March is a time of hope and jubilation for a lot of college basketball programs. For many other college basketball programs, it is a time of disappointment.
And then there are the other programs that are probably so inured to the disappointment of not making the Big Dance that they no longer feel it.
Before you head into the NCAAB betting sites for this March Madness season, here are the five programs with the longest NCAA Tournament droughts.
5. Seattle Redhawks
History
There are some Seattle greats who are surely rolling in their graves when they look at the current state of the Redhawks.
Seattle did have greats. In the 1950s and the 1960s, they qualified for the NCAA Tournament eleven times. Their biggest star was arguably Elgin Baylor, the former Los Angeles Laker who was a regular All-Star selection.
Despite Baylor’s presence at Seattle, the Redhawks never won an NCAA Tournament. Their best finish was as a runner-up in 1958.
Seattle has not made an NCAA Tournament since 1969. Although I’m not sure that blaming the Redhawks for this drought is completely fair, because they’ve bounced around the Division III and Division II levels.
Since 2008, however, they have firmly been a D-I squad. They joined the WAC in 2013, where they remain a member despite some upheaval in the conference.
Forecast
Compared to other teams of their general caliber, Seattle is not a bad team at all. The Redhawks finished a highly respectable 19-14.
In non-conference play, they lost at VCU by only four points. They were similarly competitive against the San Francisco and Washington squads. Still, they were far removed from earning an at-large bid.
Seattle needed to win its conference tournament, but it is its misfortune that Grand Canyon is also in the WAC. Granted, Seattle took Grand Canyon to overtime on the latter’s home court. So, while Grand Canyon appears to be the king of the WAC, Seattle is not so far behind.
4. Bowling Green
History
Bowling Green is another one of those programs whose heyday took place in the 1960’s. During this decade, it made four NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1963, it made it to the Sweet 16, which is the farthest that this program has ever gone.
Its most well-known player to succeed in the NBA is Hall-of-Famer Nate Thurmond, who was prominent in the 60’s and 70’s and had his jersey retired by both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Falcons last made the NCAA Tournament in 1968.
Forecast
On the surface, Bowling Green’s last season doesn’t look so bad. It finished 20-13. Yet, the Falcons benefited from a very easy non-conference schedule.
They lost by close to 20 points to Oakland and Akron teams that are in the Big Dance. While they stayed within seven of Western Kentucky, they were never really in the game. After losing five of their last eight regular season games, they bowed out in the second round.
Abysmal three-point shooting and porous perimeter defense contribute to their ongoing woes in the MAC and in non-conference play.
3. Columbia
Columbia has not been a notable force in the college basketball landscape since the earliest segment of the 20th century. The year of its last NCAA Tournament appearance was 1968, which was also a year in which it advanced to the Sweet 16. One other year, 1951, saw Columbia reach the Sweet 16.
Overall, the Lions have three NCAA Tournament appearances. Their third appearance took place in 1948 when they made it to the Elite Eight.
Forecast
Columbia is not anywhere near achieving another NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Lions do have rare moments of success, such as when they upset Temple early in non-conference play. But they will need to win their conference tournament in order to make the Big Dance, and they are not close to competing with the likes of Yale and Princeton.
In fact, Columbia lost its last six Ivy League games. The Lions are held back, above all, by terrible defense.
2. Tennessee Tech
History
Tennessee Tech has never won an NCAA Tournament game.
This historically poor program has just two Big Dance appearances to its name. These appearances took place in 1958 and 1963, respectively.
No NBA player has ever come from Tennessee Tech.
Forecast
The Golden Eagles are an Ohio Valley Conference member that, in all reality, can hardly be said to belong in the Division-I level.
KenPom has them ranked 330th in offensive efficiency, 320th in defensive efficiency and 331st overall. So, there is not much that they do well.
1. Dartmouth
History
The Big Green were a force in the 1940s. They achieved two NCAA Tournament runner-up finishes in this decade. These most successful seasons in their program history took place in 1942 and 1944, respectively, the time period of World War II.
Overall, they have seven NCAA Tournament appearances, with four of them taking place in the 40’s and three in the 50’s. Their last one was in 1959.
Forecast
Dartmouth is annually a losing program. The Big Green have not enjoyed a winning season in this century, with its last one coming in 1999.
Most recently, it finished 6-21.
