April 10, 201313 yr I think that is often forgotten. When the Tourney is over, does the best team stand as the champion? 2013: Louisville was the best 2012: UK was the best 2011: I don't think UConn was the best team 2010: Duke? 2009: UNC was the best 2008: Kansas? Good case for them. 2007 & 06: Florida 2005: UNC I think in recent history the best team has won more than not but it's not to say the best team always wins. Florida was a 3 seed the first year they won the tournament. Weak field that season too. UConn was the favorite to win but predictably underperformed like they did all season and lost to George Mason in the Elite 8.
April 10, 201313 yr I think that is often forgotten. When the Tourney is over, does the best team stand as the champion? 2013: Louisville was the best 2012: UK was the best 2011: I don't think UConn was the best team 2010: Duke? 2009: UNC was the best 2008: Kansas? Good case for them. 2007 & 06: Florida 2005: UNC I think in recent history the best team has won more than not but it's not to say the best team always wins. I guess the question there is what definition of best are we using? Louisville was the best in terms over being the overall #1 seed, but they weren't ranked as such in the polls entering the tournament. They were 4th behind Gonzaga, Duke, and Indiana. If we're going by the overall #1 seed: 2004 - Kentucky (L Second Round) 2005 - Illinois (L Natl Championship) 2006 - Duke (L Sweet Sixteen) 2007 - Florida (Champions) 2008 - North Carolina (L Final Four) 2009 - Louisville (L Elite Eight) 2010 - Kansas (L Second Round) 2011 - Ohio State (L Sweet Sixteen) 2012 - Kentucky (Champions) 2013 - Louisville (Champions) That's just three times the overall 1 seed has won it, albeit two of them coming back to back in the last two years. If going by rankings entering the tournament: 1995 - UCLA (Champions) 1996 - Massachusetts (L Final Four) 1997 - Kansas (L Sweet Sixteen) 1998 - North Carolina (L Final Four) 1999 - Duke (L Natl Championship) 2000 - Duke (L Sweet Sixteen) 2001 - Duke (Champions) 2002 - Duke (L Sweet Sixteen) 2003 - Kentucky (L Elite Eight) 2004 - Stanford (L Second Round) 2005 - Illinois (L Natl Championship) 2006 - Duke (L Sweet Sixteen) 2007 - Ohio State (L Natl Championship) 2008 - North Carolina (L Final Four) 2009 - Louisville (L Elite Eight) 2010 - Kansas (L Second Round) 2011 - Ohio State (L Sweet Sixteen) 2012 - Kentucky (Champions) 2013 - Gonzaga (L Second Round) I went back far enough to find three champions from the #1 ranked team in the AP poll, and you can see that it's even worse. It's easy to see some teams as the best once the tourney is over, but it rarely matches that perception from before the tournament. Really appreciate all the info and research.....well done!!!!!
April 10, 201313 yr If Wiggins signs, I have to think UK is the odds on favorite to win it. If Wiggins does not sign, UK is among a group of a half dozen or fewer teams who should win it but UK does not stand out from that group.
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