9 Schools that never won NCAA Basketball national Champ Except on the top three seed lines.
A year ago college basketball was so sideways that the odds it would have had a first-time national champion in 2020 (had there been a tournament) were pretty good.
One year later and that remains so. Gonzaga and Baylor alone could pose higher than 50 percent chances by the time the tournament begins.
Beyond them, many never-done-its are pacing to high seed, and therefore, bear decent chances to break down the nets. Here are the schools that have never taken it all that are still on the top three seed lines in Jerry Palm's new bracket projection.
(Best NCAA finish in parentheses).
No. 1 Gonzaga (runner-up, 2017)
No. 1 Baylor (runner-up, 1948)
No. 2 Oklahoma (runner-up, 1989)
No. 2 Alabama (Elite Eight, 2004)
No. 2 Illinois (runner-up twice: 1989, 2005)
No. 3 Iowa (runner-up, 1956)
No. 3 Florida State (runner-up, 1972)
No. 3 Houston (runner-up twice: 1983, 1984)
No. 3 West Virginia (runner-up, 1959)
The only schools seeded first, second or third that have national titles in their trophy cases: Michigan, Ohio State, Villanova. Nine of the top 12 teams haven't tasted the ultimate victory. The most recent NCAA Tournament, in 2019, featured a first-time winner in Virginia. If we get another first-time champ in 2021, it will mark the first time since 2002 (Maryland) and 2003 (Syracuse) that the two most recent champs were first-time champs.
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