NCAA Tourney Factoid

KRAM1 · March 9, 2012

In today's Wall Street Journal they reported the fact that it has been since 1955 that a team with a losing record (Bradley) had won a game in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

This week, Western Kentucky became the 21st sub - .500 team to make the tournament field.

Doesn't bode well for the Hilltoppers, but I do wish them well. Wow...since 1955!!!

Thought it was interesting...that's all.

UNT90 · March 9, 2012

Unfortunately, if they win the play in game, they will get the prize of playing a 1 seed, probably Kentucky (if they take care of business in the SEC tournament). Kentucky will beat them by 20 plus.

But I bet the Hilltopper fans would kill for that matchup.

CMJ · March 9, 2012

The WSJ is wrong. I am too lazy to look it up, but I know that more than one of the opening round games was won by a team with a losing record.

Edit: Sienna (2002), Florida A&M (2004), Oakland (2005)

Edited March 9, 2012 by CMJ

gksmith · March 21, 2012

WKU has the advantage of the play in game. So it is a 16 seed vs. 16 seed and not as big an "accomplishment" as Bradley (1955).

The Bradley win in 1955 is obviously before the play in game. It was before the brackets expanded to 64 (68) and maybe even before it was at 32.

A team with a losing record in the tournament at that time with the lowest seed probably beat a #1 seed. I bet that was a HUGE upset at that time.

CMJ · March 21, 2012

They didn't have seeding at the time, but there were 24 teams back then. Bradley won 2 games (Oklahoma City, and SMU) before bowing out in the Elite 8 to Colorado.

UNTMike81 · March 21, 2012

Back in 1955 the NCAA tournament wasn't the top shelf or most respected tournament to be in. The NIT was the recognized top shelf tournament back in the day.

CMJ · March 21, 2012

Back in 1955 the NCAA tournament wasn't the top shelf or most respected tournament to be in. The NIT was the recognized top shelf tournament back in the day.

That was maybe true in the 30's and 40's (they were considered to be basically about equal in prestige -- players preferred the NIT because it got them seen by the media/NBA scouts in New York though), but by the mid 50's NCAA was starting to take over.

During WWII the NCAA champ beat the NIT champ 3 times in a fundraising exhibition for the Red Cross. On the other hand, a few times back in the day teams played in both. On two of those occasions, the NCAA champ lost in the first round of the NIT.

Basically, the two tournaments were pretty much equal for the first 15-20 years of their existences.