NCAA Basketball: 25 most successful programs of the 21st century

DURHAM, NC - MARCH 03: (L-R) Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils talks to head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels before their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: The North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

2. North Carolina Tar Heels

A serious contender for the top spot on this list, North Carolina has been a dominant force during the 21st century. With three national titles and two other Final Four appearances, the Tar Heels have been a clear-cut top-5 program. For the majority of the century, UNC basketball has been led by head coach Roy Williams, who is clearly in the elite tier of head coaches at the collegiate level.

The program has reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last six seasons and is showing no signs of slowing down. With an elite recruiting class headed by Nassir Little coming in this season, the Tar Heels will once again be one of the preseason favorites to win the national title. To put it simply, North Carolina represents one of the best programs in the nation year in and year out.

Justin Jackson, Brice Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough (2x), and Joseph Forte have all been First Team AP All-America selections for UNC this century.

21st Century Highlights:

.738 winning percentage
13 AP All-America selections
15 NCAAT appearances (44-12)
9 Sweet 16’s
5 Final Fours
2005, 2009, and 2017 National Championships

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