years. On whole, Walker’s season wasn’t historically prolific, but he carried the heaviest load through a grueling stretch, was at his best when it mattered most, and came out as a champion, a folk hero of sorts, and a lasting part of the college hoops lexicon.

 

[McLovin]

You may like this list better:
The 10 Best Individual College Basketball Seasons of the Decade

3. Kemba Walker, UConn, 2010–11
Stats: 23.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG

The final third of Walker’s junior year at UConn has become the stuff of legend. The Huskies struggled to a 9–9 conference mark, tied for ninth in a deep Big East, relying heavily on a handful of underclassmen to support their star. With a series of fearless performances, the shifty junior guard carried his team to eleven straight wins, the Big East tournament title, and an NCAA championship. Draining a slew of memorable, clutch shots in the process (including a buzzer-beating winner against Pitt), Walker was named most outstanding player in both tournaments, played more total minutes than any Division I player this decade, led the NCAA in win shares, and averaged 23.5 points (fifth in the country), 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists on the year. His 130 points in five Big East tournament wins in a five-day span was the most by any player in any conference tournament in 15 years. On whole, Walker’s season wasn’t historically prolific, but he carried the heaviest load through a grueling stretch, was at his best when it mattered most, and came out as a champion, a folk hero of sorts, and a lasting part of the college hoops lexicon.

Kemba also on the "all decade" team

SI's College Basketball All-Decade Team: First Team

These five players shined the brightest in college hoops over the last 10 seasons and left an indelible mark on the sport.

www.si.com

 

[dogpause]

This is wierd, I looked at all 10 trophies and they are exactly the same.

 

[ucawn]

You may like this list better:
The 10 Best Individual College Basketball Seasons of the Decade

3. Kemba Walker, UConn, 2010–11
Stats: 23.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG

The final third of Walker’s junior year at UConn has become the stuff of legend. The Huskies struggled to a 9–9 conference mark, tied for ninth in a deep Big East, relying heavily on a handful of underclassmen to support their star. With a series of fearless performances, the shifty junior guard carried his team to eleven straight wins, the Big East tournament title, and an NCAA championship. Draining a slew of memorable, clutch shots in the process (including a buzzer-beating winner against Pitt), Walker was named most outstanding player in both tournaments, played more total minutes than any Division I player this decade, led the NCAA in win shares, and averaged 23.5 points (fifth in the country), 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists on the year. His 130 points in five Big East tournament wins in a five-day span was the most by any player in any conference tournament in 15 years. On whole, Walker’s season wasn’t historically prolific, but he carried the heaviest load through a grueling stretch, was at his best when it mattered most, and came out as a champion, a folk hero of sorts, and a lasting part of the college hoops lexicon.

I’d take Kemba over Zion all day (Zion’s #2 on the list)

 

[Rocktheworld]

I wish I knew about the Boneyard in 2014 to have been here for the championship. Or been a UConn fan for any of the other championships

I gotta say,

You may like this list better:
The 10 Best Individual College Basketball Seasons of the Decade

3. Kemba Walker, UConn, 2010–11
Stats: 23.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG

The final third of Walker’s junior year at UConn has become the stuff of legend. The Huskies struggled to a 9–9 conference mark, tied for ninth in a deep Big East, relying heavily on a handful of underclassmen to support their star. With a series of fearless performances, the shifty junior guard carried his team to eleven straight wins, the Big East tournament title, and an NCAA championship. Draining a slew of memorable, clutch shots in the process (including a buzzer-beating winner against Pitt), Walker was named most outstanding player in both tournaments, played more total minutes than any Division I player this decade, led the NCAA in win shares, and averaged 23.5 points (fifth in the country), 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists on the year. His 130 points in five Big East tournament wins in a five-day span was the most by any player in any conference tournament in 15 years. On whole, Walker’s season wasn’t historically prolific, but he carried the heaviest load through a grueling stretch, was at his best when it mattered most, and came out as a champion, a folk hero of sorts, and a lasting part of the college hoops lexicon.

Total joke. Zionn bounced in the E8. Oh wow, 14/10 for AD. Hash had 13.5/11 in 2009.