25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25In order to satisfy my epistemic curiosity and to augment your knowledge database, I have compiled a considerable amount of historical information for those of you interested in such things. It follows a logical sequence: (1) Raw Data, (2) Compilations and Analyses, and (3) Observations.
If scanning hundreds of lines of numbers does NOT interest you, please give this thread a miss. Note that each season, the AP voting for their penultimate Top 25 Poll is
prior to the NCAA Tournament, while voting for the
Final Top 25 Poll is
after the NCAA Tournament's completion, thus reflecting the newly-crowned National Champion and the results of various upsets during the course of the Tournament.
Marquette Golden Eagles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquette_Golden_Eagles) – Wikipedia •
Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquette_Golden_Eagles_men%27s_basketball) – Wikipedia
QuoteIndependent • 1916–17 to 1988–89
Midwestern Collegiate • 1989–90 to 1990–91
Great Midwest • 1991–92 to 1994–95
Conference USA • 1995–96 to 2004–05
Big East • 2005–06 to Present
=====================================================================
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25: PART 1: RAW DATA2001 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2001) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 7. Boston College • Big East
17. Syracuse • Big East
21. Georgetown • Big East
2002 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2002) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote10. Connecticut • Big East
12. Marquette • CUSA
22. Xavier • Atlantic 10
2003 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2003) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 9. Marquette • CUSA
12. Xavier • Atlantic 10
13. Syracuse • Big East
15. Creighton • MVC
16. Dayton • Atlantic 10
2004 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2004) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 7. Connecticut • Big East
20. Syracuse • Big East
21. Providence • Big East
25. Boston College • Big East
2005 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2005) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote11. Syracuse • Big East
13. Connecticut • Big East
14. Boston College • Big East
19. Villanova • Big East
2006 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2006) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 2. Connecticut • Big East
3. Villanova • Big East
21. Syracuse • Big East
23. Georgetown • Big East
2007 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2007) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 8. Georgetown • Big East
20. Marquette • Big East
21. Butler • Horizon
2008 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2008) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 8. Georgetown • Big East
11. Butler • Horizon
12. Xavier • Atlantic 10
16. Connecticut • Big East
25. Marquette • Big East
2009 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2009) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 5. Connecticut • Big East
11. Villanova • Big East
13. Syracuse • Big East
20. Xavier • Atlantic 10
22. Butler • Horizon
23. Marquette • Big East
2010 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2010) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 4. Syracuse • Big East
6. West Virginia • Big East
9. Villanova • Big East
11. Butler • Horizon
14. Georgetown • Big East
18. Pittsburgh • Big East
25. Xavier • Atlantic 10
2011 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2011) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 4. Pittsburgh • Big East
5. Notre Dame • Big East
9. Connecticut • Big East
12. Syracuse • Big East
14. Louisville • Big East
18. St. John's • Big East
20. Xavier • Atlantic 10
2012 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2012) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 2. Syracuse • Big East
11. Marquette • Big East
15. Georgetown • Big East
17. Louisville • Big East
19. Creighton • Missouri Valley
2013 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2013) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 2. Louisville • Big East
8. Georgetown • Big East
13. Saint Louis • Atlantic 10
15. Marquette • Big East
16. Syracuse • Big East
22. Creighton • Missouri Valley
23. Notre Dame • Big East
Old Big East Conference 1979–2013 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_East_Conference_(1979%E2%80%932013)) – Wikipedia •
New Big East Conference 2014–Present (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_East_Conference) – Wikipedia
2014 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2014) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Villanova • Big East
16. Creighton • Big East
18. Connecticut • American
24. VCU • Atlantic 10
25. Saint Louis • Atlantic 10
2015 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2015) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 2. Villanova • Big East
22. Georgetown • Big East
24. Butler • Big East
25. VCU • Atlantic 10
2016 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2016) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Villanova • Big East
9. Xavier • Big East
20. Seton Hall • Big East
2017 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2017) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 1. Villanova • Big East
21. Butler • Big East
2018 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2018) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 2. Villanova • Big East
3. Xavier • Big East
2019 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2019) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote23. Villanova • Big East
2020 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2020) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 3. Dayton • Atlantic 10
7. Creighton • Big East
10. Villanova • Big East
15. Seton Hall • Big East
23. Butler • Big East
2021 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2021) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote18. Villanova • Big East
19. Creighton • Big East
2022 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2022) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Villanova • Big East
13. Providence • Big East
21. Connecticut • Big East
2023 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2023) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Marquette • Big East
10. Connecticut • Big East
13. Xavier • Big East
2024 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2024) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 1. Connecticut • Big East
11. Marquette • Big East
13. Creighton • Big East
24. Dayton • Atlantic 10
2025 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2025) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote11. St. John's • Big East
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25: PART 2: COMPILATIONS AND ANALYSES 2.1 Compilation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams by Conference2.2 Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and Other
2.3 Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and Averages
2.4 Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
2.5 Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final Poll Ranking
2.6 Analysis No. 2 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2001-2013
2.7 Analysis No. 3 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2014-2025
2.8 Analysis No. 4 – Top 25 Teams that Fared the Same
2.9 Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
