All-Time Top 100 Programs

Choose any combination of categories (victories, national team records, winning streaks, final Top 20 or 25 polls, total of All-Americans, conference championships, etc.) and one basketball program has consistently stood above them all. It's the University of Kentucky!

Surprisingly, excellence and Kentucky didn't co-exist at the beginning of UK's hoop program. Believe it or not, the mighty Wildcats lost their first six games against Georgetown. And the 'Cats didn't have Hoya Paranoia. The nemesis was Georgetown College (Ky.), not Georgetown University (D.C.).

Basketball at UK reportedly started in 1903 when W.W.H. Mustaine called together some students, took up a collection totaling $3 for a ball and told them to start playing. There was no official coach the first seven seasons when managers guided the squad to a 21-35 record (.375). Over the decades, UK's program evolved to the pressure point that, buttressed by so many supporters, it seems as if it is managed by three million "coaches."

Although Kentucky was late in embracing African-American players and boasts a booster culture of suspect off-the-court shenanigans, it is difficult for any program to measure up to the success enjoyed by the Wildcats' fans in Big Blue Heaven since an inauspicious start. Here is an assessment of the nation's 100 premier programs:

  1. Kentucky--Winningest program in NCAA history registered one of the nation's top five records in six of the previous seven decades, finishing ninth in the 1980s. . . . Set NCAA record with 60 consecutive non-losing seasons (1928 through 1988). . . . Only school to twice win at least 30 games overall in three consecutive campaigns. No other major college achieved the 30-win trifecta in the 20th Century. . . . UK is the only university to win multiple NCAA and NIT championships. . . . Average record in a 15-year span from 1943-44 through 1958-59 was an incredible 27-3. The Wildcats won 92.3 percent of their SEC games in that stretch (156-13). . . . Most NCAA Tournament appearances of any school. . . . Paces SEC with a staggering 49 regular-season championships and 27 postseason league tournament titles through 2010. . . . Boasts highest total of All-American selections than any school since 1929. . . . Won 51 consecutive games in SEC competition from 1950 until 1955 when Georgia Tech broke the Wildcats' NCAA-record of 129 straight homecourt triumphs. . . . In A March to Madness, author John Feinstein stated "Kentucky's basketball history is as much about NCAA investigations and payoffs as it is about winning championships."

  2. North Carolina--Second-winningest program in NCAA history sustained only one losing mark in a 30-year stretch from 1920-21 through 1949-50. . . . Posted one of nation's top six records in three straight decades, including the best mark in the 1980s. . . . Assembled its NCAA-record 31-year streak of 20-win seasons through 2000-01 despite having only six players average at least 20 points per game in a single campaign during that span. . . . Won more than 70 percent of its national postseason tournament games. . . . Compiled sterling streak of 37 consecutive finishes no lower than third place in the vaunted ACC from 1965 through 2001. . . . Paces ACC with most regular-season championships (28) and has 17 postseason tournament titles through 2010. . . . Captured eight Southern Conference Tournament titles before joining the ACC. . . . Runner-up to Kentucky for most All-American choices since 1929. . . . Holds NCAA record for most consecutive Top 20 finishes in final polls with 19 from 1971 through 1989. The Tar Heels finished no lower than 16th in that span.

  3. Kansas--Third-winningest program in NCAA history after becoming the nation's winningest school in the decade of the 1990s when the Jayhawks finished no lower than 13th in final national polls in nine consecutive seasons. . . . Only school to reach the Final Four under six different coaches--Phog Allen (1940, 1952 and 1953), Dick Harp (1957), Ted Owens (1971 and 1974), Larry Brown (1986 and 1988), Roy Williams (1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003) and Bill Self (2008). . . . One of only five schools to participate in the Final Four at least a dozen times. . . . Captured more conference regular-season championships (54) than any school through 2011. . . . Won 34 straight games in Missouri Valley Conference competition from 1922 to 1924.

  4. UCLA--After losing 42 consecutive contests in its intracity rivalry with Southern California, the Bruins became one of the nation's five winningest programs by percentage on the strength of 54 straight winning seasons. . . . Nation's best record in back-to-back decades (1960s and 1970s). Supplied an amazing total of 19 All-Americans in the '70s. . . . Only school to win at least three consecutive national championships. The Bruins' first of seven consecutive NCAA titles from 1967 through 1973 featured a team that is the only champion since World War II not to have a senior on its roster. UCLA, the only school to have two separate streaks of at least 10 consecutive playoff appearances, has participated in more NCAA tourneys than any school other than Kentucky. . . . Captured league championship every year in the 1970s en route to a total of 32 undisputed Pacific-10 Conference titles through 2010. . . . Boasts a total of nine undefeated and one-loss seasons. . . . Won 50 straight games in Pacific-8 Conference competition from 1970 to 1974.

