College hoops’ 25 best non-champs since 2000, from Cooper Flagg’s Duke to Wichita State

Sports

add

Editor’s note: All week, The Athletic is looking back at the best of the first 25 years of the 2000s in men’s college basketball. Also read the top 25 players, top 25 coaches and top 25 teams, and submit your own picks.

This March, I ranked all of the men’s NCAA Tournament champions in the last 40 years. But given the precarious nature of a single-elimination tournament, the best team does not always win. Any team can fall victim to an upset on any given night.

As a result, some phenomenal teams have fallen short of the sport’s biggest prize. Whether their tournament runs were cut short by a cold shooting night (or an opponent’s hot one) or they simply lost a close game to a worthy adversary, great squads can be denied in the volatile environment that is March Madness.

Continuing The Athletic’s weeklong look at the first 25 seasons of the century, let’s rank the best 25 men’s basketball teams to not win a title since the 2000-01 campaign. Let’s build the suspense by starting at 25 and counting them down.

25. 2019-20 Kansas

Apologies to Dayton, Gonzaga, Baylor and San Diego State, but for my money, the Jayhawks were the nation’s best team in 2020. Devon Dotson was arguably the best pure point guard in the country, and Udoka Azubuike dominated the paint with his massive frame. Future first-round picks Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun led a stacked supporting cast.

Kansas ended the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of March Madness and axed their chance at a national championship (and that of many others). Agbaji, Braun and David McCormack made up for it just two years later, capturing Bill Self’s second title in Lawrence.

24. 2008-09 UConn

For a program that has won five national titles in the past 27 seasons, it was shocking that UConn nearly did not have a presence on this list. The only other real candidate since 2000 was Jim Calhoun’s 2006 team, whose Elite Eight loss to George Mason is one of college basketball’s greatest upsets. When the Huskies are great, they win the whole thing.

This 2009 team was an exception, though. Hasheem Thabeet’s dominance at the rim set the tone, and multiple veterans anchored the perimeter, along with a precocious freshman named Kemba Walker. UConn fought its way to the Final Four, but once there, the Huskies succumbed to a typically gritty Michigan State squad and March menace Tom Izzo.

23. 2023-24 Houston

Yes, the 2025 Cougars made it to the doorstep of a national title, but Kelvin Sampson’s 2024 squad was a force in and of itself. In Houston’s first year in the Big 12, it went 15-3 (30-4 overall), capturing the regular season crown by two games. With bulldog guard Jamal Shead setting the tone, the sheer physicality and athleticism of the defense were overwhelming.

Shead’s ankle injury in the Sweet Sixteen derailed any hope of a title, though. The Cougars lost a sloppy slugfest to Duke, and we will never know if Houston could have stood in the way of UConn’s steamrolling run to a repeat championship.

22. 2013-14 Wichita State

A year after a stunning run to the Final Four, Wichita State outdid itself in 2014. Led by the inimitable backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker, the Shockers entered the NCAA Tournament with a perfect 34-0 record. Only five opponents came within single digits of Gregg Marshall’s powerhouse.

Of course, the schedule was somewhat soft, as Wichita State beat just one top-30 team (per KenPom rankings) during that 34-0 start. Facing a second such opponent in the NCAA Tournament’s second round, the Shockers lost a close battle to an underseeded Kentucky squad that would go all the way to the national championship game. Because of that schedule, Wichita State is tough to evaluate and could easily slot higher on this list.

21. 2016-17 Villanova

Jay Wright’s forgotten team, the 2017 Wildcats had a scintillating offense and were a precursor to the 2018 team that rolled through the postseason. Villanova won the Big East regular season title by three games and captured the Big East Tournament crown, as well.

Sandwiched between two national champions, these Wildcats were also a No. 1 seed, loaded with players from both title-winning squads. Jalen Brunson’s only loss in his 13-1 NCAA Tournament career came in the second round to Wisconsin, undercutting a roster featuring future New York Knicks Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo.

20. 2013-14 Arizona

You could make an argument that the 2015 Wildcats were actually the better version, but I will narrowly take the No. 1 seed that had Aaron Gordon bounding around both ends of the court. Nick Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson were also outstanding contributors, while point guard TJ McConnell was the rock around which the team was built.

Like the 2015 version, Arizona ran into Wisconsin in the Elite Eight. The 2014 Wildcats lost by one point in overtime, a crushing 64-63 defeat to cut short what could have been a national championship season (and the Pac-12’s first title since Arizona won in 1997).

