ADVERTISEMENT

Biggest “What Ifs” in Your Schools history

What if Phil Ford was healthy against Marquette in the 1977 championship game?

What if Kris Jenkins misses that shot and the 2016 championship games goes into OT? Both instances I think UNC wins but it does suck there’s 2 more titles we could of had. :(
 
Last edited:
What if Duke fires K after the 1982-1983 season when he went 11-17 in his 3rd year? IIRC, there was a pretty good chance of that happening and the AD basically gave him 1 last chance while the boosters and fans wanted him gone.

Thats probably the biggest what if so far in this thread.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jhmossy
1. What if Webber didn't call that timeout?

2. What if Trey Burke wasn't called for a foul on that block?

3. What if Mitch McGary doesn't miss the 2013/14 season?

4. What if D.J. Wilson returned like expected instead of leaving for the draft?


Maybe a championship or two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RichardMassive, JRMSU and Bert Higginbotha
schoonerwest said:
Kansas lost the 1953 title to Indiana by 1 point. Kansas lost the 1957 title to North Carolina by 1 point. If Kansas scores 2 more points in both games then they have 5 titles, North Carolina has 5 titles and Indiana has 4. When it comes to all time rankings that would change so much.

What if the refs don’t say JoJo White’s foot is out of bounds against Texas Western in 1966. They win that and go onto to play Kentucky for the title. Rupp likely doesn’t have the legacy he has today other than being known as a potential GOAT.

What if Kansas doesn’t keep Ted Owens around 19 seasons? While Bob Knight, Dean Smith and John Wooden were making their names in the sport he was at Kansas having 1 great season followed by 2-3 average years and it went on for nearly 2 decades. No way they would allow a coach to do that today.

What if Larry Brown says no to the job in 1983? Does the program find another coach and get resurrected or fall further down into mediocrity?

What if Danny Manning doesn’t have what many might consider a top 5 tournament all time by 1 player and lead a 6 seed to a title?

What if Kansas doesn’t do the unthinkable and hire a guy with no head coaching experience in Roy Williams? This was considered a very questionable move when it happened. On that note, what if Roy leaves in 2000 when he first had the chance to? Probably no Bill Self in that case and instead John Calipari.

What if Wayne Simien doesn’t go out for the year in January in 2003? What if Nick Collison doesn’t go 3-10 and what if the team doesn’t collectively go 12-30 from the FT line in an 81-78 loss to Syracuse in the national championship that same season?

What if Mario Chalmers misses?

What if Self ****ing presses against Northern Iowa in the 2nd half when it clearly works the times he tries it out.

What if Embiid stays healthy in 2014? He turned a top 25 team into a top 5 team when he was even just 80%.

What if 5 teams who sent Kansas home in March since Self has been there all didn’t hit the most 3’s they hit in a game all season that night?

There’s probably more. Kansas seems to have a case of big men getting injured in March but the only time it likely cost a FF/Title run was in 2014 and 2003. I won’t say Ellis being injured in 2013 and 2015 counts as much of a what if.

Fun game, OP.
Click to expand...
This board says 1950's titles don't matter anyway, so losing by 1 point makes no difference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bert Higginbotha
What if Chris Boucher didn't get hurt right before the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The team got to the final four before losing to UNC (eventual champs) by 1. Would another future NBA player have pushed the Ducks over the top?

That Oregon Ducks team was sneaky good.

Jordan Bell - NBA
Chris Boucher - NBA
Dillon Brooks - NBA
Tyler Dorsey - Previously NBA, now getting a big pay day overseas
Payton Prichard - Future NBA
Dylan Ennis - Very good college player, now playing overseas
 
  • Like
Reactions: jhmossy, AWilli6995 and Noahtogo24
IUfanBorden said:
Few what "if", with the Hoosiers, but one I doiubt many know about, is probably the biggest...

Sure there are these....

What if McGinnis doesn't leave IU early? Hes on the '73 team that lost to UCLA in FF. With him, I think IU wins the title.

Larry Bird stays at IU? JFC....

Thomas returns for his Jr year, and Landon Turner isn't paralyzed in a car accident?

Henderson doesn't hurt his knee in 1993? Or Funderburke doesn't transfer?

But the biggest, yet not well known, "What IF"?

In 1971 IU was looking for a coach....They offered the job to Wooden. He turned it down. But he did make a recommendation....

