Double Digit NCAA Winners - A Small List from the 1980s

 Double Digit NCAA Winners - A Small List

    NC State and Jim Valvano were the first to win the Big Dance having double digit losses from the regular and conference tournament season. That was 1983, they upset Georgetown, and finished as the final victors 26-10 record. Two years later miraculous (and cocaine enhanced) Villanova Wildcats upset the Patrick Ewing, Senior (and senior in college)-led Georgetown Hoyas again with a 25-10 record. Three years the Kansas Jayhawks won it all with Danny Manning and ended up with 27-11 final record.

    That was it. Three times out of 82 total champions, all in the 1980s.

    My Indiana team of 2023 has lost 10; after yesterday they made it to 22 wins overall, getting some payback on a pretty good Maryland squad, in Chicago. I have my concerns about the Hoosiers, knowing that they can be blown out by teams, and win closer ones.

    Could they be the fourth team ever to win it all with double digit losses? Here's hoping.

    What other double digit teams think they could do it this year? A lot of the Big-Ten. Plus Texas Christian, Creighton, Kentucky... There are about twenty teams with only single digit losses, and not many of them will suffer another loss in the next two days to create 10 or more.

    Well, we shall see. Baylor has 9 losses, as well as Tennessee, which is out their seasoned point guard, I think.

    IU is not getting Xavier Johnson back this season, so the rotation has to be 8. Jordan Geronimo needs to be better. As Tamar Bates. Malik Reneau is doing his part. Can eight guys do it with ten losses already?

    Not so likely.

    But we can dream.

    Projected brackets below.