  5. Indiana--Four of five NCAA Tournament titles came in different decades. . . . Running neck-and-neck with Kentucky for most different individuals named an All-American since 1929. . . . Holds Big Ten Conference record for consecutive victories in conference competition with 37 from 1974 to 1977. . . . Last major-college school to go undefeated (32-0 in 1975-76). . . . Participated in a national postseason tournament 26 consecutive years through 2003.

  6. Duke--One of four schools with more than 1,800 victories. . . . Incurred only one losing record in a 45-year span from 1927-28 through 1971-72 before finishing in the ACC's second division eight times in a 10-year stretch from 1974 through 1983. . . . Only school to win more than three-fourths of its NCAA Tournament games. . . . Finished no lower than 17th in 11 consecutive final national polls from 1984 through 1994 and among the top 10 in six straight polls from 1961 through 1966. . . . The Blue Devils became the first school to rank No. 1 in a final AP poll four consecutive years (1999 through 2002). They finished among the top seven the next three seasons before returning to No. 1 in 2006. . . . Winningest program by a wide margin thus far in the 21st Century.

  7. St. John's--Only school in the 20th Century with as many as 50 national postseason tournament appearances. . . . One of the 20 winningest programs by percentage in six consecutive decades (1930s through 1980s). . . . Holds NIT record with six titles.

  8. Purdue--Won 50 of its first 60 meetings with archrival Indiana. . . . Streak of 23 consecutive winning seasons ended in 1942-43. . . . Leads Big Ten Conference with 22 regular-season titles through 2011.

  9. Ohio State--Only school to reach the Final Four three consecutive years on two separate occasions (1944 through 1946 and 1960 through 1962). . . . Ohio State '60, the only team to lead the nation in scoring offense and win the NCAA championship in the same season, is also the only champion to win all of its tournament games by more than 15 points. . . . One of fewer than 10 schools to win more than 60 percent of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT.

  10. Louisville--Ranked third among major universities for most national postseason tournament appearances with 50 through 2010 although the Cardinals were still competing in the NAIA Tournament in the late 1940s. . . . Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in seven consecutive seasons from 1977 through 1983. . . . Established Metro Conference records with 12 regular-season titles and 11 league tournament championships before subsequently joining two other leagues over the next 10 years. . . . Ranked among the nation's 15 winningest programs in three decades (1950s, 1970s and 1980s).

  11. Illinois--Boasted nine different individuals named an All-American in the 1940s and 10 in the 1950s. . . . Probably would have cracked list of Top 10 programs in history if the Illini ever had a team reach the NCAA Tournament championship game in the 20th Century. . . . Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in seven consecutive seasons from 1984 through 1990 and six straight from 1951 through 1956. . . . Ranked among the nation's 15 winningest programs by percentage in three decades (1940s, 1950s and 1980s).

  12. Marquette--One of only 15 schools with as many as 17 different individuals named an All-American, including 11 of them in a 14-year span from 1969 through 1982. . . . UCLA was the only school to have a better record in the 1970s than Marquette, which flourished despite having three key frontcourt players leave school early to turn pro in consecutive seasons--Jim Chones (drafted in '72), Larry McNeill ('73) and Maurice Lucas ('74). The Warriors finished in the Top 10 of a final wire-service poll all 10 years that decade.

  13. Syracuse--One of the six winningest schools in NCAA history. . . . Frequently leads the nation in home attendance. . . . Finished among the Top 20 in nine consecutive final national polls from 1984 through 1992. . . . Ranked among the nation's 15 winningest programs by percentage each of the previous three decades. . . . NCAA champion in 2003 was annointed with two Helms Foundation national championships (1918 and 1926). . . . Failed to post a 20-win season for 19 straight years from 1947 through 1965.

  14. North Carolina State--Won five consecutive Southern Conference regular-season and league tournament titles from 1947 through 1951. . . . Won 10 ACC Tournament championships. . . . Captured seven Southern Conference Tournament crowns before joining the ACC. . . . Only ACC school to compile back-to-back undefeated league records (1973 and 1974). . . . Posted just one 20-win season in the decade of the 1960s and one in the decade of the 1990s.

