I am finding it is harder to stay focused on work this week so I let my ADD take over and ask the question – Is this the greatest decade of KSU Hoops in the modern era (post 1970).
I think most would agree that the pinnacle of KSU basketball was in the 50’s with 5 Conference Championships, 4 NCAA appearances, 2 Final Fours and 7 times the team was ranked at the end of the year. An argument could be made that the 60’s were the next best decade with 5 Conference Championships, 3 NCAA appearance and 1 Final Four. NCAA appearances were limited due to a small field. If Final Four's are the true measure of greatness, we have none since the 60's.
So, I focused on the decades of the 70's thru today. Go ahead and throw the 90's and 00's out of the running. Listing Sweet 16's is tough because in the early 70's with only 25 teams in the tourney, we had a bye in multiple tourneys and started in the Sweet 16. Listing seeds in the tourney began in the 80’s.
70's - 4 Conference Championships; 5 NCAA Appearances; 5 Sweet 16's; 3 Elite 8's; 5 and 5 overall Tourney Record.
80's - 0 Conference Championships; 6 NCAA Appearances, 3 Sweet 16's; 2 Elite 8's; 10 and 6 overall Tourney Record; Avg. NCAA seed 6.5.
10's - 1 Conference Championship; 7 NCAA Appearances; 2 Sweet 16's; 1 Elite 8; 8 and 6 overall Tourney Record; Avg NCAA seed 6.8.
While I would argue that 70’s with 4 Conference Championships and limited NCAA opportunities was a better decade overall, a win Thursday and a good year next year might make this the greatest decade of KSU hoops in the last 5. In any event, this is a great time to be a Wildcat.
I think most would agree that the pinnacle of KSU basketball was in the 50’s with 5 Conference Championships, 4 NCAA appearances, 2 Final Fours and 7 times the team was ranked at the end of the year. An argument could be made that the 60’s were the next best decade with 5 Conference Championships, 3 NCAA appearance and 1 Final Four. NCAA appearances were limited due to a small field. If Final Four's are the true measure of greatness, we have none since the 60's.
So, I focused on the decades of the 70's thru today. Go ahead and throw the 90's and 00's out of the running. Listing Sweet 16's is tough because in the early 70's with only 25 teams in the tourney, we had a bye in multiple tourneys and started in the Sweet 16. Listing seeds in the tourney began in the 80’s.
70's - 4 Conference Championships; 5 NCAA Appearances; 5 Sweet 16's; 3 Elite 8's; 5 and 5 overall Tourney Record.
80's - 0 Conference Championships; 6 NCAA Appearances, 3 Sweet 16's; 2 Elite 8's; 10 and 6 overall Tourney Record; Avg. NCAA seed 6.5.
10's - 1 Conference Championship; 7 NCAA Appearances; 2 Sweet 16's; 1 Elite 8; 8 and 6 overall Tourney Record; Avg NCAA seed 6.8.
While I would argue that 70’s with 4 Conference Championships and limited NCAA opportunities was a better decade overall, a win Thursday and a good year next year might make this the greatest decade of KSU hoops in the last 5. In any event, this is a great time to be a Wildcat.
