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Mike Miller

Mike Miller has been NBCSports.com's college basketball editor since 2003. It's a position he relishes; no wonder considering he transferred to Kansas to watch Paul Pierce play. Most of his favorite sports memories involve college hoops, usually during March, when every waking moment is spent thinking about March Madness.



Team of the decade? We'll find out tonight

Posted: Sunday, April 05, 2009 3:50 PM
Filed Under:

Michigan State and North Carolina will play for the NCAA men's championship on Monday night -- duh. But there's another honor at stake when the two schools take the floor: team of the decade.

The first one’s official. You’ve probably seen the trophy.

But the second carries bragging rights that aren’t associated with just one tournament. It’s excellence over an extended period of time, using different sets of players and sometimes different coaches.

OK, it’s also fodder for pundits and fans to argue about. Consider the fan debate regarding Duke and Kentucky about which team ruled the ‘90s.

Both teams won two NCAA titles. The Devils went to five Final Fours, the Wildcats four. Kentucky sported a better overall record (282-63) to Duke (271-78). If you love college hoops – or just like to argue – it’s a fun one to debate. (Throw in North Carolina or Kansas if you’re feeling feisty.)


Paul Sancya/AP
Kalin Lucas, left, and Ty Lawson

As for the 2000s, I’d say it comes down to Monday.

Since 2000, They’ve both been to four Final Fours, more than any other school. UNC’s won five regular-season conference titles; MSU three. Both have two conference tourney titles. Sparty went to the Big Dance each season this decade; the Heels missed two. They’re both among the top 15 winningest teams of the decade, have sent at least 8 players to the NBA.

And they each have an NCAA crown this decade. The 2009 title will be the tiebreaker.

The other team with an argument would be Florida.

The Gators won back-to-back titles and lost the 2000 title game to the Spartans. They’ve logged 261 wins, three regular-season conference crowns and two tourney titles. They’ve been to eight of 10 NCAA tourneys in the decade.

Other schools like Kansas, Duke, UCLA and UConn would be in the discussion. They’ve all been to multiple Final Fours, while the Jayhawks and Huskies each have a title. But overall, I’d say they fall short of UNC and Michigan State.

But hey, the more the merrier. Check out the numbers of the schools below. (League titles are regular-season/tournament; *denotes leader in that category)

Team   NCAA titles   FFs   Overall     League titles  NCAA berths
UConn       1             2      253-85          4/2               8
Duke         1             2      291-60*        4/7*            10*
Florida       2*           3      261-85          4/2               8
Kansas      1             3       282-69         7/3              10*
Maryland   1             2       225-110        1/1               7
Mich. St.   1             4*     248-95          3/2              10*
UNC          1             4*     250-94          5/2*             8
Syracuse   1             1       250-95          2/2               7
UCLA         0            3        227-106        3/2               8

As an added measure, Sweet 16 appearances shake down like this: Duke 8; Kansas 7; Michigan St. 6; UCLA 6; North Carolina 5; UConn 5; Syracuse 4; Florida 3; Maryland 3.

So yeah, the Michigan State-North Carolina winner would have the best claim to team of the 2000s, but the decade's been pretty close.

Duke and Kansas have really racked up the regular-season wins and conference titles, but it hasn't resulted in as many NCAA tournament victories. And it's amazing that every time the Gators reached the Sweet 16, they also went to the title game.

So what about the 2000s? Who’s your outstanding team of the decade?

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Comments

You failed to give Duke credit for winning the NCAA championship in 2001.

Ronald Cashwell, Greensboro, NC (Sent Sunday, April 05, 2009 9:17 PM)

Other than 2001 (where Duke was as much of an odds-on favorite as UNC this year), Coach K has had an underwhelming decade.  I wonder when the mainstream college hoops press will start picking up on this?  And Roy Williams has outclassed K by a wide margin since he began coaching the Tar Heels.  If UNC wins tonight, there should be a lot of grumbling in Durham.  

Srikant Mantravadi (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 2:14 AM)

Winning a National Championship absolutely trumps all the variables. So it's either Florida or the winner of UNC/MSU

Jake Howering, Raleigh, NC (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 11:51 AM)

Doesn't it have to be Duke, Kansas or Michigan State? The other teams didn't even make it to the tourney each year.

Brendan, Chicago, IL (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 12:04 PM)

I think you got it right with these two, Mike. I didn't realize Mich St has been the Final Four four times in '00s. Winner takes the decade.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 12:19 PM)

Duke has to be in the talk, but I agree if MSU wins tonight they state a great case. Also, UNC and Duke have both Under preformed this decade Duke in 02, 06, and 07
UNC 04,07,08,(they won it all in 05 )  

Mike McMillan Mansfield PA (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:24 PM)

Gotta go with tonight's winner as t-o-t-d, though as much as I'd hate to say it, I think Duke can't be too far behind.  The best overall record and 7 league titles in the toughest league in the country can't be overlooked.

I think Florida almost doesn't count, because they won their two championships with the same team.  Tonight's winner will have won with two completely different teams.