  15. Kansas State--Captured 11 Big Eight Conference regular-season titles in an 18-year span from 1956 through 1973. . . . One of only 12 schools with at least 20 Top 20 finishes in final national polls since 1949, including eight consecutive from 1957 through 1964. . . . Failed to win more than 20 games in an 18-year span from 1989 through 2006.

  16. Michigan--One of only five schools to win more than two-thirds of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT (minimum of 20 decisions). But the Wolverines haven't captured a Big Ten Conference regular-season title in almost a quarter century. . . . Only school to win at least 80 percent of its NIT games (minimum of 20 decisions). . . . Averaged only 12.6 victories annually in a seven-year span from 1966-67 through 1972-73.

  17. Temple--One of only six schools to win more than 1,750 games. . . . Made more national postseason tournament appearances than marquee schools such as Duke, Indiana and Kansas. . . . So dominant in the inaugural NIT final against Colorado that coach James Usilton removed the Owls' starters after six minutes of the second half. . . . Holds series edge over each of the other Philadelphia Big Five schools. . . . Captured more Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season crowns than any member with nine through 2010. . . . Never won an NCAA title. Notched only one 20-win season in the next eight years after winning the 1969 NIT.

  18. Notre Dame--Ranks among top eight in the nation for most All-Americans since 1929, including eight in the 1930s and 10 in the 1940s. . . . Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in eight consecutive seasons from 1974 through 1981. . . . Irish have never won an NCAA Tournament Final Four game but earned two Helms Foundation national championships (1927 and 1936). . . . Failed to win more than 17 games in a nine-year span from 1958-59 through 1966-67 and failed to win more than 18 in the first seven years of the 1990s.

  19. Villanova--One of the top five schools in national postseason tournament appearances. . . . Finished in the Top 20 of a final AP poll at least once each decade since the inaugural rankings in 1948-49. . . . Three straight losing seasons in the mid-1970s.

  20. Cincinnati--One of only nine schools with more than 20 Top 20 rankings in final polls since 1949. The Bearcats finished with that lofty status in six consecutive seasons from 1958 through 1963. . . . North Carolina and UCLA were the only schools to boast more All-Americans than the Bearcats (10) in the 1960s. . . . Won all four conference tournament titles in the defunct Great Midwest. . . . Failed to win more than 17 games in a 12-year span from 1977-78 through 1988-89.

  21. Arizona--Posted 16 consecutive finishes in a final national Top 20 poll from 1988 through 2003. . . . Made 25 consecutive NCAA playoff appearances from 1985 through 2009. . . . Captured three of first four Pacific-10 Conference Tournament titles. . . . Holds Border Conference record with nine regular-season championships. . . . Won more than 15 games just twice in a 21-year span from 1951-52 through 1971-72.

  22. Arkansas--Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in seven consecutive seasons from 1989 through 1995. . . . Tied with Texas for most SWC regular-season championships (22). . . . Won more SWC Tournament titles than any school with six. . . . Finished among the nation's top 20 in winning percentage in three decades (1930s, 1980s and 1990s). . . . Missed national postseason competition only once in a 25-year span from 1977 through 2001. . . . Won more than 10 games only once in a nine-year span from 1963-64 through 1971-72.

  23. Connecticut--Holds Big East Conference record with 10 regular-season championships. . . . Captured 19 New England/Yankee Conference titles, including 17 in 20 years from 1948 through 1967. Nine of them were in the 1950s, when the Huskies compiled four undefeated league seasons in a five-year span from 1954 through 1958. . . . Three-time NCAA champion in a 13-year stretch from 1999 through 2011 has made more national postseason tournament appearances than luminaries Duke and Kansas. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in 13 consecutive campaigns from 1965-66 through 1977-78 and averaged fewer than 12 victories annually in a five-year span from 1982-83 through 1986-87 (Jim Calhoun's initial season).

  24. Utah--Tied with BYU for most WAC regular-season championships (12). . . . Tied with Wyoming for most Skyline Conference regular-season championships (eight). . . . Made more national postseason tournament appearances than Cincinnati, Duke, Kansas and Notre Dame. . . . Failed to win more than 20 games in nine straight seasons from 1981-82 through 1989-90.

  25. Western Kentucky--Most regular-season championships in OVC history (19) despite not being a member of the league since 1982. . . . Ranked among the nation's 12 winningest programs by percentage in three consecutive decades from the 1930s through the 1950s. . . . Holds OVC record with 25 straight victories in league competition. . . . Failed to win more than 13 games in five consecutive campaigns from 1995-96 through 1999-2000.

