50 most successful programs in the last 50 years

**mobaar** · Aug 21, 12, 10:57 AM

ESPN came up with a formula to rank the best programs over the last 50 years. The 50 year limit kills four of UKs titles, so its really UCLAs to lose I think. Should be interesting though.

Scroll to the bottom to see the criteria

50 in 50 series - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN

Released so far:
50 - Boston College
49 - San Francisco
48 - LSU
47 - Alabama
46 - UTEP
45 - DePaul
44 - Davidson
43 - NC State
40(t) - Saint Joe's
40(t) - St. John's
40(t) - Florida

**DragonFire** · Aug 21, 12, 12:13 PM

Starting in 1962, there's no way UCLA isn't #1. I'd guess Duke comes in at #2, UNC at #3. UK should be probably be #4, with Indiana contending for that spot. I think Kentucky's win total in that time plus more Final Fours should give them the edge.

**PurplePride92** · Aug 21, 12, 01:31 PM

This will be pretty cool to see how it turns out. With the formula I expect UCLA but there are a lot of ways to score points so any of the top 5 as #1 wouldn't surprise me.

Duke was #1 in 2008 but apparently they hae expanded the scope to cover more history. We shall see come Friday.

**mobaar** · Aug 21, 12, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by DragonFire

Starting in 1962, there's no way UCLA isn't #1. I'd guess Duke comes in at #2, UNC at #3. UK should be probably be #4, with Indiana contending for that spot. I think Kentucky's win total in that time plus more Final Fours should give them the edge.

UK's SEC titles will help them a lot I think. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

**Jumper_Dad** · Aug 21, 12, 08:21 PM

UNC, Duke and UK all have 4 NCAA titles in the last 50 years and wins should be pretty close as well. IU has 3 during the last 50 years '62-'12.

UNC 18 Final Fours
Duke 15 Final Fours
Kentucky 10 Fianl Fours
Indiana 7 Final Fours
UCLA 18 Final Fours

**mobaar** · Aug 22, 12, 08:53 AM

Here's the next group:

39 - Weber St
38 - Kansas St
37 - Missouri
36 - BYI
35 - Houston
34 - Xavier
33 - Illinois
31 - Oklahoma

**DragonFire** · Aug 22, 12, 09:55 AM

Murray State being ahead of WKU tells me their system is deeply, deeply flawed.

**mobaar** · Aug 22, 12, 10:51 AM

30 - WKU
29 - ND
28 - Murray St
27 - Maryland
26 - Texas
25 - Arkansas
24 - Cincinnati

**mobaar** · Aug 22, 12, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by DragonFire

Murray State being ahead of WKU tells me their system is deeply, deeply flawed.

I think they're giving too much weight to regular season conference titles and conference tournament titles. That should help UK though.

**Hatz** · Aug 22, 12, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by DragonFire

Murray State being ahead of WKU tells me their system is deeply, deeply flawed.

I agree. Also, look at the the teams they label as a school's "Top 3."

WKU has listed the '71 Final Four squad, the '93 Sweet 16 team and the '95 2nd round team. Anyone with any research knows that the '66 WKU may have been their best. Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith were a bad call away from playing UK in the Regional Final before Michigan beat them by 1 point.

Looking at others: Maryland doesn't list the '74 team that lost the 3 OT thriller to NC State and didn't go to the post season because of it. Most experts put that group as the best Terp team ever, even over the National Champion team. They even have Joe Smith over Len Elmore at Center.

Can't wait to see what they do with the Top 25. Geez.

**Getslow** · Aug 22, 12, 11:44 AM

Here comes my homer rant in praise of the University of Dayton.