I'm such a big UMD fan, and it's kinda sad to see MD's numbers stacked up against all the other tourney winners.  They really have had a bad couple of years.  As much as I'd want to, there is no argument I can possibly make for them as the team of the decade.  (btw, we've only won 1 ACC tourney, not 2)

Greg from UMD, Columbus, OH (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:36 PM)

michigan state on roll and upsets UNC in detroit tonight!!

rob boynton beach, florida (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:47 PM)

At best the winner of tonights game will be the equal of Florida. Winning back to back championships, which is rare, should separate them.

Ken, Boca Raton FL (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:50 PM)

Florida. They won back to back tournament titles. How in the world can you argue otherwise?

Richard B, Chapel Hill, NC (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:51 PM)

Duke under performed?  They have the most wins this decade, the most conference tournament championships (And the ACC has been the toughest conference this DECADE), won a national title and has not missed a SINGLE NCAA Tournament, and have more current players in the NBA than any other school!  How is this underperforming?  Any coach, (or any fan) would love for their team to have compiled those numbers in a decade.  Duke haters are unbelievable!

The Duke, B-Town, Montana (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:54 PM)

Duke shouldn't be the in the discussion because they haven't been to a final 4 since 2004. Since 2005, they have lost in the sweet sixteen 3 times, second round once, and first round once.

UNC has been to 4 Final Fours while Duke has been to two. They also have more tourny wins in the decade. UNC also has more regular sesaon titles which is way more impressive than conference tourny championships. They will also have more titles than Duke this decade if they win tonight. Michigan State could easily claim team of the decade if they win tonight.

The resumes of these two teams are so much more impressive than Dukes. Duke has been on a downfall since 2004. They haven't been able to land the solid low posts players and Coach K's abuse of the 3 point line is finally catching up to him. They aren't physical in the paint and this leads to early exits in the tourny.

Mark, Warren, OH (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 1:59 PM)

UNC didn't underperform in 07, or 08. I mean, they made the elite 8 in 07 and final 4 in 08. They played the better team in Kansas. Granted, that slow start killed them, but KU was definately the better team. They also lost to a one seed, so reaching the final 4 is not really underachieving. They kept improving on their tourny finishes every year. The way they went out though with a blowout loss was very unexpected though.

In 07, they lost in the elite 8. While they should've beat Gtown (double digit lead with 5 minutes left) they just choked. Florida still would've beaten UNC if they made the championship. UNC was also very young as well that year, so elite 8 was very good.

Lawson- freshman
Ellington- freshman
Green- sophmore
Brandan Wright- freshman
Hansbrough- sophmore


so did they really underachieve in 07? Ya, not really.

Mark, Warren, OH (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 2:04 PM)

Kentucky ruled the 90suk went to the championship game 3 years in a row and won twice with two diffrent coaches. Plus they have the best overall record and won the sec just about every year. One year i think 2004 uk went 16-0 in the sec.

jason harmon,madisonville MA (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 2:10 PM)

Duke has won more games this decade than any other team in ANY other decade.  plus a national championship, 10 NCAA appearances, 4 ACC conference titles.  No brainer, considering UNC fell off the map early in the decade due to the stellar coaching matt daugherty.

hayes framme, chicago, ill. (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 2:51 PM)

Not meaning to take anything away from Michigan State, Kansas or UCLA, they are all perenial basketball powerhouse teams but look at the list you have here.  We have one from the Pac10, one from the Big10 and one from the Big12 but we have three each from the Big East and ACC.  Winning a conference title and getting an automatic invitation in the Big East or ACC is a lot harder than any other league.  You have got to hand it to those 6 teams and they should get extra credit.  I have to wonder where MSU would be if they played in either of those two leagues?

Jack Boone, Sarasota, FL (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 7:13 PM)

Roy Williams for Coach of the Decade regardless of tonignts outcome. Some of Kansas numbers this decade are Roy's also and the recent success at North Carolina seals it.

David, Leavenworth Ks. (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 7:21 PM)

The team of the decade must be decided by titles and nothing else.

Florida has two.

And..

One of these teams will have 2.

So THEN.

You can ONLY compare the two teams that have TWO titles.

So in my opinion tonight's game will result a
co-claim to the team of the decade.

Stan, Dallas, Texas (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 7:28 PM)

Sorry, but the decade officially ends after the 2010 season, so we'll all have to wait a year to decide the team of the decade.

Bob, Grand Rapids, MI (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 8:08 PM)

So Bob, was the year 2000 the last year of the '90s? Count it up: starting in 2000, there will have been 10 NCAA tournaments. That's a decade.

2010 starts the first year of next decade.

Mike Miller (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 8:25 PM)

This decade is the decade of the 00's not the 10's.  It ended tonight with UNC as the team of the decade.

Jack Boone, Sarasota, FL (Sent Monday, April 06, 2009 11:58 PM)

Florida and UNC are the only two in contention.

Dee (Sent Tuesday, April 07, 2009 12:31 AM)

Florida has two titles and have won more games than UNC.  I say Florida.

Mr Right (Sent Tuesday, April 07, 2009 12:32 AM)

Do the math below.

Titles
UF 2
UNC 2

Title Games
UF 3
UNC 2
MSU 2

Final Fours
UNC 4
MSU 4
UF 3

Final Four Record
UF 5-1 0.83
UNC 4-2 0.67
MSU 3-3 0.333333333

Ron Cherry, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Tuesday, April 07, 2009 11:47 AM)



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