2.1 Compilation No. 1 – Top 25 teams by Conference2001 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 5
Pac-10 • 3
Big East • 3
Other • 2
2002 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 2
SEC • 5
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 2
Pac-10 • 4
Big East • 1
Other • 8
2003 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 4
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 2
Pac-10 • 2
Big East • 2
Other • 8
2004 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 6
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 2
Pac-10 • 2
Big East • 4
Other • 6
2005 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 4
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 3
Pac-10 • 2
Big East • 3
Other • 6
2006 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 3
Pac-10 • 2
Big East • 3
Other • 8
2007 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 2
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 2
Pac-10 • 4
Big East • 1
Other • 11
2008 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 2
Big Ten • 3
Pac-10 • 3
Big East • 2
Other • 10
2009 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 1
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 2
Pac-10 • 3
Big East • 2
Other • 9
2010 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 2
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 4
Pac-10 • 0
Big East • 5
Other • 7
2011 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 2
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 3
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 7
Other • 4
2012 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 3
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 5
Pac-10 • 0
Big East • 4
Other • 7
2013 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 2
SEC • 1
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 5
Pac-12 • 3
Big East • 6
Other • 5
Old Big East Conference 1979–2013 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_East_Conference_(1979%E2%80%932013)) – Wikipedia •
New Big East Conference 2014–Present (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_East_Conference) – Wikipedia
2014 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 4
SEC • 1
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 4
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 2
Other • 8
2015 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 5
Big Ten • 3
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 3
Other • 5
2016 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 5
Big Ten • 5
Pac-12 • 4
Big East • 3
Other • 1
2017 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 6
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 3
Pac-12 • 3
Big East • 2
Other • 5
2018 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 4
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 4
Pac-12 • 1
Big East • 2
Other • 6
2019 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 5
SEC • 4
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 4
Pac-12 • 0
Big East • 1
Other • 7
2020 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 4
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 3
Big Ten • 6
Pac-12 • 1
Big East • 4
Other • 5
2021 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 2
Big 12 • 6
Big Ten • 5
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 2
Other • 5
2022 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 1
SEC • 4
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 4
Pac-12 • 3
Big East • 3
Other • 6
2023 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 3
SEC • 4
Big 12 • 5
Big Ten • 2
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 3
Other • 6
2024 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteACC • 4
SEC • 5
Big 12 • 4
Big Ten • 2
Pac-12 • 2
Big East • 3
Other • 5
2025 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll - Conference BreakdownQuoteSEC • 8
Big 12 • 5
Big Ten • 5
ACC • 3
Pac-12 • 0
Big East • 1
Other • 3
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25: PART 2: COMPILATIONS AND ANALYSES
2.1 Compilation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams by Conference
2.2 Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and Other
2.3 Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and Averages
2.4 Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
2.5 Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final Poll Ranking
2.6 Analysis No. 2 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2001-2013
2.7 Analysis No. 3 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2014-2025
2.8 Analysis No. 4 – Top 25 Teams that Fared the Same
2.9 Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
2.2 Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and Other
2001: 'Big School' Conferences 20 • Big East 3 • Other 2
2002: 'Big School' Conferences 16 • Big East 1 • Other 8
2003: 'Big School' Conferences 15 • Big East 2 • Other 8
2004: 'Big School' Conferences 15 • Big East 4 • Other 6
2005: 'Big School' Conferences 16 • Big East 3 • Other 6
2006: 'Big School' Conferences 14 • Big East 3 • Other 8
2007: 'Big School' Conferences 13 • Big East 1 • Other 11
2008: 'Big School' Conferences 13 • Big East 2 • Other 10
2009: 'Big School' Conferences 14 • Big East 2 • Other 9
2010: 'Big School' Conferences 13 • Big East 5 • Other 7
2011: 'Big School' Conferences 14 • Big East 7 • Other 4
2012: 'Big School' Conferences 14 • Big East 4 • Other 7
2013: 'Big School' Conferences 14 • Big East 6 • Other 5
2014: 'Big School' Conferences 15 • Big East 2 • Other 8
2015: 'Big School' Conferences 17 • Big East 3 • Other 5
2016: 'Big School' Conferences 21 • Big East 3 • Other 1
2017: 'Big School' Conferences 18 • Big East 2 • Other 5
2018: 'Big School' Conferences 17 • Big East 2 • Other 6
2019: 'Big School' Conferences 17 • Big East 1 • Other 7
2020: 'Big School' Conferences 16 • Big East 4 • Other 5
2021: 'Big School' Conferences 18 • Big East 2 • Other 5
2022: 'Big School' Conferences 16 • Big East 3 • Other 6
2023: 'Big School' Conferences 16 • Big East 3 • Other 6
2024: 'Big School' Conferences 17 • Big East 3 • Other 5
2025: 'Big School' Conferences 21 • Big East 1 • Other 3
2.3 Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and Averages
13-Year Subtotals 2001-2013: 'Big School' Conferences 191 • Big East 43 • Other 91
13-Year Averages 2001-2013: 'Big School' Conferences 14.7 • Big East 3.3 • Other 7.0
12-Year Subtotals 2014-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 209 • Big East 29 • Other 62
12-Year Averages 2014-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 17.4 • Big East 2.4 • Other 5.2
25-Year Totals 2001-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 400 • Big East 72 • Other 153
25-Year Averages 2001-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 16.0 • Big East 2.9 • Other 6.1
Summary of Average Number of Top 25 Teams Per Season:
13-Year Averages 2001-2013: 'Big School' Conferences 14.7 • Big East 3.3 • Other 7.0
12-Year Averages 2014-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 17.4 • Big East 2.4 • Other 5.2
25-Year Averages 2001-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 16.0 • Big East 2.9 • Other 6.1
2.4 Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
13 • (4 + 9) • Villanova (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=9) • #19 (2005), #3 (2006), #11 (2009), #9 (2010) • #6 (2014), #2 (2015), #6 (2016), #1 (2017), #2 (2018), #23 (2019), #10 (2020), #18 (2021), #6 (2022)
12 • (8 + 4) • UConn (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=94) • #10 (2002), #23 (2002), #7 (2004), #13 (2005), #2 (2006), #16 (2008), #5 (2009), #9 (2011) • #18 (2014), #21 (2022), #10 (2023), #1 (2024)