Jerry Tarkanian. IU wanted him. He wanted IU.

BUT.....After his Long Beach team played very well vs UCLA, he never reached out to IU. Instead IU hired some guy named Bob Knight....

What ifm huh?
Click to expand...
I liked Funderburke, he was a beast. IU dodged a bullet on Tarkanian... what a shady ass dude.
 
What if Michael Lee’s shot weren’t blocked by that freak Warrick?

What if Ben McLemore had played as a freshman?

What if Udoka had been healthy in 2017?

What if that asshole Faroukmanesh hadn’t the balls to take that three in transition?

What if Elijah Johnson doesn’t get a 10 second call vs Michigan?
 
duckboy33 said:
What if Chris Boucher didn't get hurt right before the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The team got to the final four before losing to UNC (eventual champs) by 1. Would another future NBA player have pushed the Ducks over the top?

That Oregon Ducks team was sneaky good.

Jordan Bell - NBA
Chris Boucher - NBA
Dillon Brooks - NBA
Tyler Dorsey - Previously NBA, now getting a big pay day overseas
Payton Prichard - Future NBA
Dylan Ennis - Very good college player, now playing overseas
Click to expand...

I was going to pick Oregon in my bracket pool before Boucher got injured- went Zags instead, but Oregon still made the final four- big props
 
  • Like
Reactions: duckboy33
Noahtogo24 said:
I was going to pick Oregon in my bracket pool before Boucher got injured- went Zags instead, but Oregon still made the final four- big props
Click to expand...

I legit thought Oregon was going to win the Championship before Boucher got hurt. I picked them to get to the elite 8 without him. Beating Kansas in Kansas City to get to the Final Four was a great moment for Oregon basketball.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Noahtogo24
What if Derrick Coleman made that free throw

What if Triche wasn’t incorrectly called for a Charge against Michigan in the F4

What if Fab Melo didn’t get suspended for not knowing English

What if Arinze Onuaku didn’t get hurt


All 4 of these what ifs would have resulted in legitimate National Title chances.
 
brooky03 said:
What if Derrick Coleman made that free throw

What if Triche wasn’t incorrectly called for a Charge against Michigan in the F4

What if Fab Melo didn’t get suspended for not knowing English

What if Arinze Onuaku didn’t get hurt


All 4 of these what ifs would have resulted in legitimate National Title chances.
Click to expand...

Would have been interesting to see Cuse with AO vs Michigan State with Lucas in the 2010 final four-
 
Kevin Bryan said:
I liked Funderburke, he was a beast. IU dodged a bullet on Tarkanian... what a shady ass dude.
Click to expand...
Loved Funderburke. Had he stayed at IU, it would've softened the injury to Henderson. It also would have created an incredible front line.. He and Henderson would have been a handful. Not to mention had Chris lawson not transferred. Man....

Yes, IU dodge a HUGE bullet with Tark.
 
Couple more....

What if.....

Bob Knight wasn't fired?

Tom Crean knew how to break a zone? JFC that game still pisses me the %^%$% off...Dude had every tool needed to not only BEAT a zone, but destroy it. Stupid mutherfcker.....
 
What if Bobby Verga does not get sick in the 1966 FF.Texas Western does not win its only Championship
 
What if Marvin Bagley III had stayed in the 2018 class instead of reclassifying to 2017 and he had played with Zion, Tre, Cam and RJ at Duke in 2018-19.
 
MGC_07 said:
I’ll go first for MSU. This season can not be a what if, it’s the same for everyone, doesn’t count.

in chronological order

1. What if the clock hadn’t stopped incorrectly against top seeded Kansas in 86’ sweet sixteen, letting them send it to overtime and win.

2. What if Kalin Lucas didn’t blow out his achilles in 2010 against Maryland in the sweet sixteen. Still made the Final Four, but could we have beaten Butler with him healthy?

3. What if Brandon Dawson didn’t tear his ACL against OSU in the last game of the regular season in 2012. We lost that game on a buzzer beater, and it cost us a sole big ten title, and with him healthy could we have gone farther in March?

4. What if the 2013-14 team wasn’t ravaged with injuries. That team was the most talented MSU team fully healthy this century in my opinion, but no one could stay healthy. Keith Appling, poised to take a big leap after a great Junior season, hurt his wrist. Was never the same shooter. Adriean Payne got hurt and missed a lot of time. Brandon Dawson broke his wrist. We lost in the elite 8 to 7 seed Connecticut, who went on to win it all. Fully healthy, we win that game.