  26. West Virginia--Captured 10 Southern Conference Tournaments in a 13-year stretch from 1955 through 1967. . . . One of four schools to capture a conference's regular-season and league tournament titles in five consecutive years (1955 through 1959). . . . Won 44 straight games in Southern Conference competition from 1956 to 1960. . . . Ranked among the nation's 12 winningest programs by percentage in back-to-back decades in the 1940s and 1950s. Finished 20th in the 1980s. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in a 17-year span from 1963-64 through 1979-80.

  27. Oklahoma State--Most championships in Missouri Valley Conference history (13) despite not being a member of the league since 1957. . . . Nation's second-winningest program in the 1940s. . . . Won at least 20 games eight straight seasons from 1998 through 2005. . . . Averaged only nine victories annually in a 15-year span from 1965-66 through 1979-80 under five different coaches.

  28. Oklahoma--Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in seven consecutive seasons from 1984 through 1990. . . . Won a total of 12 Big Eight Conference regular-season championships. . . . Only school to participate in a national postseason tournament every year from 1982 through 2006. . . . Never won a national title and went 31 years from 1948 through 1978 without appearing in the NCAA playoffs.

  29. DePaul--Finished five consecutive seasons ranked among the nation's top six teams from 1978 through 1982, including back-to-back top-ranked finishes (1980 and 1981). . . . Fourth-winningest program in the 1980s after finishing among the top 15 in the 1930s and 1940s. . . . Made more national postseason tournament appearances than Duke and Kansas. . . . Managed only one 20-win season (1963-64) in a 27-year span from 1948-49 through 1974-75.

  30. UNLV--Finished no lower than 15th in 10 consecutive final national polls from 1983 through 1992. . . . Holds Big West Conference records for most regular-season titles (10) and league tournament crowns (seven) despite leaving the alliance in 1996. . . . Won 40 straight games in Big West competition from 1990 to 1993. . . . Nine consecutive seasons with at least 28 victories from 1982-83 through 1990-91. . . . One of only five programs to win 70 percent of its games all-time. . . . Never lost more than 16 games in a single season.

  31. Minnesota--Total of 14 different All-Americans. . . . One of only about a dozen schools to win at least 60 percent of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT (minimum of 20 decisions). . . . Two Helms Foundation national championships (1902 and 1919). . . . Six straight non-winning campaigns from 1957-58 through 1962-63 and a total of 19 games below .500 in a five-year span 1983-84 through 1987-88.

  32. Pennsylvania--Bypassed Princeton for most Ivy League crowns (39 through 2010), including eight in the 1970s. . . . Ranked third in the nation in winning percentage in the 1970s. . . . Won 48 consecutive games in Ivy League competition from 1992 to 1996. . . . Back-to-back Helms Foundation national championships in 1920 and 1921. . . . Failed to win more than 17 games in 11 straight seasons from 1981-82 through 1991-92.

  33. Bradley--Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in six consecutive seasons from 1957 through 1962. . . . Won four NIT championships. . . . One of 10 programs to reach the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament and NIT at least 10 times. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in nine consecutive campaigns from 1996-97 through 2004-05.

  34. Georgetown--Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in six consecutive seasons from 1982 through 1987 en route to ranking third in the nation for highest winning percentage in the decade. . . . Won nine Big East Conference regular-season championships and seven league tournament titles. . . . Participated in a national postseason tournament 27 consecutive years through 2003. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in 22 straight seasons from 1947-48 through 1968-69. . . . Didn't appear in the NCAA playoffs for 31 consecutive campaigns from 1944 through 1974.

  35. Maryland--Total of 11 different All-Americans and 26 national postseason tournament appearances from 1972 through 2010. . . . Six AP final Top 10 rankings since 1973. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in a 13-year span from 1958-59 through 1970-71. Posted only two 20-win seasons in their history until Lefty Driesell became the Terrapins' coach in the early 1970s.

  36. Memphis--Won at least 33 games in four consecutive campaigns from 2005-06 through 2008-09. . . . Captured four Metro Conference Tournament titles in a six-year stretch from 1982 through 1987. . . . Made as many national postseason tournament appearances as Duke. . . . Nation's fifth-winningest program during the first decade in the 21st Century. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in 10 straight seasons from 1961-62 through 1970-71 under four different coaches.

  37. Washington--Only school to crack the 200-win plateau in the 1930s. . . . Notched only one 20-win season (1997-98) in a 17-year span from 1987-88 through 2003-04 after failing to reach that plateau in 18 consecutive campaigns from 1953-54 through 1970-71.

