8 men's college basketball programs that have surprisingly never been ranked No. 1 (MN: 236 Weeks Ranked, Highest Ranking #2)

[BleedGopher]

per Wittry:

Minnesota​

Total appearances: 236 weeks
Highest ranking: No. 2

Minnesota has only made the NCAA tournament 14 times in program history — about 3.5 times per decade, on average, over the last 40 years — but the Gophers have still had a few very strong teams. They earned a No. 1 seed in 1997, when they made the Final Four, and they received a No. 2 seed in 1982.

Minnesota has had six different seasons in which the Gophers' AP poll ranking peaked in the top five — and those seasons came under five different coaches — but they're still searching for their first-ever No. 1 ranking.

8 men's college basketball programs that have surprisingly never been ranked No. 1

These programs have spent the most weeks ranked in the AP poll without reaching No. 1.

www.ncaa.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

per Wittry:

Minnesota​

Total appearances: 236 weeks
Highest ranking: No. 2

Minnesota has only made the NCAA tournament 14 times in program history — about 3.5 times per decade, on average, over the last 40 years — but the Gophers have still had a few very strong teams. They earned a No. 1 seed in 1997, when they made the Final Four, and they received a No. 2 seed in 1982.

Minnesota has had six different seasons in which the Gophers' AP poll ranking peaked in the top five — and those seasons came under five different coaches — but they're still searching for their first-ever No. 1 ranking.

8 men's college basketball programs that have surprisingly never been ranked No. 1

These programs have spent the most weeks ranked in the AP poll without reaching No. 1.

www.ncaa.com

Go Gophers!!

So that means it happens this year!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

OK - quick check on Gopher Men's BB AP in-season rankings - the highlights:

2012-13 - high as 8th place. Team finished 21-13, NCAA 3rd round
1996-97 - high as 2nd place. Final ranking 3rd. Team finished 31-4, reached Final 4.
1981-82 - high as 5th place. Team finished 23-6, NCAA 2nd round.
1976-77 - high as 8th place. Team finished 24-3. No Tourney due to NCAA sanctions......
1972-73 - high as 3rd place. Final ranking 10th. Team finished 21-5, NIT 2nd round.

the 2013-14 team finished 25-13 and won the NIT title, but as far as I can tell, never cracked the top 25 in the AP rankings.

 

[Bad Gopher]

OK - quick check on Gopher Men's BB AP in-season rankings - the highlights:

2012-13 - high as 8th place. Team finished 21-13, NCAA 3rd round
1996-97 - high as 2nd place. Final ranking 3rd. Team finished 31-4, reached Final 4.
1981-82 - high as 5th place. Team finished 23-6, NCAA 2nd round.
1976-77 - high as 8th place. Team finished 24-3. No Tourney due to NCAA sanctions......
1972-73 - high as 3rd place. Final ranking 10th. Team finished 21-5, NIT 2nd round.

the 2013-14 team finished 25-13 and won the NIT title, but as far as I can tell, never cracked the top 25 in the AP rankings.

Worth noting that in 1982 the second round of the NCAAs was the round of 16. Beaten by 3-seed Louisville, who ended up in the Final Four.