9 • (7 + 2) • Marquette (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=100) • #12 (2002), #9 (2003), #20 (2007), #25 (2008), #23 (2009), #11 (2012), #15 (20130 • #6 (2023), #11 (2024)
9 • (6 + 3) • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116) • #22 (2002), #12 (2003), #12 (2008), #20 (2009), #25 (2010), #20 (2011) • #9 (2016), #3 (2018), #13 (2023)
8 • (7 + 1) • Georgetown (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=80) • #21 (2001), #23 (2006), #8 (2007), #8 (2008), #14 (2010), #15 (2012), #8 (2013) • #22 (2015)
7 • (4 + 3) • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19) • #21 (2007), #11 (2008), #22 (2009), #11 (2010) • #24 (2015), #21 (2017), #23 (2020)
7 • (3 + 4) • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152) • #15 (2003), #19 (2012), #22 (2013) • #16 (2014), #7 (2020), #19 (2021), #13 (2024)
3 • (1 + 2) • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59)
2 • (1 + 1) • Providence (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=125)
2 • (1 + 1) • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1)
2 • (1 + 1) • St. John's (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=34)
2 • (0 + 2) • Seton Hall (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=63)
2 • (0 + 2) • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173)
0 • (0 + 0) • DePaul (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=22)
2.5 Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final AP Poll Ranking
#1 • Villanova (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=9) • #3 (2006), #2 (2015), #1 (2017), #2 (2018)
#1 • UConn (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=94) • #2 (2006), #1 (2024)
#3 • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59) • #3 (2020)
#3 • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116) • #3(2018)
#6 • Marquette (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=100) • #6 (2023)
#7 • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152) • #7 (2020)
#8 • Georgetown (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=80) • #8 (2007), #8 (2008), #8 (2013)
#11 • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19) • #11 (2008), #11 (2010)
#11 • St. John's (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=34) • #11 (2025)
#12 • Providence (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=125) • #12 (2022)
#13 • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1) • #13 (2013)
#15 • Seton Hall (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=63) • #15 (2020)
#24 • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173) • #24 (2014)
NR • DePaul (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=22)
2.6 Analysis No. 2 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2001-2013
12 • (8 + 4) • UConn (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=94)
9 • (7 + 2) • Marquette (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=100)
9 • (6 + 3) • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116)
8 • (7 + 1) • Georgetown (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=80)
7 • (4 + 3) • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19)
2.7 Analysis No. 3 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2014-2025
13 • (4 + 9) • Villanova (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=9)
7 • (3 + 4) • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152)
3 • (1 + 2) • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59)
2 • (0 + 2) • Seton Hall (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=63)
2 • (0 + 2) • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173)
2.8 Analysis No. 4 – Top 25 Teams that Fared the Same
2 • (1 + 1) • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1)
2 • (1 + 1) • Providence (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=125)
2 • (1 + 1) • St. John's (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=34)
0 • (0 + 0) • DePaul (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=22)
2.9 Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
Butler, Creighton, Xavier to join 'Catholic 7' schools in Big East (https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-mar-19-la-sp-newswire-20130320-story.html) – Los Angeles Times – March 19, 2013
9 • (6 + 3) • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116)
7 • (4 + 3) • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19)
7 • (3 + 4) • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152)
3 • (1 + 2) • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59)
2 • (1 + 1) • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1)
2 • (0 + 2) • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173)
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25: PART 3: OBSERVATIONS Quote2.1 Compilation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams by Conference
2.2 Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and Other
2.3 Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and Averages
2.4 Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
2.5 Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final Poll Ranking
2.6 Analysis No. 2 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2001-2013
2.7 Analysis No. 3 – Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2014-2025
2.8 Analysis No. 4 – Top 25 Teams that Fared the Same
2.9 Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
3.1 Concerning Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and Other
3.2 Concerning Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and Averages
3.3 Concerning Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
3.4 Concerning Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final Poll Ranking
3.5 Concerning Analyses Nos. 2, 3, and 4 – How Top 25 Teams Fared
3.6 Concerning Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
3.7 Links3.1 Concerning Distillation No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – 'Big School' Conferences, Big East, and OtherIt is self-evident that Compilation No. 1 contains far too much information to easily be viewed and absorbed, so in order to be useful, it was necessary to distil the Compilation by (1) combining the yearly totals for the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12 into a single entry entitled 'Big School' Conferences, and (2) display the information in a one-line-per-year format.
The Distillation shows that in 2011, the
Big East put a record 7 schools in the Final Top 25, with 6 Top 25 finishes in 2013, and 5 Top 25 schools in 2010. In 9 of the last 12 years, the New Big East has two or three teams in in the Final Top 25, with 4 Top 25 schools in 2020, and only one Top 25 school in 2019 (#23. Villanova) and in 2025 (#11 St. John's).
3.2 Concerning Analysis No. 1 – Top 25 Teams – Subtotals, Totals and AveragesQuoteSummary of Average Number of Top 25 Teams Per Season:
13-Year Averages 2001-2013: 'Big School' Conferences 14.7 • Big East 3.3 • Other 7.0
12-Year Averages 2014-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 17.4 • Big East 2.4 • Other 5.2
25-Year Averages 2001-2025: 'Big School' Conferences 16.0 • Big East 2.9 • Other 6.1
It can be seen that that the
'Big School' Conferences increased their average number of ranked teams from 14.7 to 17.4 teams per season – an increase of 2.7 ranked schools per year. Consequently, the
Big East dropped from 3.3 to 2.4 – a loss of 0.9 ranked schools per year, while
Other schools dropped from 7.0 ranked schools per season to 5.2 per season – a loss of 1.8 ranked schools per season.
