NCAA Basketball: 5 biggest losers from 2019 NCAA Tournament
The list of 2019 NCAA Tournament losers isn’t limited to the 67 teams who fell by the wayside as the Virginia Cavaliers claimed their first title.
There’s only one real winner from the 2019 NCAA Tournament. That would be the Virginia Cavaliers, redeemers of last year’s historic embarrassment and victors of their school’s first men’s basketball title.
Technically, there were 67 losers, dating all the way back to Temple in the First Four. The last one of those arrived on Monday night, when the Texas Tech Red Raiders fell just short of THEIR first men’s basketball title.
Not all losers are created equal, though.
Take the Duke Blue Devils, for example. They lost in the Elite Eight, just as three other teams did. But the burden of expectations and hype that accompanied Zion Williamson and crew made their loss much more impactful on a national level than say, Purdue’s heart-pulsing loss to the Cavaliers.
That being said, this is a list of the biggest losers from one of the most memorable NCAA Tournaments in recent times. Teams aren’t the only entity eligible for this list – specific players, coaches, playing styles, even narratives can crack the top five as well.
Here are some honorable mentions that did not make the list:
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Tom Izzo’s national semifinals record (2-6)
- Tom Izzo’s bully pulpit in the eyes of the public (Aaron Henry)
- Mid-major superstars
- Mid-major Cinderellas
- 16-seeds gearing up to emulate UMBC
- Big East
- Marquette Golden Eagles
- Boring finishes
Now, introducing the five biggest losers of the 2019 NCAA Tournament!