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View Full Version : How many Sweet 16's in a row?



millerecu
03-22-2007, 03:46 PM
Work wont allow the time for me to do the leg work myself so I figured I would ask the brains on this board. To settle an argument, how many Sweet 16's in a row was it before this year when unfortunately we fell short?

Thanks in advance.

Troublemaker
03-22-2007, 03:47 PM
9... 1998 to 2006

Olympic Fan
03-22-2007, 05:07 PM
For the record, the most Sweet 16s in a row belonged to Dean Smith at UNC, who went from 1981 through 1993 -- 13 in a row

Duke's run of nine straight (1998-2006) was listed as the second longest such run in history ... but it's not. Somebody overlooked the fact that UCLA won seven straight titles from 1967 to 1973, lost to NC State in the 1974 Final Four, won the 1975 national title, lost in the 1976 Final Four and lost in the 1977 Sweet 16 -- that's 11 straight Sweet 16s.

Duke's recent run is the third longest Sweet 16 streak. Duke also has the fourth longest run -- 7 (1986-92)

DankeShane
03-22-2007, 05:18 PM
For the record, the most Sweet 16s in a row belonged to Dean Smith at UNC, who went from 1981 through 1993 -- 13 in a row

Duke's run of nine straight (1998-2006) was listed as the second longest such run in history ... but it's not. Somebody overlooked the fact that UCLA won seven straight titles from 1967 to 1973, lost to NC State in the 1974 Final Four, won the 1975 national title, lost in the 1976 Final Four and lost in the 1977 Sweet 16 -- that's 11 straight Sweet 16s.

Duke's recent run is the third longest Sweet 16 streak. Duke also has the fourth longest run -- 7 (1986-92)

Maybe they meant in the modern era? Back then didn't you have to win less games to get to the sweet sixteen? Pretty worthless comparison if that's the case. Also, didn't 1-seeds use to have bye-weeks?

Atlanta Duke
03-22-2007, 07:30 PM
String together the earlier run of at least Sweet Sixteen for 8 out of 9 years from 1986-1994 and no Sweet Sixteen appearance this week for only the 4th time since 1985 certainly is an empty feeling.

Looking on the sometimes elusive bright side, at least I will not be going to work tomorrow with a brutal hangover and bummed from another Sweet Sixteen crash and burn that has been the unfortunate pattern in recent years.

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone

blazindw
03-22-2007, 10:55 PM
I think back in the day, only 8 teams made the tourney, which is why UCLA doesn't count. And, if you throw in women, the Tennessee Lady Vols have never missed a Sweet 16 since the women's tournament started (I think in 1983)...that makes this year their 24th straight Sweet 16 appearance.

Olympic Fan
03-23-2007, 01:03 AM
Actually, when UCLA's run started in 1967, there were 24 teams in the field.

Plus there is no "modern" era with NCAA Tournament stats. As an example, NC State is credited with 1) a Sweet 16; 2) an Elite Eight and 3) a Final Four for 1950 where there were just eight teams in the field. State won one game and got a Final Four.

The failure to credit UCLA with 11 straight Sweet 16s is an oversight.

One interesting side note: UNC has a banner hanging in the Smith Center that says, "1941 NCAA Sweet 16" ... Actually, there were only eight teams in the field that year (UNC lost to Pitt in its only game), so I guess Sweet 16 is okay, but why wouldn't they list it as "1941 NCAA, Elite Eight"?