3.3 Concerning Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of AppearancesQuote2.4 Compilation No. 2 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Number of Appearances
13 • (4 + 9) • Villanova (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=9)
12 • (8 + 4) • UConn (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=94)
9 • (7 + 2) • Marquette (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=100)
9 • (6 + 3) • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116)
8 • (7 + 1) • Georgetown (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=80)
7 • (4 + 3) • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19)
7 • (3 + 4) • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152)
3 • (1 + 2) • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59)
2 • (1 + 1) • Providence (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=125)
2 • (1 + 1) • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1)
2 • (1 + 1) • St. John's (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=34)
2 • (0 + 2) • Seton Hall (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=63)
2 • (0 + 2) • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173)
0 • (0 + 0) • DePaul (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=22)
Compilation No. 2 examines the
frequency of schools appearing in the AP Final Top 25 – one metric of basketball program quality. The data sorts itself into two tiers - the seven schools with 7 or more appearances, and the seven schools with 3 or fewer Top 25 appearances.
3.4 Concerning Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final Poll RankingCompilation No. 3 examines the
ceiling of schools appearing in the AP Final Top 25 – another metric of basketball program quality. The data sorts itself into three tiers - the four schools with a best ranking in the Top 3, the three middle schools with best rankings of #6. #7, and #8, and the seven schools with a best ranking of #11 or worse in the last 25 years.
Quote2.5 Compilation No. 3 – Top 25 Teams by School, Sorted by Highest Final AP Poll Ranking
#1 • Villanova (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=9) • #3 (2006), #2 (2015), #1 (2017), #2 (2018)
#1 • UConn (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=94) • #2 (2006), #1 (2024)
#3 • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59) • #3 (2020)
#3 • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116) • #3(2018)
#6 • Marquette (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=100) • #6 (2023)
#7 • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152) • #7 (2020)
#8 • Georgetown (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=80) • #8 (2007), #8 (2008), #8 (2013)
#11 • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19) • #11 (2008), #11 (2010)
#11 • St. John's (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=34) • #11(2025)
#12 • Providence (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=125) • #12 (2022)
#13 • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1) • #13(2013)
#15 • Seton Hall (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=63) • #15(2020)
#24 • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173) • #24 (2014)
NR • DePaul (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=22)
3.5 Concerning Analyses Nos. 2, 3, and 4 – How Top 25 Teams FaredQuoteTop 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2001-2013: UConn, Marquette, Xavier, Georgetown, and Butler.
Top 25 Teams that Fared Better in 2014-2025: Villanova, Creighton, Dayton, Seton Hall, and VCU.
Top 25 Teams that Fared the Same: Saint Louis, Providence, St. John's and DePaul .
This analysis satisfies one's curiosity, but not much more, as there are too many factors in play to glean any useful information or to determine the possible causes for the teams falling into each of the three categories.
3.6 Concerning Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate SchoolsBack in the winter of 2013 when the Catholic 7 basketball schools decided to part ways with the football schools, Xavier was always going to be Team #8, simply because the Musketeers were the best expansion team available. The icing on the cake was that Xavier was a perfect fit for the New Big East – in terms of institutional fit, geographic fit, and a strong 'basketball-centric' ethos, as well as an excellent basketball program since the 1950's.
That left only two questions to be answered: (1)
How many expansion teams are optimal? and (2)
Who should they be?Analysis No. 5 gave the answer to both questions.
Quote2.9 Analysis No. 5 – Top 25 Teams 2001-2013 – Expansion Candidate Schools
Butler, Creighton, Xavier to join 'Catholic 7' schools in Big East (https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-mar-19-la-sp-newswire-20130320-story.html) – Los Angeles Times – March 19, 2013
9 • (6 + 3) • Xavier (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=116)
7 • (4 + 3) • Butler (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=19)
7 • (3 + 4) • Creighton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=152)
3 • (1 + 2) • Dayton (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=59)
2 • (1 + 1) • Saint Louis (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=1)
2 • (0 + 2) • VCU (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/teams/summary.cfm?teamid=173)
The data sorted itself into two tiers, indicating that a 10-team conference was optimal, and that the 9th and 10th teams should be Butler and Creighton. Two other favorable reasons for a 10-team conference are that it allows round-robin regular-season scheduling, and that it avoids the appearance of a Catholic 7 / A10 merger – something the presidents of the Catholic 7 schools strenuously wanted to avoid.
As much as I would have liked Dayton to join the Big East in 2013, it is evident that the presidents of the Catholic 7 schools made the correct decision back in 2013. Dayton was a better institutional fit than Butler, and Dayton was a better geographic fit than Creighton, but Butler and Creighton had better basketball teams than Dayton in the years leading up to the Big East split and expansion.
3.7 Links: Men's Basketball AP Top 25 Poll (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_poll#Men's_basketball) – Wikipedia
AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball Poll (https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll) – Associated Press official website
College Poll Tracker – 2025 Final AP Poll – Listing View (https://collegepolltracker.com/basketball/2024/final-rankings) – collegepolltracker.com
College Poll Tracker – 2025 Final AP Poll – Ballot Grid View (https://collegepolltracker.com/basketball/grid/2024/final-rankings) – collegepolltracker.com
College Poll Archive – Men's Basketball homepage (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/index.cfm) – collegepollarchive.com
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25 – PART 4: A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2025-26 SEASON
25 YEARS OF THE AP TOP 25 – PART 5: PRESENT BIG EAST – PRESEASON vs. FINAL AP RANKINGSPART 4: A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2025-26 SEASONDates of AP Preseason Polls (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/first-poll-dates.cfm) – collegepollarchive.com
QuoteSEASON • AP PRESEASON POLL DATE
2025 • October 14
2024 • October 16
2023 • October 17
2022 • October 18
2021 • November 9
2020 • October 21
2019 • October 22
2018 • November 1
2017 • October 31
2016 • November 2
2015 • October 31
2014 • October 31
CBS Sports Early Top 25 And 1 (https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-rankings-north-carolina-joins-top-25-and-1-after-late-addition-of-international-prospect/) – Gary Parrish, CBS Sports – June 2, 2025
Quote#1. St. John's
#5. UConn
ESPN's Bracketology (https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2026-march-madness-men-field-predictions) – Joe Lunardi, ESPN – June 24, 2025
Quote#2 seed (Top 8): UConn
#2 seed (Top 8): St. John's
#9 seed (Top 36): Creighton
ON THE BUBBLE
First Four Out: Marquette
Next Four Out: Villanova
ESPN's Early NCAA Top 25 Rankings (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45623630/mens-college-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-impact-newcomers-2025-26) – Jeff Borzello – July 1, 2025
Quote #4. UConn
#5. St. John's
#22. Creighton
The information above suggests that the next Preseason AP Top 25 Poll will be published around October 15, 2025, with
St. John's and
UConn listed as Top 10 teams.