  38. Providence--Ranked 15th in the nation in winning percentage in the 1970s. . . . Posted nine 20-win seasons in a row from 1958-59 through 1966-67. Also had eight straight 20-win seasons in the 1970s before encountering eight consecutive campaigns without reaching that plateau. . . . Participated in more than 30 national postseason tournaments. . . . Reached the NIT semifinals four times in a five-year span from 1959 through 1963 during a nine-year streak from 1959 through 1967 when PC appeared in a national postseason tournament each season.

  39. Alabama--Missed national postseason competition only twice in a 22-year stretch from 1975 through 1996. . . . Boasted eight different All-Americans from 1973 to 1987. . . . Failed to win more than 17 games in 15 straight seasons from 1956-57 through 1970-71.

  40. Princeton--Runner-up to Penn for most Ivy League crowns (36), including eight in the 1960s. . . . Ranked among the nation's 10 winningest programs in two decades (1960s and 1990s). . . . Helms Foundation mythical national title recepient in 1925. . . . Posted only one losing record (11-15 in 1984-85) in a 49-year span from 1956-57 through 2004-05.

  41. Brigham Young--Tied with Utah for most WAC regular-season championships (12). . . . Made more national postseason tournament appearances than Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State and Purdue through 2006.

  42. Texas--Four undefeated seasons from 1914 to 1924, including three in a row the first three years of that span. . . . Tied with Arkansas for most SWC regular-season championships (22). . . . Won at least 23 games six of seven seasons from 1989 through 1995 and a minimum of 20 contests from 2000 through 2011. . . . Posted only one 20-win season (1962-63) in a 29-year span from 1948-49 through 1976-77.

  43. Dayton--Ranked among the nation's eight winningest programs by percentage in back-to-back decades in the 1940s and 1950s. . . . Participated in six NIT finals in a 12-year span from 1951 through 1962 when the event was held in much higher esteem. . . . Participated in as many national postseason tournaments as Duke through 2004 with 33. . . . Managed only one 20-win season (1989-90) in a 13-year span from 1984-85 through 1996-97.

  44. Missouri--Holds Big Eight Conference record with six league tournament titles. . . . Captured four consecutive Big Eight regular-season championships from 1980 through 1983. . . . Never reached national semifinals of either the NCAA playoffs or NIT and failed to win more than 17 games in a season until 1971-72. . . . Didn't appear in the NCAA Tournament for 31 straight years from 1945 through 1975.

  45. Louisiana State--Compiled back-to-back undefeated SEC seasons in 1953 and 1954. . . . Participated in a national postseason tournament every year from 1979 through 1993. . . . One of only 13 schools to reach the Final Four at least six times. . . . Notched only one 20-win season (1969-70) in a 24-year span from 1954-55 through 1977-78.

  46. Stanford--Reached the national semifinals of the NIT (1991) and NCAA (1998) in the 1990s. . . . One of only about a dozen schools to win at least 60 percent of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT (minimum of 20 decisions). . . . Helms Foundation mythical national titlist in 1937. . . . Went 44 seasons from 1943 through 1988 without appearing in the NCAA playoffs or reaching the 20-win plateau.

  47. Iowa--Back-to-back Final Four appearances in 1955 and 1956. . . . Total of 13 different All-Americans. . . . Never lost more than 16 games in a single season until 2007-08. . . . Never won an NCAA title. . . . Posted only one 20-win season (1969-70) in a 20-year span from 1956-57 through 1975-76.

  48. Vanderbilt--Ranked 11th in the nation in winning percentage in the 1960s. . . . Never endured a 20-loss season. . . . Went 13 consecutive campaigns without a 20-win season from 1974-75 through 1986-87.

  49. Tennessee--Nation's sixth-winningest program by percentage in the 1940s. . . . Won more than 15 games in a season only once (16-7 in 1957-58) in a 14-year span from 1949-50 through 1962-63.

  50. Michigan State--Three consecutive Final Four appearances from 1999 through 2001 and a total of six in 12 years through 2010. . . . Total of 13 different All-Americans since 1956. . . . Never had a 20-win season until 1977-78.

  51. Texas-El Paso--Won more WAC Tournaments than any school with four. . . . Instrumental in putting finishing touches on breaking the color barrier with 1966 NCAA playoff title. . . . Never posted more than 15 victories in a single season until Don Haskins' coaching debut with the Miners in 1961-62.

