Who are the blue bloods of college basketball programs? Taking a closer look at elite NCAA schools
While college basketball upsets are the talk of March, by the time April brings the Final Four, the traditional powers of the sport usually hold sway. The 2023-24 season was no different. While huskies-football" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">UConn isn't generally thought of as a traditional powerhouse, a closer look confirms that it should be.
Not that the Huskies are alone. There are six "blue blood" teams: UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Duke and UConn. Here's a rundown on the case for each as a perennial power and a brief summation of the top candidates who didn't quite make the field.
College basketball blue blood programs
UCLA
The case for UCLA: The Bruins' 11 national championships is an all-time record. They are one of only five schools to reach 2,000 all-time victories. Their 18 Final Four appearances are the second-most all-time. UCLA gave us John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton.
The case against UCLA: Of the 11 championships, 10 came in a run between 1964 and 1975. Take away one era when John Wooden dominated college basketball with four-year players, and UCLA doesn't match Syracuse as a dynasty. The last UCLA championship was in 1995, and the school has one Final Four in 16 years.
Kentucky
The case for Kentucky: With 2,398 wins, Kentucky has the most victories in college basketball history. The Wildcats' eight NCAA titles are second best all-time, and their 17 Final Four appearances tie for third. Kentucky has won championships under five different coaches. Among legendary Wildcats are Adolph Rupp, Dan Issel and Anthony Davis.
The case against Kentucky: The Wildcats have just one championship in the last 25 years and haven't made the Final Four since 2015. Much of Kentucky's record book was built in early NCAA Tournament days when the tournament had eight or 16 teams.
North Carolina
The case for North Carolina: UNC's 2,372 all-time victories are the third most. The Tar Heels' 21 Final Four appearances are an all-time record. Six NCAA titles tie with UConn for third all-time. North Carolina has won titles in five different decades, demonstrating staying power. Among the most legendary Tar Heels are Dean Smith, Michael Jordan and Tyler Hansbrough.
The case against North Carolina: Coming up empty in 15 Final Fours demonstrates UNC's issue with near misses. This was worse before coach Roy Williams' three titles. North Carolina has probably had more talent than any other program but often shackled its own talent. Michael Jordan, for instance, somehow did not win a championship in two of his three years.
Kansas
The case for Kansas: The Jayhawks have won 2,393 games, second most all-time. Their 15 Final Four appearances are the fifth most in college history, and their four NCAA titles each came in a different decade. Given the connections to Dr. James Naismith, Kansas is something of the cradle of basketball, and Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Manning and Bill Self are three Jayhawk legends.
The case against Kansas: Only four championships? "Wilt the Stilt" didn't pick up a title as a Jayhawk, for instance. Before coach Bill Self, Kansas could have been in danger of falling from the list. With two titles, Self doubled Kansas' all-time total.
Duke
The case for Duke: With 2,300 wins, Duke is fourth all-time in college basketball victories. It's 17 Final Four tie for third all-time and Duke has five NCAA titles, which is also fifth. Duke had a decent history but went to another like under Mike Krzyzewski, the all-time coaching wins leader. Grant Hill, JJ Reddick and Zion Williamson are some of the most famous Duke players.
The case against Duke: Before 1991, Duke had zero NCAA titles. It's fair to wonder if Duke's explosion of college basketball success isn't largely a product of "Coach K." The pressure on coach Jon Scheyer to win continues to grow.
UConn
The case for UConn: The school's six national titles tie for third-best in college basketball history. While UConn can't match the other programs for longevity, its seven Final Four appearances are 10th all-time, and its 1,836 wins are 23rd best. Among the most famous Huskies ever are Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton and Jim Calhoun. UConn just became the first repeat championships in nearly 20 years.
The case against UConn: Before 1999, UConn had never been to a single Final Four. Can this excellence last? As noted above, UConn's all-time standings in many college basketball areas are less than sparkling.
The Near Misses
Indiana has five NCAA titles but hasn't been to a Final Four since 2002 and largely accrued success under the late Bob Knight.
Villanova's three times are impressive, but the Wildcats are 19th in victories and 11th in Final Four appearances. Another title or two would help the Wildcats' situation greatly.
Syracuse and Temple are each about to reach 2,000 all-time wins. The Orange have one national title and the Owls have none. `
Michigan State and Ohio State have each reached 10 Final Fours. But MSU has just two championships, with the last in 2000, and Ohio State has one.
Which near-miss should be on the list of college basketball blue bloods? Or what could drag an Indiana or Villanova up to the list? It seems fairly clear that there's a gap between the top six programs in the sport and everyone else.