But how reliable are the AP Poll Preseason Rankings? We'll look at that in
PART 5=========================================================================
PART 5: PRESENT BIG EAST – PRESEASON vs. FINAL AP RANKINGSPart 5 will only consider data since the present 11-team Big East began play in the 2020-2021 season.
UConn officially rejoins Big East after seven-year absence (https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/29392657/uconn-huskies-officially-back-big-east-conference) – Jeff Borzello, ESPN - July 1, 2020
2020-2021 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1205) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote3. Villanova • Big East
11. Creighton • Big East
2021 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2021) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote18. Villanova • Big East
19. Creighton • Big East
Not bad. Villanova and Creighton turned out to be overrated in the Preseason AP Poll, but the Poll correctly picked these two Big East teams that made the Final Top 25, and in the correct order.
2021-2022 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1222) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 4. Villanova • Big East
24. Connecticut • Big East
2022 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2022) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Villanova • Big East
13. Providence • Big East
21. Connecticut • Big East
The Preseason AP Poll again did a good job with Villanova and Creighton, but completely missed Providence.
2022-2023 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1241) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 9. Creighton • Big East
16. Villanova • Big East
2023 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2023) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Marquette • Big East
10. Connecticut • Big East
13. Xavier • Big East
The AP Poll voters went with Creighton and Villanova in the Preseason, but they disappeared and were replaced by Marquette, Connecticut, and Xavier in the Final Poll. That's about as bad as it gets.
2023-2024 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1260) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 6. Connecticut • Big East
5. Marquette • Big East
8. Creighton • Big East
22. Villanova • Big East
2024 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2024) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote 1. Connecticut • Big East
11. Marquette • Big East
13. Creighton • Big East
After a disastrous 2022-23 Preseason Poll, the voter's recovered credibility in their 2023-24 Preseason Poll, getting three teams right, and in the correct order. For the second consecutive season, Villanova was listed in the Preseason Poll, but not in the Final Poll.
2024-2025 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1281) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote3. Connecticut • Big East
15. Creighton • Big East
18. Marquette • Big East
2025 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2025) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote11. St. John's • Big East
Another very bad Preseason Poll for the AP voters.
On every college basketball message board in the country, you can find posters saying "Preseason Polls don't mean anything." The 2019-20 Preseason Poll illustrates that axiom quite well.
2019-2020 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1185) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote10. Villanova • Big East (1048 points)
12. Seton Hall • Big East (863 points)
19. Xavier • Big East (356 points)
25. VCU • Atlantic 10 (193 points)
RV (29.) Marquette • Big East (68 points)
RV (36.) Georgetown • Big East (11 points)
RV (40.) Creighton • Big East (4 points)
RV (T48.) Dayton • Atlantic 10 (1 point)
RV (T48.) Providence • Big East (1 point)
--------- Butler • Big East (0 points)
2020 Final AP Men's Basketball Poll (https://www.collegepollarchive.com/basketball/men/ap/seasons.cfm?seasonid=2020) - collegepollarchive.com
Quote3. Dayton • Atlantic 10 (1505 points)
7. Creighton • Big East (1154 points)
10. Villanova • Big East (1011 points)
15. Seton Hall • Big East 727 points)
23. Butler • Big East (165 points)
RV (28.) Providence • Big East (63 points)
--------- Xavier • Big East (0 points)
--------- VCU • Atlantic 10 (0 points)
The Preseason voters did well with Villanova and Seton Hall, but missed the boat with everyone else. Preseason Top 25 teams Xavier and VCU didn't get any votes in the Final 2020 AP Poll. Butler didn't get any votes in the Preseason Poll, but finished the season in the Top 25 with 165 points.
Creighton and Dayton were largely overlooked in the 2019-2020 Preseason Poll, but both garnered more than 1100 points in the Final Poll of the Covid-shortened season which ended during the post-season Conference Tournaments.
College Poll Tracker – 2020 Final AP Poll – Ballot Grid View (https://collegepolltracker.com/basketball/grid/2024/final-rankings) – collegepolltracker.com
NCAA Tournament simulation: Dayton wins first title as SportsLine simulates entire Big Dance (https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-tournament-simulation-dayton-wins-first-title-as-sportsline-simulates-entire-big-dance/) – David Cobb, CBS Sports – April 6, 2020
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the many enjoyable aspects of epistemic curiosity is that you never know in advance where it will lead you. This post turned out to be significantly longer than I had expected, but I wanted to eliminate some of the information gaps which existed in the common knowledge database (which is what epistemic curiosity is all about). Hence, this treatise the first detailed analysis of AP Top 25 Polls I have ever seen in print.
I'll conclude by thanking the good folks at
collegepollarchive.com and
collegepolltracker.com.
