In the 30 years since 1985 when the tourney went to 64+ teams requiring teams to win at least 3 games to get to the ELITE 8, only 13 schools could have made it a half dozen times to what I consider a “deep tourney run”…
- Duke: (15 times)
- Kentucky (15)
- North Carolina (15)
- Kansas (12)
- Arizona (10)
- Connecticut (9)
- Michigan State (9)
- Louisville (8)
- Florida (8)
- UCLA (7)
- Syracuse (6)
- Michigan (6)
- Georgetown (6)
…forgive me if my count is off (did while watching Tiger’s game–thanks wiki)
NOTE: 3 schools make it every other year
NOTE: 4 schools make it about every 3rd year
NOTE: 6 schools make it every 4-5 years
There are A LOT of so called basketball schools that have not made it even 6 times to the elite 8 over the last 30 years!
Conclusion–I think it unrealistic to expect UM to be in Final 4 most years even as a potential ELITE school. I would expect us to get to Elite 8 every 3 years (which would be consistent with our history less that decade of wilderness) and be among the ELITE 8 teams in the country–yet I do not see getting into the elite of the elites’ Duke, UK, UNC, Kansas any time soon.
Realize Indiana, Maryland, OSU, and over 320 other schools didn’t make the above list!