19. 2018-19 Gonzaga

This slot marks Gonzaga’s first appearance on this list, but it certainly will not be the Zags’ last. The 2018-19 season is widely acknowledged as a tremendous year for college hoops, and Mark Few’s team boasted the best offense in the nation thanks in large part to the uber-athletic forward duo of Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke. Corey Kispert and Zach Norvell’s deadeye shooting kept the lane clear, and Josh Perkins was a fifth-year presence at point guard. Gonzaga even beat Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and a loaded Duke team in the Maui Invitational title game in November.

But in the Elite Eight, Chris Beard and Texas Tech diffused Gonzaga’s lethal offense. The Red Raiders held Gonzaga under 70 points for just the fourth time all season, and the Zags missed out on a shot to take home Mark Few’s first national title in Minneapolis.

The Hachimura-led Zags won the 2018 Maui Invitational, but Texas Tech ended their title run. (Robert Hanashiro / USA Today)

18. 2003-04 Duke

This will not be the last time Duke appears on this list. Coach K had a star-studded roster — Luol Deng, Shelden Williams, JJ Redick — to go with a consummate “coach on the floor” senior point guard in Chris Duhon. Williams and Redick were also a part of an amazing team in 2006, but with Deng and Duhon, I thought this version was slightly better.

Duke ranked top-three nationally in both offense and defense, per KenPom, and lost by a single point in the Final Four to eventual champion UConn. The ACC was loaded that year, with six of the league’s nine teams earning a No. 6 seed or better in the NCAA Tournament, and Duke won the regular season title by two games.

17. 2010-11 Ohio State

It’s easy to forget just how dominant Jared Sullinger was during his time in Columbus. The powerful forward was a battering ram at the bucket and dominated the glass, and with Aaron Craft and a loaded group of perimeter shooters — including one of the best three-point shooting seasons college basketball has ever seen from Jon Diebler (114 makes at 50.2 percent) — the 2011 Buckeyes easily had the best offense in the country. They entered the NCAA Tournament with a 32-2 record.

The offense sputtered in a buzzer-beating loss to Kentucky in the Sweet 16, though, as Brandon Knight sent the Buckeyes home early. It was a frustrating end for Thad Matta, though it was not the best team of his tenure; expect another OSU appearance in this countdown shortly.

16. 2007-08 North Carolina

The 2008 tournament featured a clash of the titans, with all four top seeds meeting in the Final Four for the first time ever. Led by Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington, UNC was a worthy qualifier for that brawl. The Tar Heels rolled into San Antonio with a 36-2 record.

Shockingly, the Heels more than met their match, as Kansas slaughtered UNC from the opening tip. At one point in the first half, UNC trailed 40-12. Justifiably, UNC is the lowest-ranked of those outstanding 2008 squads. The Heels’ entire core returned for redemption in 2009, rolling to Roy Williams’ second national title in five years and cementing Hansbrough as one of college basketball’s all-time greats.

15. 2009-10 Kansas

Two years after Bill Self won his first title, he had another team fully capable of conquering the sport. Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich had ascended to stardom after coming off the bench in the 2008 run, while the Morris twins were also making a major impact as sophomores. Add in one-and-done wing Xavier Henry, and the Jayhawks were fully loaded, entering the NCAA Tournament at 32-2 after thrashing the Big 12.

But a giant killer awaited Kansas in the second round. Northern Iowa’s Ali Farokhmanesh hit one of the most memorable non-buzzer beaters in NCAA Tournament history, helping seal a shocking upset before No. 1 overall seed KU could even reach the Sweet 16. Self had plenty of great teams over the next decade, but the 2010 bunch might have been his best squad to not win it all.

14. 2007-08 UCLA

From 2006 to 2008, Ben Howland went to three straight Final Fours, and the third team in that run was almost certainly the best. Led by Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook, UCLA was a two-way powerhouse, with longtime NBA players Darren Collison and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute also playing key roles in the starting lineup.

The Bruins could not overcome another team on this list in the national semifinal. As part of the first Final Four ever where all four No. 1 seeds qualified, UCLA had the unfortunate challenge of squaring off against another all-time great squad on the national stage. (More on that Memphis squad below.)

13. 2016-17 Gonzaga

Mark Few has made two trips to the national title game, and his 2017 team may have captured the title had point guard Nigel Williams-Goss not suffered an ankle injury. The Zags’ defense was one of the best ever, with length and size at every spot on the floor, but the offense could not muster enough against North Carolina in the championship.