Happy Fifth to you too!
That's a lot of words to say what everyone already knows, Dayton sucks
Still less embarassing than a dentist...
Quote from: The Sultan on July 05, 2025, 07:46:50 AMStill less embarassing than a dentist...
Yeah, but.... it's
close!
Imagine having such a boring holiday weekend that this is what you compile.
One of the stranger posts you'll find on this site... and that's saying something!
TL;DR. As such, I'll agree with Rico, with emphasis added...
Quote from: Uncle Rico on July 05, 2025, 07:06:10 AMThat's a lot of words to say what everyone already knows, Dayton sucks
Quote from: Fieldhouse Flyer on July 05, 2025, 06:09:41 AMplease give this thread a miss.
This is literally all you should ever write on this site. These 5 words sum up the entirety of your existence here. Go away, no one cares.
I strained my thumb scrolling to the end of this thread to see if the whole thread was just going to be the original poster having a conversation with himself
Thank you, ScoopGPT.
Genuinely curious how many forums you copy and posted this AI style write up to.
Quote from: brewcity77 on July 05, 2025, 12:24:47 PMThis is literally all you should ever write on this site. These 5 words sum up the entirety of your existence here. Go away, no one cares.
Not trying to be pedantic, Brew, but is is 6 words (not that I disagree with your premise).
Flyer promised observations. There were some relative to Dayton's place in the BE expansion relative to Butler and Creighton, but otherwise any real analysis was not forthcoming.
Is there a general college basketball forum that isn't connected to a specific program or conference this dude posts these novels to? Does he post these to Dayton forums? Can we get the Dayton forums to come get their mans please?
Quote from: wadesworld on July 06, 2025, 11:26:27 AMIs there a general college basketball forum that isn't connected to a specific program or conference this dude posts these novels to? Does he post these to Dayton forums? Can we get the Dayton forums to come get their mans please?
I think we should just send Muggsy over to UDPride to talk about manatees and sh*t. Like a student exchange program, but a really bad one.
TL;dr
Quote from: mileskishnish72 on July 06, 2025, 10:05:30 AMNot trying to be pedantic, Brew, but is is 6 words (not that I disagree with your premise).
Flyer promised observations. There were some relative to Dayton's place in the BE expansion relative to Butler and Creighton, but otherwise any real analysis was not forthcoming.
Dayton sucks, will never be in the BE. Yet we played like crap and lost to them.
Quote from: PointWarrior on July 06, 2025, 11:52:27 AMDayton sucks, will never be in the BE. Yet we played like crap and lost to them.
Thanks.
Quote from: PointWarrior on July 06, 2025, 11:52:27 AMDayton sucks, will never be in the BE. Yet we played like crap and lost to them.
TL;dr
Put the first paragraph into chrome and only MUScoop comes up. Guy wrote an encyclopedia just for us a team his team barely ever plays, in a different conference. Feel special people!
Quote from: Galway Eagle on July 05, 2025, 09:04:08 PMGenuinely curious how many forums you copy and posted this write up to.
Quote from: Galway Eagle on July 06, 2025, 01:43:39 PMPut the first paragraph into chrome and only MUScoop comes up.
..................................(https://steemitimages.com/DQmca2VQgV6Yg113aevoptJBmQjcGbdNJVAP6VVs2Dg8iu9/image.png)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1483464449474404361/oflnfgNQ_400x400.jpg)
(https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2025/07/24/1b75cbd4-48f8-4bda-834c-ef18c6b08727/thumbnail/770x433/430c0d9e4ca3f591e762e6f9e0e87783/overall-v1.png)
The Top 25 (And 1) biggest stories in men's college basketball since 2000 (https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/the-top-25-and-1-biggest-stories-in-mens-college-basketball-since-2000/) - Matt Norlander, CBS Sports - July 24, 2025
The players, coaches, games, moments and off-the-court stories that had the greatest impact in college hoops in the past 25 years
Over the past 25 years, dozens of stories and moments have significantly added to the lore of men's college basketball. In that span, the sport has witnessed some of its greatest coaches win championships and, inevitably, end their careers. It's seen some teenagers enter into its arenas and leave college as bona fide legends.
Beyond the individual figures, the contours and definitions of what constitutes what college basketball is has drastically changed from what we knew it to be 25 years ago. The NBA-initiated one-and-done era was born in the past quarter-century. The NCAA Tournament expanded twice. The rules regarding transfers and how coaches are allowed to recruit have been rewritten a dozen times. Biggest of all, the amateurism model that existed for more than 100 years was finally undone.
There's been so much that has happened to this great game over the past two and a half decades.
And because I simply can't help myself, with this being the year 2025, I decided to whittle down the 25 — well, no, actually, I couldn't even do that. It's the Top 25 (And 1) biggest stories in the sport since 2000. Hop in the time machine with me as we scan back over the past 25 years in men's college hoop.
Realignment has always been a thing in college sports, with teams switching leagues for basically 100 years. One move begets another and another. Some decisions are much more significant than others.
In 2004, Miami and Virginia Tech left the Big East for football reasons, and in doing so set in motion the major fissures that would come later in the 21st century. A funny line from The New York Times on June 30, 2003: "The addition of Miami and Virginia Tech could transform the A.C.C., best known for its top basketball programs, into a football powerhouse."
We know how that turned out.
Back in the early 2000s, the Big East tried to sue to block the action and failed. Then-Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese was quoted at the time: "I think the public is disgusted with us all to be honest with you."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25. Villanova coach Jay Wright retires (April 20, 2022)
There have been a number of notable retirements since 2000, but the shock value and symbolism of Wright's outpaces all others. At 60 years old, coming off the fourth Final Four of his career and still operating in his prime at Villanova, Wright decided the grind was no longer for him. He saw the first season of NIL-affected college basketball and didn't want any more of it. (Tony Bennett would retire for similar reasons in October 2024.)
