NCAA Basketball: Ranking the top 25 programs of all time
By Brian Rauf
Best NCAA Basketball programs of all-time: 14. Michigan basketball
If we’re going by games that were actually played on the court rather than in the NCAA record books, Michigan is one of 10 programs to have played in at least eight Final Fours. They do have a national championship to their name (1989) but also hold the not-so-honorary distinction of having the most losses in the title game with six, tied with Duke and Kansas (it still says something to have played in seven national championship games, though).
Of course, the two appearances by the Fab Five in 1992 and 1993 have been vacated by the NCAA.
The Fab Five is easily the most famous team in Michigan history and is one of the most iconic groups in college basketball history. The group, composed of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson, formed Michigan’s starting lineup during their freshmen and sophomore seasons, becoming the first all-freshman starting lineup in the sport’s history. They guided the Wolverines to those two national championship game appearances.
They also set several cultural trends along the way, including longer shorts and wearing black socks.
Having that many long NCAA Tournament runs is something only a handful of the most elite schools can match, but the Wolverines haven’t just been a one-hit-wonder eight times. They have won 14 Big Ten regular-season titles, have made 29 NCAA Tournament appearances, and reached the Sweet 16 on 17 occasions. Five of those Sweet 16 appearances have come in the last seven years.