SAN ANTONIO — Duke University, led by the year’s standout college basketball player, Cooper Flagg, seemed poised for an illustrious season, dominating with unmatched efficiency on both offense and defense. However, their ambition for a national championship was dashed after squandering a substantial lead against Houston, culminating their journey in the Final Four. This disappointing scenario places Duke’s 35-win squad alongside a notable list of exemplary teams that have not secured an NCAA title since the tournament’s expansion to 64 teams in 1985.
Heading into the Final Four, all top seeds boasted remarkable KenPom efficiency numbers, a metric that assesses a team’s performance based on offensive and defensive data against the quality of opponents. All teams exceeded a score of +35, a mark previously achieved by only six teams in KenPom’s history since 1997. Duke had a remarkable score of +39.62, the second-best ever recorded. Despite such outstanding performance metrics, Duke will now watch from the sidelines as Florida and Houston compete in the championship game Monday, marking Houston’s return to the finals since their famed “Phi Slama Jama” era in the 1980s.
Reflecting on the season, Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed that the journey was extraordinary, albeit ending in heartache. Teams from past seasons that find themselves in similar situations include:
1984-85 Georgetown, coached by John Thompson, returned to the final game powered by star player Patrick Ewing but fell to Villanova, the lowest-seeded team ever to win the tournament with remarkable shooting accuracy.
In 1990-91, Jerry Tarkanian’s UNLV appeared destined to repeat their championship victory, fueled by future NBA top pick Larry Johnson. Despite being dominant throughout the season, they were upset by Duke, the very team they defeated in the previous year’s final, pegged back in the Final Four.
The 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines, driven by the cultural phenomenon of the “Fab Five” squad, returned for a second consecutive title game appearance. However, a late technical error by star Chris Webber secured their loss to North Carolina.
Kansas from the 1996-97 season, led by emerging NBA talents Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz, saw a promising season end in a Sweet 16 loss to eventual champions Arizona despite their high rankings in both efficiency and national polls.
1997-98 North Carolina, marking a regime transition under coach Bill Guthridge and featuring stars Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter, breezed through the season leading polls and statistics but fell in the Final Four.
Duke’s 1998-99 squad, statistically holding KenPom’s highest efficiency rating, saw its title aspirations dashed by UConn in the championship showdown.
2004-05 Illinois, led by a powerhouse backcourt, reigned in the polls but found themselves defeated in a tense NCAA final by North Carolina.
The Memphis Tigers of 2007-08 were on the verge of securing a title under the leadership of freshman standout Derrick Rose, only to let victory slip in the final moments against Kansas.
Kentucky in 2014-15, carrying an undefeated streak into the Final Four, was unexpectedly stopped by Wisconsin, who ended their historic run.
With the star power of Zion Williamson, 2018-19 Duke captured the public’s imagination but stumbled before the Final Four, stopped by Michigan State.
Finally, in 2020-21, Gonzaga pursued an undefeated season but was decisively thwarted by Baylor’s dynamic play in the final, leaving their dreams of perfection unfulfilled.