This Gonzaga team was one of the first true transfer-laden teams to reach the sport’s top tier. Williams-Goss (Washington), Johnathan Williams III (Missouri) and Jordan Matthews (California) all started every game they played. Few was ahead of the curve on one of the sport’s most significant trends.

12. 2024-25 Auburn

Yes, Auburn is the third team from 2025 in the top 12. But the loaded 2025 Final Four with all four No. 1 seeds exemplified the season as a whole: hyper-elite teams, all loaded with talent, dominating the rest of the competition. It was only appropriate that the year ended with that quartet throwing haymakers at each other on college basketball’s biggest stage.

Led by Johni Broome, the Tigers won the regular season title of what was probably the best conference college basketball has ever seen. A late dip in performance dulled their shine somewhat, but they clawed their way to the Final Four and led eventual champion Florida by eight at halftime. Auburn deserves its placement on this list.

The Tigers were this spring’s No. 1 overall seed despite stumbling into March and could not overpower Florida in an all-SEC Final Four slugfest. (Robert Deutsch / Imagn Images)

11. 2006-07 Ohio State

Led by Greg Oden and Mike Conley, the uber-talented 2007 Buckeyes ran through the Big Ten (18-1 record against conference foes). They survived early scares against Xavier and Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament en route to an appearance in the national title game, with Oden’s hype as a pro prospect reaching a fever pitch.

The Buckeyes could not solve the veteran Florida Gators, though. Just before Christmas, Ohio State lost by 26 in Gainesville, and in the national title game, the Buckeyes could not close the gap in the second half en route to an 84-75 loss. That Florida team was loaded, though, and there was no shame in falling to the back-to-back national champs.

10. 2023-24 Purdue

Outside of maybe Zion Williamson, no player physically dominated college basketball like Zach Edey. The 7-4 behemoth was simply unguardable, racking up dunks and free throw attempts at dizzying rates. Surrounded by elite shooters and a dynamite point guard in Braden Smith, Edey and the Boilermakers marched all the way to the national title game.

There, they ran into a UConn team that laid waste to every foe in its path. That should not discount the greatness of Edey and 2024 Purdue, though. The Boilermakers captured the crown in a loaded Maui Invitational field and won the Big Ten regular season by three full games while possessing the clear National Player of the Year.

9. 2024-25 Houston

Probably Kelvin Sampson’s best team, Houston’s miracle comeback against Duke in the Final Four set the Cougars up for a chance to earn Sampson his first title. However, after building an 11-point lead over Florida in the championship, the Cougars’ offense sputtered, and they fell to the Gators by a single basket.

At one point during the season, Houston won 31 of 32 games. The Cougars lost just twice in regulation all season, and they went 22-1 against Big 12 opponents. Led by fifth-year veterans LJ Cryer and J’Wan Roberts, they were old, physical and terrifying defensively while also ranking third nationally in 3-point percentage on offense.

8. 2007-08 Memphis

John Calipari, Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and the Tigers came the closest of any team on this list to actually winning a championship. They were a single Rose free throw — or a missed game-tying miracle from Kansas’ Mario Chalmers — from capturing a national title at 39-1.

With future NBA MVP Rose and an army of terrifying athletic defenders, this team was Calipari’s Memphis masterpiece. The Tigers started the season 26-0, and their only loss before the national championship game was in late February to in-state rival Tennessee and current Calipari SEC foe Bruce Pearl.

7. 2018-19 Duke

Like its larger-than-life best player, the Zion Williamson team was a force of nature. When fully healthy, these Blue Devils lost just two games: a ridiculously high-level Maui Invitational final to Gonzaga, 89-87, and the season-ending 68-67 defeat to Cassius Winston and Michigan State in the Elite Eight.

Williamson’s blown-out sneaker cost Duke a couple of victories late in the ACC season, but his partnership with RJ Barrett was nearly unstoppable. Add in fellow NBA contributors Cam Reddish and Tre Jones, and this Duke squad had as much top-end talent as any team since 2000.

6. 2014-15 Wisconsin

If 2005 Illinois was not the best Big Ten team of the past 25 years, then it was probably 2015 Wisconsin, which unleashed arguably the best half-court offense the college game has ever seen. With an utterly unstoppable Frank Kaminsky lighting up the scoreboard from anywhere on the court, an outstanding athlete in Sam Dekker applying heavy rim pressure, and 40 percent three-point shooters rounding out the starting lineup, the Badgers were a fireball despite playing at one of the nation’s slowest tempos.

