Elite Programs

[dgies9156]

No one doubts everything changes, but I'm wondering from this group, what is an elite program.

From what I'm reading, and I don't disagree, Marquette is a good program but no longer elite. We were probably close before the Hillbilly left and may have been close until the Tanned One left and also may have been close when KO left. So who is? And what does it take for Marquette to be an elite team again.

My argument is coaching stability. We attract good coaches but they leave. Change that with the Hillbilly or perhaps even with KO and we could have been elite again.

So here is who I think the elite and good programs are today:

Elite:  Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan State, Villanova, Louisville, Arizona

Near Elite: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Georgetown, Virginia, Florida (though not this year), Syracuse (though this soon may change too), UConn (would be elite if they were playing in a real conference)

Good: Marquette, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, LSU, Missouri, Texas, Iowa State (let them get past the second week of the tournament first), UCLA, Maryland, Kansas State

Average:  About 60 to 80 programs.

We're candidly not even good this year. But with the amount of money we spend on our program, what's coming in and the chance to play in a new arena, we're good. We may be near elite within two years if Wojo pulls off what we think he can.

Any thoughts?

[mattyv1908]

UConn winning 2 championships in the last five years puts them squarely in the elite category.

[PGsHeroes32]

Iowa? LOL


You also missed Arizona...

[AirPunches]

Would drop Villanova to near elite. Drop Virginia and Georgetown to good. I don't like your grouping of good schools. Marquette is way above many of those schools in that category imo.

[dgies9156]

Iowa? LOL


You also missed Arizona...

Oops, fixed!

[dgies9156]

Would drop Villanova to near elite. Drop Virginia and Georgetown to good. I don't like your grouping of good schools. Marquette is way above many of those schools in that category imo.

Many of those schools, particularly the Big 10 schools, play in strong conferences where their teams are tested most every night. I think Iowa is a good basketball school based on reputation but I also think they have not been nearly as good lately as their legacy. Same for LSU though they have a great class coming in too.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Blue Bloods
North Carolina
UCLA
Kentucky
Duke
Kansas
Louisville

Elite
Indiana
Syracuse
UConn
Arizona
Michigan State
Georgetown
Michigan

Near Elite
UNLV
Ohio State
Villanova
Marquette
Temple
Memphis

[Shark]

Marquette, historically has every right to be in the 2nd or 3rd line of the elite (referring to TAMU's list). Not a Kentucky type of program but the success and history is there.

Currently, no, we are nowhere near elite. (12-18) But this is a transition year.
The strange thing with MU is the program acts the part of elite. They embrace the history, play in a big gym, spend a crap ton of money, and are bringing in an elite recruiting class.

If Wojo is the real deal and stays here for a long time...I see no reason why Marquette cannot become elite.

[willie warrior]

Blue Bloods
North Carolina
UCLA
Kentucky
Duke
Kansas
Louisville

Elite
Indiana
Syracuse
UConn
Arizona
Michigan State
Georgetown
Michigan

Near Elite
UNLV
Ohio State
Villanova
Marquette
Temple
Memphis

No way Indiana is Elite, or Marquette Near Elite.

[dgies9156]

No way Indiana is Elite, or Marquette Near Elite.

Or Memphis either. And Syracuse is falling fast... that load of bricks is the Syracuse program headed for irrelevancy

Michigan ehhhhhhh.

NO WAY UCLA is a blueblood. They are a faded glory at best

[Skatastrophy]

Generous rankings.

[4everwarriors]

Where'd ya think the Badgers belong on these here lists?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Where'd ya think the Badgers belong on these here lists?

Ivy league.

[4everwarriors]

Where you been at dude? Family weddin' or chit? We all miss your wisdom, hey?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm taking the school's entire history into account. Not just the last decade. Using that standard, Marquette is absolutely a top 20 program in college basketball history

[#UnleashSean]

Tamu has it. How you put Nova in elite and Michigan in good I will never understand.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Where you been at dude? Family weddin' or chit? We all miss your wisdom, hey?

hikin' Mt Everest.

[bilsu]

Blue Bloods
North Carolina
UCLA
Kentucky
Duke
Kansas
Louisville

Elite
Indiana
Syracuse
UConn
Arizona
Michigan State
Georgetown
Michigan

Near Elite
UNLV
Ohio State
Villanova
Marquette
Temple
Memphis

I would put UW ahead of any team on the near elite list. They will probably win 30 games again this year, which will be the third time they have done that under Bo Ryan. MU has never won more than 28 games.

[4everwarriors]

hikin' Mt Everest.

Ain't no big thang.

[BM1090]

I would put UW ahead of any team on the near elite list. They will probably win 30 games again this year, which will be the third time they have done that under Bo Ryan. MU has never won more than 28 games.

I'd agree that UW needs to be on the list but that stat is irrelevant since less games were played during MU's best years

[forgetful]

UConn winning 2 championships in the last five years puts them squarely in the elite category.

Strongly disagree.  With the coaching change and conference change they need a few years to show they can stay at the previous elite status.  Is the norm last year, or this year?

Others I disagree with.  LSU.  They have been bad for awhile.  This year they are moderately good.  Next year they have a great class coming in, but for now, they are just in the average category.

[Bricky]

I thought this guy did a great job breaking it down.

http://fansided.com/2014/10/21/75-greatest-college-basketball-programs-time-statistically-ranked/

[Eldon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Tournament_all-time_team_records

You can sort by games played, wins, or win percentage

[Eldon]

I thought this guy did a great job breaking it down.

http://fansided.com/2014/10/21/75-greatest-college-basketball-programs-time-statistically-ranked/

No way.  They have Miami (Ohio) ranked ahead of MU

[Norm]

Marquette has not been elite since Al roamed the sidelines. We fell fast and hard and had pretty much bottomed out just 10 years after Al left. We have had 2 good runs in the NCAA tournament in the past 38 years, where we have advanced past the Sweet 16. That is not elite or even near elite.

Marquette recruited zero McDonalds All-Americans from 1982-2014. Most elite teams bring some in most every year if not every other, and the near elite teams bring one or two in every 5-7 years.

Marquette does have a good commitment to basketball, and it usually has attendance that ranks in the top 25 throughout the nation, give or take a couple years like this one. It has great facilities, supports it student athletes in the classroom, and graduates its players a a fairly high level. Since finding its bearings again under Kevin O'Neill, and having some good-to-great years under Tom Crean and Buzz Williams, Marquette is a good program that occasionally can have a breakout year.

I love Marquette and follow every game. But I would have to say in reality Marquette is not close to being an elite or near elite program. We are a good program that has had two down years in a row after a nice eight year run. I hope we can catch lightening in a bottle again like the run in the 1970's under Al - let's see if Wojo can right this ship and lead us up the college basketball ranks.