alexrgct
RIP, Alex
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 10,094
- Reaction Score
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In the previous decade, UConn established itself as the runaway program of the '00s by the time the decade was half over. Five F4 appearances and four NCs will do that.
Here's the thing: even though UConn won't match those figures in terms of championships by 2014, the program has the possibility of running away with the mythical program of the decade title by an even wider margin by the time the recruiting class of 2012 hangs it up.
Below is where we are so far, and the disparities are likely to become more acute as the decade rolls on, not less. Right now, UConn is surging. Other programs who have stayed close are losing players that are tough to replace. Stanford's run of Wiggins-Appel-Nneka-Chiney comes to a close after this upcoming season, and there's not a kid in the Cardinal's current pipeline of players who's a slam dunk to be that kind of impact player. Tara is still Tara, but there's still a big void to fill. Baylor isn't going to be the same without Griner- not year in, year out, anyway. Notre Dame loses a lot with Skylar, though Achonwa and McBride give them some battle-tested players. Can they carry the mantle while Lloyd and Reimer get themselves situated? Texas A&M is seeming more and more like a one-hit wonder in terms of championship-level visibility. Tennessee, Duke and Kentucky have been hanging around in the top 10. Can they take the next step? Can Louisville handle the pressure of expectations? The point is that everyone else has questions to answer, while UConn is gobbling up #1 seeds and Final Four appearances at an unprecedented rate. And unlike the '00s, there's no Tennessee type of powerhouse program that is a clear favorite to keep up with the Huskies.
Championships
1. UConn (2)
t2. Baylor (1)
t2. Texas A&M (1)
Championship Game Appearances (Record)
1. UConn (2-0)
2. Notre Dame (0-2)
t3. Baylor (1-0)
t3. Texas A&M (1-0)
t5. Louisville (0-1)
t5. Stanford (0-1)
Final Fours
1. UConn (4, 4-2)
2. Notre Dame (3, 2-3)
3. Stanford (3, 1-3)
4. Baylor (2, 2-1)
5. Texas A&M (1, 2-0)
6. Louisville (1, 1-1)
t7. Cal (1, 0-1)
t7. Oklahoma (1, 0-1)
Elite Eights
1. UConn (4, 4-0)
2. Duke (4, 0-4)
t3. Stanford (3, 3-0)
t3. Notre Dame (3, 3-0)
5. Baylor (3, 2-1)
t6. Kentucky (3, 0-3)
t6. Tennessee (3, 0-3)
t8. Texas A&M (1, 1-0)
t8. OU (1, 1-0)
t8. Cal (1, 1-0)
t8. Louisville (1, 1-0)
t11. Maryland (1, 0-1)
t11. Xavier (1, 0-1)
t11. Gonzaga (1, 0-1)
t11. Florida State (1, 0-1)
t11. Georgia (1, 0-1)
#1 Seeds
t1. UConn (4)
t1. Stanford (4)
3. Baylor (3)
t4. Notre Dame (2)
t4. Tennessee (2)
6. Nebraska (1)
Here's the thing: even though UConn won't match those figures in terms of championships by 2014, the program has the possibility of running away with the mythical program of the decade title by an even wider margin by the time the recruiting class of 2012 hangs it up.
Below is where we are so far, and the disparities are likely to become more acute as the decade rolls on, not less. Right now, UConn is surging. Other programs who have stayed close are losing players that are tough to replace. Stanford's run of Wiggins-Appel-Nneka-Chiney comes to a close after this upcoming season, and there's not a kid in the Cardinal's current pipeline of players who's a slam dunk to be that kind of impact player. Tara is still Tara, but there's still a big void to fill. Baylor isn't going to be the same without Griner- not year in, year out, anyway. Notre Dame loses a lot with Skylar, though Achonwa and McBride give them some battle-tested players. Can they carry the mantle while Lloyd and Reimer get themselves situated? Texas A&M is seeming more and more like a one-hit wonder in terms of championship-level visibility. Tennessee, Duke and Kentucky have been hanging around in the top 10. Can they take the next step? Can Louisville handle the pressure of expectations? The point is that everyone else has questions to answer, while UConn is gobbling up #1 seeds and Final Four appearances at an unprecedented rate. And unlike the '00s, there's no Tennessee type of powerhouse program that is a clear favorite to keep up with the Huskies.
Championships
1. UConn (2)
t2. Baylor (1)
t2. Texas A&M (1)
Championship Game Appearances (Record)
1. UConn (2-0)
2. Notre Dame (0-2)
t3. Baylor (1-0)
t3. Texas A&M (1-0)
t5. Louisville (0-1)
t5. Stanford (0-1)
Final Fours
1. UConn (4, 4-2)
2. Notre Dame (3, 2-3)
3. Stanford (3, 1-3)
4. Baylor (2, 2-1)
5. Texas A&M (1, 2-0)
6. Louisville (1, 1-1)
t7. Cal (1, 0-1)
t7. Oklahoma (1, 0-1)
Elite Eights
1. UConn (4, 4-0)
2. Duke (4, 0-4)
t3. Stanford (3, 3-0)
t3. Notre Dame (3, 3-0)
5. Baylor (3, 2-1)
t6. Kentucky (3, 0-3)
t6. Tennessee (3, 0-3)
t8. Texas A&M (1, 1-0)
t8. OU (1, 1-0)
t8. Cal (1, 1-0)
t8. Louisville (1, 1-0)
t11. Maryland (1, 0-1)
t11. Xavier (1, 0-1)
t11. Gonzaga (1, 0-1)
t11. Florida State (1, 0-1)
t11. Georgia (1, 0-1)
#1 Seeds
t1. UConn (4)
t1. Stanford (4)
3. Baylor (3)
t4. Notre Dame (2)
t4. Tennessee (2)
6. Nebraska (1)