  52. St. Joseph's--Ranked seventh in the nation in winning percentage in the 1960s. . . . Made more national postseason tournament appearances than Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State and Purdue through 2006. . . . Twice incurred back-to-back 20-loss seasons (1988-89 and 1989-90; 2009-10 and 2010-11).

  53. Virginia--Missed national postseason tournament participation only five times in a 29-year span from 1978 through 2006. . . . Went 49 consecutive camapigns without a 20-win season from 1928-29 through 1976-77.

  54. Arizona State--Never reached Final Four but was NCAA Tournament regional runner-up three times from 1961 through 1975 during John Wooden's dynasty with UCLA. . . . Won fewer than 15 games just once in an 11-year span from 1970-71 through 1980-81. . . . Notched single digits in defeats only once in a 30-year span from 1981-82 through 2010-11.

  55. Oregon State--One of the first 10 programs to reach 1,500 victories. . . . Ranked 12th in the nation in winning percentage in the 1980s. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau since 1989-90.

  56. Wake Forest--Participated in a national postseason tournament 16 straight years from 1991 through 2006. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau 14 consecutive campaigns from 1962-63 through 1975-76.

  57. Murray State--Surpassed former member Western Kentucky for most championships in OVC history (22 through 2011). Also holds record for most conference tournament titles (15). . . . Captured nine OVC regular-season crowns in the 1990s.

  58. South Carolina--Finished among the Top 20 of final national polls in six consecutive seasons from 1969 through 1974. . . . Never had a 20-win season until 1968-69.

  59. La Salle--Ranked fourth in the nation in winning percentage in the 1950s, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament championship game appearances. . . . Early in this century, it remained one of only 15 schools to participate in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT more than 10 times. . . . Total of 12 consecutive losing campaigns from 1993-94 through 2004-05.

  60. California--Total of 21 Pacific-10 Conference regular-season titles. . . . At least five games above .500 in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT. . . . Won more than 13 games only three times in a 25-year span from 1960-61 through 1984-85.

  61. San Francisco--Holds West Coast Conference records for most regular-season titles with 15 and longest winning streak in league competition (31 from 1954 to 1957). . . . One of only about a dozen schools to win at least 60 percent of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT (minimum of 20 decisions). . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau since 1981-82.

  62. Wyoming--Tied with Utah for most Skyline Conference regular-season championships (eight). . . . Ranked among the nation's 20 winningest programs by percentage in back-to-back decades in the 1930s and 1940s. . . . Helms Foundation mythical national titlist in 1934. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 27 consecutive campaigns from 1953-54 through 1979-80.

  63. Houston--Total of nine different All-Americans from 1961 to 1984. . . . Made 23 national postseason tournament appearances from 1961 through 1993. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau in 12 consecutive campaigns from 1993-94 through 2004-05.

  64. Georgia Tech--Total of seven different All-Americans since 1984. . . . Never won more than 14 games in a single season in an 18-year span from 1938-39 through 1955-56.

  65. New Mexico--Total of 26 national postseason tournament appearances in a 39-year span from 1964 through 2002. . . . Eight consecutive 20-win seasons from 1986-87 through 1993-94. . . . Frequently ranks among the national leaders in attendance at "The Pit". . . . Incurred 11 straight non-winning records from 1951-52 through 1961-62.

  66. Rhode Island--Won first eight New England/Yankee Conference championships. . . . Ranked among the nation's eight winningest programs by percentage in back-to-back decades in the 1930s and 1940s. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in 11 straight seasons from 1966-67 through 1976-77 and more than 10 in five straight seasons from 1981-82 through 1985-86.

  67. Florida--Total of 20 national postseason tournament appearances, including back-to-back NCAA crowns, in a 28-year span from 1984 through 2011. . . . Nation's sixth-winningest program during the first decade of the 21st Century. . . . Failed to win more than 15 games in a single season in a 17-year span from 1947-48 through 1963-64.

  68. UAB--Total of 25 national postseason tournament appearances through 2011 since starting its program in the late 1970s. . . . Never had a record more than four games below .500.

  69. Clemson--Total of 17 national postseason tournament appearances in a 21-year stretch from 1979 through 1999. . . . Never won more than 17 games in a single season until 1975-76.

  70. Boston College--One of fewer than 25 schools to participate in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT more than 10 times each. . . . Never reached the Final Four.

  71. Tulsa--Total of 18 national postseason tournament appearances from 1981 through 2003. . . . Never reached the Final Four and failed to win more than 10 games in a six-year span from 1956-57 through 1961-62.

  72. New Mexico State--Participated in 16 NCAA playoffs through 1999 after being an NAIA power. . . . Double digits in defeats in 14 straight seasons from 1975-76 through 1988-89.

