Best Teams of the Decade Who Fell Short

For every champion, there is a team or two good enough to be champions but fell short. Let’s find out the ten best teams of the past decade that fell just short. For this, I used best KenPom Adjusted Efficiency Margin by teams that didn’t win a title.

10. 2015 Villanova, +30.65 AdjEm, 4th AdjO, 12th AdjD, 5th KenPom
2015 will be a recurring theme. This Villanova team garnered a 1-seed but got upset by NC State in the second round. It did launch a viral moment with crying flute girl. Villanova would get their revenge.

9. 2019 Michigan State, +30.81 AdjEm, 5th Adj O, 9th AdjO, 3rd KenPom 
If anything, I found it surprising this was Michigan State’s best team of the decade. They earned a 1-seed and would make the Final 4.

8. 2013 Florida, +31.18 AdjEm, 9th AdjO, 3rd AdjD, 2nd KenPom
The Gators were very good between 2011-14, but usually underperforming their computer numbers. The exception was their Final 4 year in 2014. In 2013, Florida finished the year 2nd in KenPom but earned just a 3-seed. They eventually made the Elite 8 but were blown off the court by Michigan.

7. 2010 Kansas, + 31.85 AdjEm, 2nd AdjO, 8th AdjD, 2nd KenPom
Kansas entered the tournament 32-2 and a favorite to cut down the nets. They were a 1-seed and got beat in the 2nd Round by Northern Iowa and spawned a March memory for the ages, “You can’t be serious with that shot!”

6. 2017 Gonzaga, + 32.05 AdjEm, 16th AdjO, 1st AdjD, 1st KenPom
This was Mark Few’s best squad up to this time, better than the 2006 or 2013 team. Not surprisingly, this was his squad that broke through to the Final Four and ultimately, the final where they lost to North Carolina.

5. 2015 Arizona, +32.36 AdjEm, 7th AdjO, 3rd AdjD, 4th KenPom
The Wildcats happened to have their best season under Sean Miller when a lot of teams had great seasons. It wasn’t the worst thing to happen to Arizona over his tenure but this was a deep and talented squad who earned a 2-seed but lost to Wisconsin in the regional final.

4. 2019 Gonzaga, +32.85 AdjEm, 1st AdjO, 12th AdjD, 2nd KenPom
The Zags were even better a year ago than 2017, though I’d argue the numbers are so close, the 2017 team was better. The Zags were a 1-seed that lost in the regional final to Texas Tech.

3. 2011 Ohio State, +33.47 AdjEm, 1st AdjO, 12th AdjD, 1st KenPom
2011 was a wreck of a tournament. All the 1-seeds lost before the Final 4, including Ohio State who lost in the Sweet 16 to Kentucky, a 4-seed. In their defense, Kentucky finished the year 7th in KenPom and were much better than a typical 4-seed.

2. 2015 Wisconsin, +33.72 AdjEm, 1st AdjO, 35th AdjD, 2nd KenPom
I wrote after they lost that it was likely UW would never have a team this good again. With the most efficient offense of any team this decade, the Badgers were undone by an okay but not great defense. They earned a 1-seed but lost in the title game.

1. 2015 Kentucky, + 36.91 AdjEm, 6th AdjO, 1st AdjD, 1st KenPom
Despite coming up short of their perfect season, this Kentucky team was the best team of the decade. They had the 2nd best defense of the decade, trailing only last years Texas Tech team. Had they cut the nets down, they’d have an argument as the greatest team of all time.