Marquette # 17 Program in Last 50 years

[ge1974]

I was hoping we'd make the Top 15 but the Majerus and Dukiet years killed us.

Only difference in my picks was having Earl Tatum off the bench than Doc Rivers. No doubt, Rivers was the better pro and was the highest ranked recruit we ever had come to Marquette. However, Tatum's college career was better, IMO. Four NCAAs - one Championship Game, one elite 8 and one Sweet 16. Doc's teams won one NCAA game (Evansville) and they only made the NCAA twice in his three years. Tatum's 1975-76 season, when he was 2nd team AA was one of the best ever at MU. He should have been first team AA.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/tag/_/name/50-in-50-series

[CaribouJim]

...and MU's '74 runner-up team doesn't get any pub. 'Nova at 16. BE, in its present configuration, is doing very well.

[IWB]

Two things that also hurt MU....

1) As I pointed out yesterday, Jim Chones went to the ABA. Had he gone hardship to the NBA, MU gets 2 more points.

2) Al told the NCAA to kiss off, turned down a #1 seed and went to the NIT and won it. Winning the NIT gets you 1 point. Someone pointed out yesterday(GE?) that the early years of the NIT had some of the top teams and should be given more that 1 point for winning it all.

Had they gone to the NCAA that year...

Tourney berth +1

Make it to rd 2 +3
Make it to Sweet 16 +5
Make it to Elite 8 +10
Make it to Final Four +15
Make it to Championship +20
Win it all +25

Where would MU have finished that year? It says they finished 3rd in the 70s. hard to argue with UCLA, but will be interesting to see where it shakes out when the list is done, and where MU could have been. Just looking at it now, Chones draft and MU in NCAA vs NIT surpasses #16 Villanova. Chones draft and Elite 8 and MU ties Ohio State.

[CaribouJim]

I was hoping we'd make the Top 15 but the Majerus and Dukiet years killed us.

Only difference in my picks was having Earl Tatum off the bench than Doc Rivers. No doubt, Rivers was the better pro and was the highest ranked recruit we ever had come to Marquette. However, Tatum's college career was better, IMO. Four NCAAs - one Championship Game, one elite 8 and one Sweet 16. Doc's teams won one NCAA game (Evansville) and they only made the NCAA twice in his three years. Tatum's 1975-76 season, when he was 2nd team AA was one of the best ever at MU. He should have been first team AA.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/tag/_/name/50-in-50-series

And I think that you can even argue that the '75-'76 team was MU's best ever - ALL 5 starters and one on the bench went to the NBA - and they undoubtedly would have been the 2nd overall seed in the tourney behind the last undefeated team in IU and also a team that had ALL 5 starters go on to the NBA - the team that they eventually lost to and if it wasn't for the lame seeding system they had back then those two could have been meeting in the championship game instead of a regional final. Tatum was the best player on that team.

[mufan2003]

For as much as rankings done by internet websites can be a joke, this was one of the better rankings in a long time.

What is exciting.....is Marquette will be going for their 8th straight NCAA tourney appearance this upcoming season coming off back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances with no sign of letting up in bringing in top-notch players.

As a sidenote, nice to see what the Big East brings in........Houston(#35), Memphis(#19) and Temple(#18).

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I don't think that can be emphasized enough... 8 STRAIGHT NCAA APPEARANCES. That is really impressive when you look at the company that puts us in.

[ge1974]

Good points by all above. Yes, we have a current history and a very rich tradition. Don't underestimate this ranking as a recruiting tool.

I would like to see the same assessment performed in 2017. My guess is that we will surpass some schools ahead of us. The next five years promises to be way better than 1963-67.