Wright won 642 games, two national championships, 13 combined Big East titles, was a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year and six-time Big East Coach of the Year. It all led to a Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame induction in 2021. Wright quickly pivoted to television work, where he's predictably been terrific and figures to grow into one of the game's most prominent voices on the media side.
19. Brad Stevens leaves Butler for the Celtics (July 3, 2013)
A few of these stories make the list because of their shock value, and this one absolutely qualifies. On the day before the Fourth of July, just after 5:30 p.m. ET, Butler and the Boston Celtics jointly announced that 36-year-old Brad Stevens would be taking the Celtics job. It was in no way hinted at before that moment. A stunning news dump heading into a four-day holiday weekend.
Stevens had been attached to previous openings in college, but he never actually engaged in any discussions about leaving Butler. He went 166-49 with BU, including a 12-5 record in the NCAAs and two title game appearances (keep scrolling). His 166 wins is the most for any NCAA Division I basketball coach over the first six years to start a career.
In a testament to how coveted he was, Stevens' Butler contract in 2013, when he took the Boston job, lasted all the way until this year, 2025.
Because of Stevens, Butler went from Horizon League to A-10 to the Big East. He holds an distinct legacy in the college game.
College hoops was worse off for not having Stevens in it, as was Butler. But Stevens did OK for himself, winning way more often than not in eight seasons as an NBA coach, before stunning again by leaving coaching to run the Celtics' front office. He was rewarded there, winning NBA Executive of the Year in 2023-24, when the Celtics won the NBA title.
15. UConn dominantly goes back-to-back, ascends to blue blood status (2023, 2024)
Back-to-back listings for back-to-back championship winners. UConn edges out Florida for the record-setting nature of the Huskies' struts to their natties.
The Kemba Walker-led Huskies team that won it all in 2011 was in strong consideration for this list but wound up being one of the final cuts.
Truth be told, UConn's got a bigger story this century anyway.
In 2023, Dan Hurley's program went 31-8 and won the title as a No. 4 seed, but it never lost to nonconference competition that season and won its six tournament games by an average of 20 points. In the final four games of that tourney, UConn held all its opponents under 35% shooting, which had never been done. That group also trailed for a total of 55 seconds in the six second halves of that tournament.
Outlandish.
The 2023-24 team was even better.
That group went 37-3 and has a strong case as a top-three team this century. It beat opponents by 23.3 points in the NCAAs, never trailed in the second half and had a point differential of +140, the highest in NCAA history. It added up to two titles with 12 straight games of 13-plus point victories. It validated UConn, permanently, as a blue blood — giving the school its fifth and sixth championships in a 26-year span. It also vaulted Hurley to face-of-the-sport status, where his perch remains.
Certain programs winning titles under certain circumstances wind up carrying more narrative weight. UConn's destruction of the tournament two years in a row is a level of supremacy we may never see again.
11. Kris Jenkins wins it at the buzzer for Villanova over UNC in the national title game (April 4, 2016)
Huge moments and huge stories aren't the same thing, but sometimes a moment is so big it becomes a story unto itself. Jenkins hitting that shot in Houston is one of the three biggest moments in college hoops this century, and thus elevates to one of the biggest stories. His name is forever. That shot will play until the sun swallows the earth. It was a privilege to be in the building to witness the greatest ending in college basketball history.
Ryan Arcidiacono took six dribbles, tossed it off to Jenkins, who was ready and unleashed a parabola that provided one of the more memorable moments in American sports of the past 25 years.
The winning play was aptly named "Nova."
University of North Carolina vs Villanova University, 2016 NCAA National Championship
Kris Jenkins shot himself into American sports lore with his winner in 2016 over UNC. Getty Images
It was the first true buzzer-beating shot ever in a championship game (Dereck Whittenberg's airball falling into Lorenzo Charles' hands technically doesn't qualify). The buzzer-beater was huge for Villanova and for the Big East in the league's reconstruction after conference realignment.
To make the ending even better, Marcus Paige's circus 3-pointer the play before is on the short list of most incredible plays in a losing effort in college sports history. But also: the play produced one of the coldest reactions ever to a game-winning result.
10. Huge conference realignment leads to Catholic 7, near death and ultimate restructuring of Big East (2010-13)
It's when college football redrew the map of college basketball forever.
First: Over a 48-hour span in the summer of 2010, Colorado left the Big 12 for the Pac-10 and Nebraska left the Big 12 for the Big Ten. Those were the dominoes that set into action movement that redefined the assembly of college sports than a decade later.
At one point, the Pac-12 tried to convince Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to leave the Big 12, and it would have happened if not for Texas saying no. In the process, the Big 12 nearly died. (The irony: The Pac-12 would fall victim to near-dissolution more than a decade later when the Big Ten took its four most important schools.)
The shuffling included Utah joining the Pac-10 (and creating the Pac-12). Texas A&M and Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC. The Big 12 salvaged itself by bringing in TCU and West Virginia. Maryland turned its back on the ACC and Rutgers headed to the Big Ten, all in the name of not just TV money, but specifically, the promise of cable TV money.
No league underwent a more dramatic metamorphosis than the Big East, which tried to bring in TCU and Memphis at different points — to bolster football — only to see football greed nearly destroy the conference. West Virginia, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pitt all left for the ACC, while football-playing Big East schools rebranded as the American: UConn, Louisville, Cincinnati, Rutgers (for one year), South Florida.
