The Thrill is Gone: Four Former Final Four Schools Winless in Last 23 Tourneys

Whether we need backbone transplants or vaccine injections emphasized by Dr. Fraudci, these are bubble-wrapped times trying sports fans' souls. Even before cancellation of 2020 extravaganza, a significant number of schools turn sheepish at the mention of recent NCAA Tournament success. Among Division I institutions making at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances, four former Final Four participants - St. John's, San Francisco, Southern Methodist and Texas-El Paso - combined to go winless in the past 23 tourneys after Princeton upset Arizona.

DePaul and San Francisco each have won more than 20 NCAA tourney games but collaborated for only one win in the past 33 years (DePaul over Dayton in double overtime in 2004). With B.B. King "The Thrill is Gone" lyrics in the background, following is an alphabetical list of schools with at least 10 NCAA playoff appearances for which Sweet 16 is a distant memory:

School (Playoff Appearances)	Recent NCAA Tournament Travails
Boston College (18)	winless past 15 tourneys with only one appearance
Charlotte (11)	no appearance past 17 tourneys; winless past 21 tourneys
DePaul (22)	no appearance past 18 tourneys; one victory past 33 tourneys
George Washington (11)	one victory past 28 years
Georgia (12)	one victory past 26 years
Holy Cross (13)	posted first win since 1953 seven seasons ago in play-in game
Idaho State (11)	winless past 45 tourneys
Old Dominion (12)	one victory past 27 tourneys
Penn (24)	one victory past 42 tourneys
Pepperdine (13)	one victory past 40 tourneys
St. John's (30)	winless past 23 tourneys
San Francisco (17)	appeared twice past 40 tourneys
Santa Clara (11)	no appearance past 26 tourneys
Seattle (11)	winless since 1964
Southern Methodist (12)	winless past 34 tourneys
Texas-El Paso (17)	winless past 30 tourneys
Utah State (22)	one victory past 52 tourneys
Weber State (15)	winless past 23 tourneys
Wyoming (16)	one victory past 35 tourneys