The points system is flawed. It places way too much on regular season and tournament titles. Weber State is seriously over-rewarded for dominating the near-irrelevant Big Sky conference. The University of Dayton was an independent until 1987. No conference titles to be earned there, but they did have six Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights and a national runner-up in 1967. Weber State only needed to win the Big Sky regular season four times to cancel out Dayton's loss to UCLA in the '67 title game. In my opinion, a school like UD is under-rewarded for its performances pre-1987 while a school like Weber State is over-rewarded for winning a lower-tier conference.

There's no defense from me on the fact that Dayton has been nearly irrelevant since Jim O'Brien basically ruined the program in the early 1990s.

**sweet16** · Aug 22, 12, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by mobaar

Here's the next group:

39 - Weber St
38 - Kansas St
37 - Missouri
36 - BYI
35 - Houston
34 - Xavier
33 - Illinois
31 - Oklahoma

Is there no #32?

**gametime** · Aug 22, 12, 07:46 PM

Too bad the time frame used wasn't 53 years...

**mobaar** · Aug 22, 12, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by sweet16

Is there no #32?

I missed Gonzaga tying Oklahoma for 31.

**5wide** · Aug 23, 12, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Getslow

Here comes my homer rant in praise of the University of Dayton.

The points system is flawed. It places way too much on regular season and tournament titles. Weber State is seriously over-rewarded for dominating the near-irrelevant Big Sky conference. The University of Dayton was an independent until 1987. No conference titles to be earned there, but they did have six Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights and a national runner-up in 1967. Weber State only needed to win the Big Sky regular season four times to cancel out Dayton's loss to UCLA in the '67 title game. In my opinion, a school like UD is under-rewarded for its performances pre-1987 while a school like Weber State is over-rewarded for winning a lower-tier conference.

There's no defense from me on the fact that Dayton has been nearly irrelevant since Jim O'Brien basically ruined the program in the early 1990s.

If you read the scoring explanation, they do have a stipulation that an independent gets the 5 points if they finished the AP Poll ahead of two major conference champions. Not sure if that would affect Dayton much or not.

**Getslow** · Aug 23, 12, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by 5wide

If you read the scoring explanation, they do have a stipulation that an independent gets the 5 points if they finished the AP Poll ahead of two major conference champions. Not sure if that would affect Dayton much or not.

Seems reasonable, but I've never really cared for the "major conference" term as it tends to get applied in basketball.

**mobaar** · Aug 23, 12, 10:49 AM

22 (t) - Penn
22 (t) - Princeton
20 (t) - Utah
20 (t) - Purdue
19 - Memphis
18 - Temple
17 - Marquette
16 - Villanova
15 - Ohio State
14 - UNLV
13 - Michigan
12 - Georgetown
11 - Michigan State

**5wide** · Aug 23, 12, 12:44 PM

By my figuring, UK should end up somewhere around 800 points. I got 810, but could be off a few points as I wasn't sure how the sanctions would end up tallying, and I'm not 100% sure on the AA's and top 10 picks. But, 810 should be pretty close.

That took a while, so I'm thinking I won't be figuring anyone else.

I think the end results might be a surprise to some. The last time they did something like this was prior to Cal's current run. Cal has netted the Cats a lot of points in his 3 seasons.

**5wide** · Aug 23, 12, 03:30 PM

I'm not sure what the criteria are for first and second team AA's, since there are various lists - AP, NCAA, etc. Which do they go by or do they all count? And, I'm also not sure about the particulars of any teams past NCAA sanctions. I know UCLA has some, but I'm not sure how many nor what they were.

As is, I'm predicting...

1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Kentucky
4. Duke
5. Kansas

**Randy Parker** · Aug 23, 12, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by 5wide

I'm not sure what the criteria are for first and second team AA's, since there are various lists - AP, NCAA, etc. Which do they go by or do they all count? And, I'm also not sure about the particulars of any teams past NCAA sanctions. I know UCLA has some, but I'm not sure how many nor what they were.

As is, I'm predicting...

1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Kentucky
4. Duke
5. Kansas

I would think those top two are accurate. Not sure if UK will be ahead of Duke, though.