ESPN's been keeping busy this offseason with their "50 in 50" series, a ranking of the top 50 programs over the last 50 years. How did they measure success? The nerds in the ESPN Stats department developed a point system comprised of conference titles, NCAA Tournament performance, winning percentages, draft results, and NCAA sanctions. How did the Cats do?
ESPN ranked Kentucky the third best program over the last fifty years.
With a total of 841 points, Kentucky's four national titles over the years of ESPN's study put them towards the top, but they lost 17 points because of NCAA sanctions in 1988-89 and 1975-76. The drought of Final Fours between 1999-2010 didn't help either, but in the past 20 years, Kentucky had the second most points (428) of any team, trailing only Duke (441).
The fun doesn't stop there. ESPN also ranked teams and players within the program over the last fifty years:
Rank by the decade
1962-69: 97 (4th)
1970-79: 180 (2nd)
1980-89: 134 (6th)
1990-99: 215 (2nd)
2000-present: 214 (4th)
50 in 50 starting five (1962-present)
G — Kyle Macy (1977-80)
F — Jamal Mashburn (1990-93)
F — Jack Givens (1974-78)
F — Anthony Davis (2011-12)
C — Dan Issel (1967-70)
Top options off the bench
Kenny Walker (1982-86)
Tony Delk (1992-96)
Cotton Nash (1961-64)
50 in 50 coach: Adolph Rupp (1930-72)
Best teams (1962-present)
1977-78 (30-2, NCAA national champions)
1995-96 (34-2, NCAA national champions)
2011-12 (38-2, NCAA national champions)
UNC and UCLA ranked first and second in the series, respectively.
Here's the top ten:
1. North Carolina (911 points)
2. UCLA (904 points)
3. Kentucky (841 points)
4. Duke (777 points)
5. Kansas (676 points)
6. Louisville (547 points)
7. Indiana (442 points)
8. Syracuse (431 points)
9. Connecticut (423 points)
10. Arizona (388 points)
Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it.
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