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Performance Against Seed Expectations: From 2000 to 2021

thebasketballreasons

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Apr 13, 2013
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Top 10:
  1. Tom Izzo, MSU
  2. John Calipari, Kentucky
  3. Roy Williams, UNC
  4. Billy Donnovan, Florida
  5. John Beilein, Michigan
  6. Brad Stevens, Butler
  7. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
  8. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
  9. Rick Pitino, Iona
  10. Kevin Ollie, Connecticut

Bottom 10:
  1. Jamie Dixon, TCU
  2. Tony Bennett, Virginia
  3. John Thompson III, Georgetown
  4. Mike Montgomery, California
  5. Fran Dunphy, Temple
  6. Oliver Purnell, Clemson
  7. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
  8. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
  9. Bob Huggins, West Virginia
  10. Bill Self, Kansas
I am amazed that John Thompson III isnt the #1, to me hes a tier of his own when we talk about choke artist coaches. Also it surprises me that Bob Huggins is on the list, I thought he was a good tournament coach but maybe my memory deceived me?

On the other hand, I feel that every coach who has won at least a title, should get a pass, which will remove Bennett, Coach K and Bill Self from this list(when you get #1 seeds too often, its hard not to underperform).

Thoughts?

 
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I know excuses are excuses but when you don’t have the same team in the tournament that you had when earning the seed it’s difficult to live up to your seed. Especially when you always get a high seed because you consistently perform during the regular season.

There is no doubt Bill Self should have a better tournament record and more championships but his teams have consistently had the injury bug entering the tournament. Also, 6 of the last 9 tournaments they have either made the final 4 or lost to a team that made the final 4 so it isn’t like they are losing to patsies. They are getting beat by one of the 4 best teams in March. How many programs can say that?

2021 - Wilson and McCormick get Covid, McCormick has broken foot. Bad loss rd32
2020 - favorite to cut down nets, no tournament
2019 - #1 team in country then Udoka gets hurt, lost to final 4 team
2018 - has full team makes final 4, loses to National Champ
2017 - No Udoka injured, lost to a national Champion Runner Up
2016 - no Diallo, lost in E8 to national champs
2015 - no Alexander, lost to Wichita State, bad loss rd32
2014 - no Embiid, bad loss in rd32
2013 - lost to National Champion Runner Up
2012 - lost in title game to National Champion

So the 3 times they lost to an inferior opponent they were either without a key piece or a shell of the team that got them there. I know many teams deal with injuries but I’d challenge any other fan base to show me a list of losses to the teams I’ve outlined above. Even the losses to final 4 teams we were usually missing a huge piece of our team. 5 losses to teams playing in the championship game I would not call getting upset. Underachieving possibly, but nothing to be ashamed of with those losses.
 
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