What it may mean to be ELITE according to recent history

College Basketball
1

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”…

  1. Duke: (15 times)
  2. Kentucky (15)
  3. North Carolina (15)
  4. Kansas (12)
  5. Arizona (10)
  6. Connecticut (9)
  7. Michigan State (9)
  8. Louisville (8)
  9. Florida (8)
  10. UCLA (7)
  11. Syracuse (6)
  12. Michigan (6)
  13. 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!

2

thanks. better discussion up above–I accidentally double posted and don’t know how to delete.

3

How many had a 10+ year tourney appearance drought over those 30 years?

We make it about every 3rd time that we’re actually in the tourney. Not bad.

Thanks for sharing.