5. What if we didn’t get upset in the first round in 2016? We we’re hitting our stride at the right time. Everyone was healthy, we were winning games. It’s regarded as one of the top 3 tournament upsets ever. We fell apart defensively, but MTSU could not miss either.



I would include 18-19 with all the injuries, but I think we actually played better afterwards. Langfords injury allowed Cassius to become Cassius, and Ward’s injury allowed Tillman to become Tillman.
Click to expand...

I’d add appling and the broken wrist, still should have beaten eventual NC UConn in NYC.
 
schoonerwest said:
Kansas lost the 1953 title to Indiana by 1 point. Kansas lost the 1957 title to North Carolina by 1 point. If Kansas scores 2 more points in both games then they have 5 titles, North Carolina has 5 titles and Indiana has 4. When it comes to all time rankings that would change so much.

What if the refs don’t say JoJo White’s foot is out of bounds against Texas Western in 1966. They win that and go onto to play Kentucky for the title. Rupp likely doesn’t have the legacy he has today other than being known as a potential GOAT.

What if Kansas doesn’t keep Ted Owens around 19 seasons? While Bob Knight, Dean Smith and John Wooden were making their names in the sport he was at Kansas having 1 great season followed by 2-3 average years and it went on for nearly 2 decades. No way they would allow a coach to do that today.

What if Larry Brown says no to the job in 1983? Does the program find another coach and get resurrected or fall further down into mediocrity?

What if Danny Manning doesn’t have what many might consider a top 5 tournament all time by 1 player and lead a 6 seed to a title?

What if Kansas doesn’t do the unthinkable and hire a guy with no head coaching experience in Roy Williams? This was considered a very questionable move when it happened. On that note, what if Roy leaves in 2000 when he first had the chance to? Probably no Bill Self in that case and instead John Calipari.

What if Wayne Simien doesn’t go out for the year in January in 2003? What if Nick Collison doesn’t go 3-10 and what if the team doesn’t collectively go 12-30 from the FT line in an 81-78 loss to Syracuse in the national championship that same season?

What if Mario Chalmers misses?

What if Self ****ing presses against Northern Iowa in the 2nd half when it clearly works the times he tries it out.

What if Embiid stays healthy in 2014? He turned a top 25 team into a top 5 team when he was even just 80%.

What if 5 teams who sent Kansas home in March since Self has been there all didn’t hit the most 3’s they hit in a game all season that night?

There’s probably more. Kansas seems to have a case of big men getting injured in March but the only time it likely cost a FF/Title run was in 2014 and 2003. I won’t say Ellis being injured in 2013 and 2015 counts as much of a what if.

Fun game, OP.
Click to expand...

The Texas Western game isn’t the cause of Rupp’s reputation. That game just highlighted it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AWilli6995
Nice topic. I started a similar one on the Duke board last week. For me, the BIGGEST what if will always be Kyrie Irving. Had he not gotten injured at all, Duke wins back to back and we probably head into the NCAA Tournament with 0 or 1 loss.
 
Quavarius said:
Nice topic. I started a similar one on the Duke board last week. For me, the BIGGEST what if will always be Kyrie Irving. Had he not gotten injured at all, Duke wins back to back and we probably head into the NCAA Tournament with 0 or 1 loss.
Click to expand...
Seems like a huge stretch since Kyrie played 31 minutes and scored 28 points against Arizona and they still got curb stomped in the Sweet 16.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AWilli6995 and jhmossy
What if

Ben Wilson isn't murdered.
Our AD doesn't report minor infractions which leads to the slush fund issues.
Bruce Pearl isn't a cheater.
 
  • Like
Reactions: all4theillini
MGC_07 said:
I’ll go first for MSU. This season can not be a what if, it’s the same for everyone, doesn’t count.

in chronological order

1. What if the clock hadn’t stopped incorrectly against top seeded Kansas in 86’ sweet sixteen, letting them send it to overtime and win.

2. What if Kalin Lucas didn’t blow out his achilles in 2010 against Maryland in the sweet sixteen. Still made the Final Four, but could we have beaten Butler with him healthy?

3. What if Brandon Dawson didn’t tear his ACL against OSU in the last game of the regular season in 2012. We lost that game on a buzzer beater, and it cost us a sole big ten title, and with him healthy could we have gone farther in March?

