The top programs for men to never make the Final Four

The Cougars lead all men’s college basketball with 29 NCAA tournament appearances without making the Final Four. They have won three Elite Eights, most recently in 1981.

The Musketeers made 28 NCAA tournament appearances, but they still reached the final four. Xavier has been a hotbed for head coach development recently with Skip Prosser, Thad Matta, Sean Miller, Chris Mack and now Travis Steele in the last 20-plus years.

Former head coach Norm Stewart is known as one of the best basketball coaches to ever make the Final Four. The Tigers program has made the NCAA Tournament 27 times, though one of those appearances, in 1994, was dismissed by the NCAA. The school recently made the Elite Eight in 2009.

The Vols have a track record of success in men’s and women’s basketball, but they have never made the men’s Final Four in 22 tournament appearances. In fact, her only elite eight was in 2010.

Utah State played the NCAA Tournament 21 times before this year, but only the Elite Eight in 1939 and 1970. The Aggies did the last Big Dance in 2019.

Crimson Tide has seen much success in football, but still saw the final four in men’s basketball after 21 appearances – even though the 1987 appearance was dismissed by the NCAA. The school made the Elite Eight in 2004.

The Bluejays have made the Elite Eight only once, in 1941, and over 21 NCAA tournament appearances before 2020. They have not made the Sweet 16 since 1974.

Boston College has not been great since, but it has a history of basketball success. The Eagles made the elite eight in 1967, 1982 and 1994 of 18 NCAA tournament appearances.

Miami made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently reaching the Big Dance in 2007. The RedHawks never went past the Sweet 16.

The racers have made 17 NCAA tournament appearances in their history but have never made the Sweet 16.

The Sun Devils went on to 16 NCAA tournaments, with one of those appearances (1995) dismissed by the NCAA, and they made three Elite Eights in their history. The last one was in 1975.

Tulsa hosted the NCAA Tournament in 2016 for the school’s 16th appearance. His only Elite Eight show came under Bill Self in 2000.

The Wildcats have twice reached the Sweet 16 in their 16 NCAA Tournament appearances. They last won a game in the tournament in 1999, North Carolina excited.

New Mexico has made the NCAA Tournament 15 times, including a streak of three straight from 2012-14. Nevertheless, the school never progressed along the Sweet 16 and has not progressed so far since 1974.

The Blazers made some noise in the NCAA Tournament during their 15 appearances, but they only reached an elite eight in their history.

Vanderbilt made his 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. The Commodores made only one elite eight, in 1965.

Davidson has made 14 All-Time NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven in the 21st century. The Wildcats have made the Elite Eight three times, including in 2008 with Stephen Curry leading the team.

The Aggies have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and have reached the Sweet 16 five times, including 2018.

Ohio made the Sweet 16 as recently as 2012, and its only Elite Eight appearance was in 1964. Nevertheless, it did not reach the Final Four in 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Pepperdine has made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in its history but has won only five games at any one time.

The Monarchs have made the NCAA Tournament 13 times, but have never reached the Sweet 16. Her last appearance was in 2019 as 14 Som. They lost in the first round to Three-Seed Purdue.

The program made six consecutive appearances before failing to make it there in 2016, but made it back in 2018 to lose only in the first round. The Aztecs made the Sweet 16 in 2011 and 2014 and are in 12 NCAA tournaments each time.

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George Washington

The Colonials made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances but only made the Sweet 16 once. Her golden age was under coach Mike Jarvis in the 1990s, with four appearances and one more after he left in 1999.