Basketball

What is the greatest NCAA basketball team that did NOT win the national championship?

I have thought about this plenty, and I lean towards the 2005 Illinois squad. Without question one of the best TEAMS in college history, their assist-to-field goal ratio is the best in Division I history based upon my research. Yes, better than any of those Hoosier teams, the only thing I have not been able to confirm is all of the UCLA teams. The two losses this team suffered could both be considered flukes. They lost the national championship due to fluke shooting night of 12-40 from three point range despite being one of the best three ball shooting teams the whole year. #1 in the country for almost the entire year, only at the beginning they were ranked lower when they were underrated. They lost to the unquestioned #2 team in the country in North Carolina.

Public Comments

1. kansas
2. How about the 1979 Indiana State Sycamores? Not that they were that great of a "team", but they did have Larry Bird and did go through the season undefeated (33-0) before losing to the Magic Johnson/Greg Kelser led Spartans of Michigan State in the NCAA title game.
3. YOu could have two other teams that were much more worthy than Illinois. YOu could pick the undefeated yet ineligible for the post season 1973 NC State wolfpack. In 1973 they go 27-0 but cannot play in the NCAA because of rules they broke during the season. The next yr they go 30-1 and win the NCAA title. Effectively going 57-1 in two seasons. Another choice would be the 1998-99 Duke Blue Devils. They go 37-1 and lose by 3 points to Uconn for the national title. I do nto think Illinois should even be included in this discussion mainly because of the SOS (Strength of Schedule) That yr they had an RPI of 1 but a SOS of 41. In other words, 40 other teams had a better and tougher schedule during the yr. Kinda of lame for a team that someone is considering to be the "best" NOT to win the NCAA.
4. The 2007 Ohio State Buckeyes. Won like 22 games in a row before losing in the National Championship Game to the Florida Gators.
5. The Ohio State Buckeyes. They were a great team that was defeated by the Florida Gators. Any other year they would have won the championship. 2007 was not the year for any Ohio State team sport.
6. Ohio State, but the 1993 Santa Clara team, lead by my favorite player, Steve Nash, were the 15th seed playing the #2 seed Arizona Wildcats... they beat them they deserved a championship, but never got it
7. Ohio State ?duh?