4. What if the 2013-14 team wasn’t ravaged with injuries. That team was the most talented MSU team fully healthy this century in my opinion, but no one could stay healthy. Keith Appling, poised to take a big leap after a great Junior season, hurt his wrist. Was never the same shooter. Adriean Payne got hurt and missed a lot of time. Brandon Dawson broke his wrist. We lost in the elite 8 to 7 seed Connecticut, who went on to win it all. Fully healthy, we win that game.

5. What if we didn’t get upset in the first round in 2016? We we’re hitting our stride at the right time. Everyone was healthy, we were winning games. It’s regarded as one of the top 3 tournament upsets ever. We fell apart defensively, but MTSU could not miss either.



I would include 18-19 with all the injuries, but I think we actually played better afterwards. Langfords injury allowed Cassius to become Cassius, and Ward’s injury allowed Tillman to become Tillman.
Click to expand...
You missed a big one - what if refs ruled correctly that Kenny Anderson did niot get the game tying shot off in time in the 1990 S16 game va Ga Tech
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGC_07
—What if the NCAA, HQ’d in Iowa City at that time, had not fallen for Bruce Pearl’s doctored/altered tapes? Cost UI Juwan Howard & Cuonzo Martin. Fab Five would’ve never happened.

—What if Brian Randle had not broken his hand in 2005 leaving no one comparable to guard UNC’s Marvin Williams in the National Championship game?
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGC_07
all4theillini said:
—What if the NCAA, HQ’d in Iowa City at that time, had not fallen for Bruce Pearl’s doctored/altered tapes? Cost UI Juwan Howard & Cuonzo Martin. Fab Five would’ve never happened.

—What if Brian Randle had not broken his hand in 2005 leaving no one comparable to guard UNC’s Marvin Williams in the National Championship game?
Click to expand...


Sean May was the one that killed you guys, not Marvin.
 
MGC_07 said:
I’ll go first for MSU. This season can not be a what if, it’s the same for everyone, doesn’t count.

in chronological order

1. What if the clock hadn’t stopped incorrectly against top seeded Kansas in 86’ sweet sixteen, letting them send it to overtime and win.

.
Click to expand...

I remember watching that. You guys got so ****ed. Wasn't that game in Kanas too? Also, Scott Skiles was a GOD.
 
For DePaul it's really simple. There are two that stand out.

1. What if Ray Meyer never heard of the 4 corners offense. We might have won 3 titles in the early 80s.

2. What if Teddy Grubs didn't go crazy. Great player, but had severe mental issues. had a bad mental breakdown which led to hospitalization and a life of crime. For some reason, the Public League high school basketball coaches all decided to blame Ray Meyer for the guy's mental illness. That led to a boycott of all public players going to DePaul. The boycott unofficially lasted for decades and even today there are people in the public league who hold it against DePaul. Hard to imagine how good we would've been if we continued to get the best players Chicago had to offer year in year out.
 
WeAreDePaul said:
I remember watching that. You guys got so ****ed. Wasn't that game in Kanas too? Also, Scott Skiles was a GOD.
Click to expand...
Yup.

Scott Skiles had the best single season ever at MSU. 27.4 points on 55.4% from the field as a PG. Dude was insane
 
AWilli6995 said:
May became a problem for everyone a few games into conference play. You guys weren't the only one but that Illinois team was straight nasty, especially your guards.
Click to expand...
Yeah, well Dee and Deron vs McCants and Felton was one for the ages. All four straight up savages.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AWilli6995
What if Pitino didn’t hire ****ing Andre McGee as an assistant to throw some weak dollars at some west end trash to try and get recruits even though that shit didn’t even work. (Antonio Blakeny says what’s up)

What if...:(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Hall-O-Daze

shaka smart Needs To Hand In His Man Card

Replies
9
Views
750
College Basketball Board
englandnu
englandnu
dijjion

UK bet

Replies
0
Views
191
College Basketball Board
dijjion
dijjion
T

Grade your teams performance in non con

Replies
52
Views
1K
College Basketball Board
Five Nattys
F
Yet Another UK Fan

? for fans of schools other than Kentucky

Replies
146
Views
2K
College Basketball Board
della
della
ExitFlagger

One of these 12 teams will win it all

Replies
66
Views
3K
College Basketball Board
lurkeraspect84
lurkeraspect84
ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back