  73. Virginia Tech--Won 70 percent of its games in first 12 NIT appearances. . . . Five losing records in a row from 1988-89 through 1992-93.

  74. Miami (Ohio)--Holds the Mid-American Conference record with 20 regular-season championships. . . . Participated in at least two NCAA playoffs each of the previous five decades. . . . Miami's first 20-win season was in 1964-65 and it hasn't had one since 1998-99.

  75. Xavier--Holds Midwestern Collegiate Conference record for most regular-season titles (eight) and league tournament championships (six) despite leaving the alliance in 1995. . . . Never reached the Final Four but appeared in the NCAA playoffs all but one season in an 11-year span from 2001 through 2011. . . . Failed to post a winning record in 11 consecutive campaigns from 1964-65 through 1974-75.

  76. Florida State--Ranked among the nation's 10 winningest programs in the 1970s. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in a single season for 12 straight years from 1955-56 through 1966-67.

  77. Utah State--Total of 29 national postseason tournament appearances from 1960 through 2011. . . . Nation's fourth-winningest program during the first decade of the 21st Century won at least 23 games each season since 1999-2000. . . . . Three consecutive losing campaigns from 1988-89 through 1990-91.

  78. Georgia--Total of 19 national postseason tournament appearances in a 24-year span from 1981 through 2004. . . . Had only one season (17-8 in 1967-68) with a record more than two games above .500 in a 30-year span from 1950-51 through 1979-80.

  79. Seton Hall--Won more than 85 percent of its games in the 1950s. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 31 straight seasons from 1956-57 through 1986-87.

  80. Auburn--Total of 13 national postseason tournament appearances in a 20-year stretch from 1984 through 2003. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in 20 consecutive campaigns from 1963-64 through 1982-83.

  81. Oregon--Won inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1939. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in 17 consecutive campaigns from 1977-78 through 1993-94.

  82. Iowa State--Total of nine NCAA playoff appearances in a 13-year span from 1985 through 1997. . . . Despite significant homecourt advantage, failed to win more than 16 games in a single season for 28 consecutive campaigns from 1956-57 through 1983-84.

  83. Gonzaga--Total of 13 consecutive NCAA playoff appearances from 1999 through 2011. . . . Nation's third-winningest program during the first decade of the 21st Century. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 24 straight seasons from 1967-68 through 1990-91.

  84. Southern Illinois--Former small-college power has a total of 15 national postseason tournament appearances as a Division I school from 1975 through 2006. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 11 straight seasons from 1977-78 through 1987-88.

  85. Holy Cross--Ranked sixth in the nation in winning percentage in the 1950s. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 12 straight seasons from 1962-63 through 1973-74.

  86. Duquesne--Ranked among the nation's 15 winningest programs in two decades (1930s and 1950s). . . . Incurred 13 losing records in a row from 1994-95 through 2006-07.

  87. George Washington--One of 20 winningest programs by percentage in the 1930s and 1940s. . . . Won more than 15 games only once (17-12 in 1983-84) in a 14-year span from 1976-77 through 1989-90.

  88. Colorado--Reached national semifinals in NCAA Tournament and NIT a total of six times. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 27 straight seasons from 1969-70 through 1995-96.

  89. Mississippi State--Many of the school's great teams in the late 1950s and early 1960s didn't participate in national postseason competition because of segregation. . . . Failed to win more than 17 games for 27 straight seasons from 1963-64 through 1989-90.

  90. Saint Louis--Ranked first in initial AP poll in January 1949. . . . The Billikens defeated a top-ranked Kentucky club three times in four years from 1948-49 through 1951-52. No other school beat the Wildcats more than twice in an eight-season stretch from 1946-47 through 1954-55. . . . In 1958-59, SLU beat NCAA champion-to-be California, 55-43, and NIT champion-to-be St. John's, 72-63. The Bills then defeated mighty Kentucky five more times in six seasons from 1960 to 1965. . . . Failed to win more than 13 games in 12 consecutive campaigns from 1973-74 through 1984-85.

  91. Southern California--Total of 12 different All-Americans. . . . Won 42 consecutive contests in its intracity rivalry with UCLA until WWII. . . . Posted only one NCAA playoff victory in a 30-year span from 1962 through 1991.

  92. Pittsburgh--Total of 24 national postseason tournament appearances from 1980 through 2011. . . . Two Helms Foundation mythical national championships (1928 and 1930). . . . Nation's eighth-winningest program during the first decade of the 21st Century. . . . Failed to win more than seven games in five straight seasons from 1964-65 through 1968-69 in the midst of 42 consecutive years without a 20-win campaign from 1931-32 through 1972-73.

