Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Ranking the top 25 programs of all time

By Brian Rauf

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 06: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils grabs a rebound against the kentucky Wildcats during the State Farm Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 6, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 06: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils grabs a rebound against the kentucky Wildcats during the State Farm Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 6, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
16 of 26
Next
OMAHA, NE – MARCH 23: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange speaks to his team during a timeout against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at CenturyLink Center on March 23, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE – MARCH 23: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange speaks to his team during a timeout against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at CenturyLink Center on March 23, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Best NCAA Basketball programs of all-time: 11. Syracuse basketball

It feels like the Orange have more than just the one national championship they have, which they earned in 2003 on the back of one-and-done sensation Carmelo Anthony.

Everything else is indicative of Syracuse’s place among the truly elite programs in college basketball. The Orange rank in the top 10 all time with six Final Four appearances (8th), 40 NCAA Tournament appearances (seventh), and 68 NCAA Tournament wins (6th).

Syracuse has been even more dominant during the regular season. Their 1,904 wins recognized by the NCAA ranks 6th all time, but they would be in 5th with 2,008 victories if you include those vacated wins. They also rank in the top 10 in weeks ranked and have had 49 consecutive winning seasons, which is the longest active streak in the country.

Obviously, almost all of Syracuse’s success has come under head coach Jim Boeheim, one of the greatest coaches in the sport’s history. Unofficially, he has the 2nd most wins all-time with 1,047 but officially has 946 due to the scandal that caused the NCAA to vacate 101 wins.

The argument could be made that the Orange belong in the top 10 on this list, but all the schools ahead of them have won multiple national titles, which holds Syracuse back in my mind.

Home/NCAA Basketball News