Links to all previous questions are at the bottom of this story. In July and August, college basketball insiders Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander polled nearly 100 men's Division I coaches on a variety of questions about the sport. Honesty was exchanged for anonymity.
Today, question No. 8, is a walk down memory lane. Nothing sparks a great sports debate like a topic with an answer that is not empirically provable, and today we have just that. So let's take a stroll through the past and stir up some nostalgia.
Scan across the last 26 seasons and you can be reminded of at least 20 teams that deserve the "great" label. There have been some iconic squads in the previous quarter century of college ball. It's not just national champions, either.
Statistically, some of the best teams in the past two-plus decades didn't win it all. Conversely, we've seen a few NCAA Tournament champions that were far from the best team in their given season. Every year we are guaranteed at least a few really good teams.
In most seasons, we get at least one great one. But then there is the class that is a cut above. A select batch of teams that will be referenced and remembered generations after their achievements.
The legendary teams that live on. Twenty-six years into the 21st century, whose legacies stand the tallest? »» 2004-05 North Carolina (33-4)»» 2008-09 North Carolina (34-4) »» 2001-02 Duke (31-4)»» 2004-05 Illinois (37-2)»» 2005-06 Florida (33-6)»» 2007-08 Kansas (37-3)»» 2014-15 Wisconsin (31-5)»» 2020-21 Baylor (28-2)»» 2022-23 UConn (31-8) There was no runaway No. 1 choice here, but the '23-24 Connecticut Huskies do hold a couple of records that give them a strong case as the best team so far into this century. As reigning champs, they swept the Big East regular and postseason titles and received the No. 1 overall seed ... then proceeded to break the record that was set by the 2022-23 national champs.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