After derailing Kentucky’s 40-0 dream in the Final Four, though, Wisconsin ran into Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen and an immensely talented Duke team in the title game. A back-and-forth affair saw the Blue Devils barely edge out the Badgers late. That thwarted Wisconsin’s best chance at a national championship in program history.

Frank Kaminsky and the Badgers stopped Kentucky’s run to 40-0 but could not hold off Duke in the title game. (Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

5. 2001-02 Duke

The reigning national champs, Duke returned a first-team All-American in Jay Williams, two other double-digit scorers (Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer) and a rising star point guard in Chris Duhon. Add in strong external reinforcements in Rutgers transfer Dahntay Jones and freshman guard Daniel Ewing, and Duke looked primed to go back-to-back. Per KenPom, the Blue Devils had the best offense and the best defense in the country.

However, these Dukies suffered shocking road losses to non-NCAA Tournament teams at Florida State and Virginia, and their Sweet 16 defeat to Jared Jeffries and Indiana sent Coach K’s crew home early. Blue Devils faithful would have to wait until 2010 to sit atop the sport once again.

4. 2024-25 Duke

The most recent edition of the Blue Devils was elite. They ranked in the top 10 nationally in two-point percentage on both offense and defense, and they posted the highest net rating in KenPom’s database since the turn of the century. Led by likely future NBA star Cooper Flagg and two more lottery picks in Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, plus multiple veteran contributors, Duke was loaded on both sides of the ball.

Their Achilles’ heel lingered throughout the season, though. Duke’s late-game execution was poor, and due to a terribly down year for the ACC, the Blue Devils simply did not play enough close games to sort out that issue before the postseason. Houston took advantage of a stunning Duke collapse at the Final Four, halting what looked like a bulldozing march to a sixth national championship in Durham.

3. 2020-21 Gonzaga

The other team to arrive at the Final Four without a single loss on its ledger, Gonzaga blitzed everyone en route to a 30-0 start to the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season. Over that stretch, only one team — West Virginia on Dec. 2 — came within single digits of the Zags’ hyperefficient offensive buzzsaw.

Surprising Cinderella UCLA pushed Gonzaga to the brink in the semifinal, though, and Baylor ruthlessly picked apart Gonzaga’s defense in the title game en route to a blowout victory. Thus, Mark Few’s best team came up a game short of a championship and undefeated immortality, despite the presence of multiple NBA players on the roster (Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, Andrew Nembhard) complementing an all-time college great in Drew Timme.

2. 2004-05 Illinois

Featuring one of the best backcourts in the history of the sport (Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Luther Head), Illinois began the 2004-05 season with a perfect 29-0 record. That trio fueled Illinois’ dominance, but the underrated frontcourt of Roger Powell and James Augustine was dominant in its own right.

A buzzer-beating loss at Ohio State in the regular season finale did little to dampen championship hopes in Champaign. The Illini pulled off a classic comeback in the Elite Eight against Arizona and ultimately took their title dreams down to the season’s final night.

But in the championship game, the Illini came up just short against a similarly dominant UNC team. The Big Ten has had some amazing squads during its 25-year championship drought, and 2005 Illinois may well have been the best of the bunch.

1. 2014-15 Kentucky

John Calipari’s juggernaut steamrolled through the first five months of the season, carrying a 38-0 record into a Final Four matchup with Wisconsin. Kentucky’s sheer athleticism, depth and — most importantly — overall size made it one of the best defenses in college basketball history.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats fell to a similarly elite Wisconsin offense in the semifinals in Indianapolis, as Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker snuck by Kentucky’s loaded roster and thwarted a potential undefeated title campaign.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker have had the best pro careers of this bunch, but the Harrison twins, Trey Lyles and Willie Cauley-Stein all made plenty of money playing basketball, as well. The fact that Tyler Ulis and Dakari Johnson served as overqualified backups underscored the staggering talent on this roster.

(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Photos: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images; Jay Drowns / The Sporting News)

This news was originally published on this post .

Share on

email

Previous

trending_flat

Jesus Vallejo, Real Madrid’s forgotten footballer who is ready to start again

Sports

Next

trending_flat

This Week in Sports Trivia: July 17, 2025

Sports