  93. Toledo--Nation's ninth-winningest program by percentage in the 1940s. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 19 straight seasons from 1981-82 through 1999-2000 and lost at least 25 games in three consecutive campaigns from 2008-09 through 2010-11.

  94. Davidson--Holds Southern Conference record for most regular-season championships with 20 through 2011. . . . Compiled back-to-back undefeated Southern Conference competition marks in 1969 and 1970 before also going unbeaten in 2005 and 2008. . . . Incurred 11 straight losing seasons from 1974-75 through 1984-85.

  95. St. Bonaventure--One of 15 winningest programs by percentage in the 1960s. . . . Won 99 consecutive home games from 1948 to 1961. . . . Reached the 20-win plateau only once (21-10 in 1999-2000) since 1982-83.

  96. Missouri State--Total of 15 national postseason tournament appearances from 1986 through 2011. . . . Only two losing records since moving up to NCAA Division I level in the mid-1980s.

  97. Weber State--Holds Big Sky Conference records with 20 regular-season titles and eight league tournament crowns through 2011. . . . Won more than 80 percent of its games in the 1960s. . . . Never had more than two straight losing seasons.

  98. Wichita State--Total of 13 national postseason tournament appearances from 1962 through 1989. . . . Failed to reach the 20-win plateau for 15 straight seasons from 1988-89 through 2002-03.

  99. Wisconsin--Three Helms Foundation national championships from 1912 to 1916. . . . Won at least 18 games each season since 1998-99. . . . Failed to win more than 16 games in a 26-year span from 1962-63 through 1987-88. . . . Went 55 years between Big Ten Conference championships.

  100. Charlotte--Advanced to national semifinals in back-to-back seasons in 1976 (NIT) and 1977 (NCAA). . . . Participated in national postseason tournament competition 12 times in a 15-year span from 1994 through 2008. . . . Two 20-loss seasons in a three-year span from 2008-09 through 2010-11.

20 HONORABLE MENTION

Bowling Green--Nation's seventh-winningest program in the 1940s.

Butler--Back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances in 2010 and 2011.

Eastern Kentucky--Nation's fourth-winningest program in the 1940s when it won almost 80% of its games.

Fordham--Did not compile a losing record in its first 30 years of competition until posting a 7-11 mark in 1932-33.

Fresno State--Frenetic fan following has seen the Bulldogs participate in a total of 14 national postseason tournament appearances since 1981.

Idaho State--Compiled back-to-back undefeated Rocky Mountain seasons in 1957 and 1958.

Illinois State--Total of 14 national postseason tournament appearances as a major college from 1977 through 2001.

Lamar--Only school to win four NCAA Tournament first-round games with teams seeded eighth or worse (1979-80-81-83).

Long Beach State--Ranked eighth in the nation in winning percentage in the 1970s when the 49ers captured eight PCAA regular-season crowns. Compiled back-to-back undefeated PCAA seasons in 1970 and 1971.

Long Island--Winningest program by percentage in the 1930s.

Loyola (Ill.)--One of only 12 schools to win at least 60 percent of its games in both the NCAA Tournament and NIT (minimum of 20 decisions).

Massachusetts--One of four schools to capture a conference's regular-season and league tournament titles in five consecutive years (1992 through 1996 in Atlantic 10).

Montana--First losing record in 22 years in 1998-99 meant that the Grizzlies failed to qualify for the Big Sky Tournament for the first time in that span.

Montana State--Established Rocky Mountain Conference record with 11 regular-season titles.

Nebraska--Winless NCAA Tournament record somewhat offset by a 23-16 NIT mark through 2011.

Penn State--Two third-place NIT finishes in the 1990s.

Pepperdine--Total of 17 national postseason tournament appearances as a major college from 1976 through 2004.

Richmond--Dick Tarrant gained a reputation as an East Regional giant-killer when he became the only coach to win three first-round games with teams seeded 12th or worse. The Spiders pulled off first-round upsets against Auburn '84 (star players were Charles Barkley and Chuck Person), Indiana '88 (Jay Edwards, Dean Garrett and Keith Smart) and Syracuse '91 (LeRon Ellis, Dave Johnson and Billy Owens).

Rutgers--Total of 20 national postseason tournament appearances from 1967 through 2006.

Washington State--Helms Foundation mythical national titlist in 1917.