The Catholic 7 (Villanova, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Marquette and DePaul) managed to hold on to the Big East branding and recruited Creighton, Butler and Xavier into the league, stabilizing the best basketball-first conference in college basketball. The league has had four teams in its ranks win a national title since, earned an average of five NCAA Tournament bids and in seven of 12 seasons it has ranked either second or third in conference strength at KenPom.
The realignment earthquake of the 2020s was huge, but it was the tectonic action of the early 2010s that redrew the map and enabled conferences, school presidents and TV networks to abandon the concept of geography being a central tenant of conference construction. Those decisions made 16- and 18-team superconferences possible approximately a decade later.
5. The Greatest Shot That Never Was: Gordon Hayward almost beats Duke and Butler makes back-to-back title games (2010, 2011)
How large must a moment be for a shot that didn't even go in to become one of the undying highlights in a sport's history? In a blink, Gordon Hayward's 45-foot prayer from a 30-degree angle that smacked off the glass and rolled off the rim after time expired on April 5, 2010 made millions blip into an alternate reality. Another universe where a mid-major from the Horizon League managed to win a national championship over the most popular blue blood in college basketball.
Instead, Duke won 61-59 in the first title game decided by a bucket in more than two decades. Seriously, go to about the three-minute mark of the second half and tap back into the tension of this title game. Butler had the game on its racquet.
Butler was a 33-win 5-seed heading into that title game, coached by then-33-year-old Brad Stevens, who was in his third season on the job. That was the best Butler team in history, with the No. 7 per-possession defense, a future top-10 in Hayward and program legends such as Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard playing alongside. Butler rode a 25-game winning streak into that Monday night. Duke was the No. 1 at KenPom that season, led by Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Brian Zoubek.
The championship game run was made all the more special because it was staged in Indianapolis — just miles away from Butler's campus. It was the smallest school (enrollment all of 4,200 then) to make the Final Four in 30-plus years.
The next year, Butler was as a No. 8 seed and still made it all the way back to the final night. It escaped a wild first NCAA tourney weekend with grinders against Old Dominion and Pitt. In the Sweet 16, Stevens' team knocked off Wisconsin before edging Florida in OT in the Elite Eight. In 2011 it was Butler that was responsible for ending VCU's Final Four run, then got handled 53-41 by UConn (giving the Kemba storyline long-lasting power) in objectively the worst title game in modern history.
But for a mid-major to make back-to-back title games? That is astounding. I truly don't think we'll ever see it happen again, and that's why it ranks so highly here.
2. COVID cancels the 2020 NCAA Tournament (March 12, 2020)
When one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar is not held for the first time in its 80-plus-year history due to a global pandemic that puts the world in a vice grip, that's an all-time story.
Every American team sport, at some point, some way, found a path to stage a championship event in 2020 ... with the exception of college basketball. No March Madness for the first time since the tournament began in 1939. It's still a bother that 2020 has his void that will never be filled in, all because COVID-19 hit America soil with an increasingly aggressive wave just as the selection committee was meeting to build out the bracket.
The NBA's season was postponed the night of March 11, 2020, and that was the signal to the country that everything was about to change in a major way. It took less than 18 hours for the NCAA to make the call and do the inevitable. If you're interested to go back and read about what it was like, I wrote a tick-tock account just days after the tournament was killed.
Without a tournament to figure out a champion, fans of three schools in particular (that don't have NCAA titles) are left to wonder what could have been. Gonzaga (31-2), Dayton (29-2) and San Diego State (30-2) all had realistic hopes to be national champions that season. And it was all taken away. Fortunately, a bubble tournament was salvaged in 2021 before things were restored to normalcy in 2022.
1. Ed O'Bannon v. NCAA begins the inevitable: Transfer portal, NIL legislation and revenue-sharing ends century-old amateurism model (2009-present)
NCAA-affiliated lawsuits are so common these days, they're practically expected on a weekly basis. But in July 2009, the most important lawsuit in college athletics history was filed. Former UCLA All-American basketball player Ed O'Bannon sued the NCAA over an antitrust violation that stemmed from the NCAA and EA Sports using his likeness in a video game — and profiting — without his consent.
He was one of thousands.
It was morally indefensible, and the NCAA was finally going to pay for it.
The case took plenty of turns and stalls, ultimately requiring five years to move through the courts. O'Bannon eventually won in 2014. The NCAA appealed. More lawsuits came. The NCAA spent more than $100 million in legal costs and lobbying efforts over more than a decade's time to restrict the earning capacity of college athletes. What a waste.
In 2021, the NCAA's amateurism model was delivered another huge blow when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs in the infamous Alston case. States passed laws that were player-friendly and protected them from action by the NCAA, empowering NIL legislation. That dovetailed with loosening of transfer rules, which prompted an era of transactional roster movement that sent college sports into chaos.
Has it all been for the better? No. But evolution is messy, and this is the most crucial period in NCAA history. Because for the first time, truly, players' rights matter. That set the stage for the House case, which led to the House case settlement, revenue sharing and where we are here, in July of 2025. The NCAA has been forced to change its philosophy, to bend on what it allows and what it stands for on a fundamental level. Because of it, there is no bigger story. O'Bannon v. NCAA started the slow death of amateurism and had a profound impact on all of college sports.
And still this story is not finished and in many ways won't be until college athletes can unionize and collectively bargain.
Whenever that day comes, it will be as big of a story as this one, as it's the last great frontier in college sports.
If anybody is interested they will go to CBS Sports. No need to copy and paste an article here.
Quote from: Fieldhouse Flyer on August 02, 2025, 12:30:10 PM..................................(https://steemitimages.com/DQmca2VQgV6Yg113aevoptJBmQjcGbdNJVAP6VVs2Dg8iu9/image.png)
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Dayton sucks
Can the mods please ban this guy already? He's just a bad parody of himself.
Dayton is the Mequon (derogatory) of Cincinnati