Illinois recently extended Brad Underwood, and I was extremely happy ... the guy walked into a dumpster fire and had us winning Big Ten championships and getting #1 seeds in just a few years. However, it's somewhat well known we still haven't made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 2005 - the same year we last made the Final Four. I was absolutely shocked to learn that Arizona has a longer drought, waiting since 2001, so I decided to look up the last time each power conference team made it to the final weekend. First, we will start with the most unfortunate of lists ... the teams that have NEVER had the honor:
Never Made the Final Four (Total NCAAT App.)
Missouri (28) ... 5 Elite Eights ... OUCH, Mizzou!
Xavier (28) ... 3 Elite Eights ... pretty rough, as well.
Tennessee (24) ... 1 Elite Eight ... was very surprised Tennessee has never made it!
Creighton (24) ... 1 Elite Eight
Alabama (22) ... 1 Elite Eight
Boston College (18) ... 3 Elite Eights
Arizona State (15) ... 3 Elite Eights
Vanderbilt (15) ... 1 Elite Eight
Texas A&M (14) ... 0 Elite Eights
Virginia Tech (13) ... 1 Elite Eight
Miami (FL) (11) ... 1 Elite Eight in 2022
TCU (9) ... 1 Elite Eight
Ole Miss (9) ... 0 Elite Eights
Nebraska (7) ... 0 Elite Eights
Northwestern (1) ... 0 Elite Eights
Longest Droughts Among Power Conference Teams
81 years (1941) - Pitt, Washington State
78 years (1944) - Iowa State
69 years (1953) - Washington
68 years (1954) - USC, Penn State
67 years (1955) - Colorado
62 years (1960) - Cal
60 years (1962) - Wake Forest
59 years (1963) - Oregon State
58 years (1964) - Kansas State
50 years (1972) - Florida State
46 years (1976) - Rutgers
44 years (1978) - Notre Dame ... would never know this listening to Digger Phelps!
43 years (1979) - DePaul
42 years (1980) - Purdue, Iowa ... RIP @hawkit3113
39 years (1983) - NC State, Georgia
37 years (1985) - St. John's
35 years (1987) - Providence
33 years (1989) - Seton Hall
27 years (1995) - Arkansas ... not for long??
26 years (1996) - Mississippi State
25 years (1997) - Minnesota ... but it was vacated, so technically never?
@Deathclutch
Longest Droughts Among Teams With 4 Final Fours or More
58 years (1964) - Kansas State
27 years (1995) - Arkansas
21 years (2001) - Arizona
20 years (2002) - Indiana
18 years (2004) - Oklahoma State
17 years (2005) - Illinois
16 years (2006) - LSU
15 years (2007) - Georgetown
10 years (2012) - Ohio State
It's been 9 years (2013) for Louisville, but if we vacate their vacated stuff, they join Illinois at that 17 years (2005) mark. Of the teams who have never made it, it seems like Tennessee is the most likely to break through. I picked them to in my bracket this year, so they can thank me for that kiss of death.
Never Made the Final Four (Total NCAAT App.)
Missouri (28) ... 5 Elite Eights ... OUCH, Mizzou!
Xavier (28) ... 3 Elite Eights ... pretty rough, as well.
Tennessee (24) ... 1 Elite Eight ... was very surprised Tennessee has never made it!
Creighton (24) ... 1 Elite Eight
Alabama (22) ... 1 Elite Eight
Boston College (18) ... 3 Elite Eights
Arizona State (15) ... 3 Elite Eights
Vanderbilt (15) ... 1 Elite Eight
Texas A&M (14) ... 0 Elite Eights
Virginia Tech (13) ... 1 Elite Eight
Miami (FL) (11) ... 1 Elite Eight in 2022
TCU (9) ... 1 Elite Eight
Ole Miss (9) ... 0 Elite Eights
Nebraska (7) ... 0 Elite Eights
Northwestern (1) ... 0 Elite Eights
Longest Droughts Among Power Conference Teams
81 years (1941) - Pitt, Washington State
78 years (1944) - Iowa State
69 years (1953) - Washington
68 years (1954) - USC, Penn State
67 years (1955) - Colorado
62 years (1960) - Cal
60 years (1962) - Wake Forest
59 years (1963) - Oregon State
58 years (1964) - Kansas State
50 years (1972) - Florida State
46 years (1976) - Rutgers
44 years (1978) - Notre Dame ... would never know this listening to Digger Phelps!
43 years (1979) - DePaul
42 years (1980) - Purdue, Iowa ... RIP @hawkit3113
39 years (1983) - NC State, Georgia
37 years (1985) - St. John's
35 years (1987) - Providence
33 years (1989) - Seton Hall
27 years (1995) - Arkansas ... not for long??
26 years (1996) - Mississippi State
25 years (1997) - Minnesota ... but it was vacated, so technically never?
@Deathclutch Longest Droughts Among Teams With 4 Final Fours or More
58 years (1964) - Kansas State
27 years (1995) - Arkansas
21 years (2001) - Arizona
20 years (2002) - Indiana
18 years (2004) - Oklahoma State
17 years (2005) - Illinois
16 years (2006) - LSU
15 years (2007) - Georgetown
10 years (2012) - Ohio State
It's been 9 years (2013) for Louisville, but if we vacate their vacated stuff, they join Illinois at that 17 years (2005) mark.
Of the teams who have never made it, it seems like Tennessee is the most likely to break through. I picked them to in my bracket this year, so they can thank me for that kiss of death.
