Greatest College Basketball Programs

The Top Ten
1 Kentucky Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the Vanderbilt Commodores are the athletic teams of Vanderbilt University. They compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and are known for their strong baseball and women's tennis programs. The team's mascot is named Mr. Commodore, and their colors are black and gold.

In kentucky ball we are proud of what we've done and when we lose we may get mad and burn couches. But aside from that we and Louisville have one of the best rivalries almost like duke and nc but over all we are better in more wins, win percentage, national tournament wins, final four wins, elite eight and sweet sixteen wins, and have been to the tourney the most. So those who say nc or duke should be at the top are wrong especially since ucla won on a terrible system.

Most wins. Longest active home streak. Spouting out NBA players like it's going out of style. 2nd most championships (because the majority of UCLAs came from a crummy championship system where they had to play NOBODY to get to the championship. Cal constantly bringing in best recruiting classes And unanimously the most devout fans in basketball. I dare someone to argue with that.

Kentucky is the top program. Check out the NBA over the past 12-15 years and you'll find more UK players than any other. Kansas, Duke, and North Carolina are strong programs, but several of their players that get drafted don't really "pan out" once they get to the pros. If I had a supremely talented son, he would be going to Kentucky.

2 North Carolina

UNC...greatest of all time. People can talk until their lips fall off about other basketball colleges being the best of all time, but the truth plain and simple is that North Carolina is the greatest basketball college EVER. I love the HATERS. You hate North Carolina because you are not North Carolina. North Carolina can loose every player on their bench, and still take in comming players and make it to the final four the next year. They are Superior.

UNC and Kentucky, most consistent college basketball teams over the decades. If you're measuring since the start of the century then UNC and Duke are at the top. Let's make sure not to discount UNC, Kansas, and Kentucky's pre-NCAA National Championships. UNC is the only team that has won a championship the past 4 decades, and is constantly competing with teams among the toughest in conference and out.

Well its UNC for the simple fact I sincerely believe Dean Smith and some of his teams that easily should have won like 10 NCAA titles didn't want to win them. They threw a NCAA title away with P Ford & Walter Davis in the 1977/ MJs soph & Jr years with Brad Daugherty & Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith & Brad Daugherty even missed out on one/ The teams with Stack, Sheed plus the Jamison & Carter teams. Its absolutely inexcusable what Dean Smith did barely winning 2 titles in 36 yes. Roy Williams is throwing the titles away after 13 seasons with only 2 when he should have won at least 1 more with Hansbrough & co/ 1 with Harrison Barnes & at least 1 with Paige. And all you alumni Dean Smith & Roy lovers are idiots if you even say otherwise. Remember? Wooden the great one always said he'd take talent over experience. UNC has run a lame feeder system since Maguire left in 1960. 4 NCAA titles in like 56 years & with the most HS all Americans ever.Lol!

3 Duke Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke established the Duke Endowment, at which time the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington... read more

People think that coach K has an advantage because he has coached the Olympic team three times. It supposedly helps him with his recruiting. I don't think that matters because he won three championship before any of that. Duke's rival UNC has a much bigger advantage, they have the sports media wrapped around their finger which help them get out of scandals. Besides, Duke has owned UNC over the past 19 seasons.

Duke is gaining on Carolina at a rapid pace. They already have more ACC tournament titles and are tied in national titles. All they need now is a couple more final fours and to close the shrinking head to head gap. I just wonder what will happen after coach K retires in the next 5-10 years.

Dean Smith had all the talent at his finger tips and could barely squeeze out one National Championship. Mean while Coach K has a tiny pool from which he can recruit because of academic standards, and has managed 3.

4 Kansas The Kansas Jayhawks, commonly referred to as KU, are the teams of the athletic department at the University of Kansas. They are currently a member of the Big 12 Conference

Most Conference Championships, Most Consecutive Conference Championships, Most Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances, Most Olympic Players, Most Consensus All-American Selections, Most Consensus All-American Players, and 2nd Most Wins. The arenas that North Carolina (Smith) and Kentucky (Rupp) play in are named after Kansas Basketball Players who both won National Championships. The inventor of the game was Kansas's first coach and is buried in Lawrence. Naismith's original rules of the game are housed in Lawrence. Allen Fieldhouse is generally regarded as the greatest arena in college basketball.

Hey Kentucky fans, Duke fans, and UCLA fans. I have somtething to tell you :Allen Fieldhouse greatest home field advantage in sports can't say that Kensucky.
KU also has won the big 12 regular season title for 12 years in a row. Only 1 away from tying UCLA for the record.

5 UCLA

Historically, UCLA basketball started out strong, winning 6 out of 7 conference titles before falling into disarray. Things changed when John Wooden arrived in Westwood in 1948. Since then, UCLA has been virtually dominant in its conference every season, with only one or two notable exceptions, such as the drought from 1998 to 2005. Kentucky is the only school that could even make a legitimate claim to UCLA's basketball crown. Since 1950, the University of Kentucky has been nearly as successful in terms of conference titles. Both schools have had remarkable success in dominating their competition.

I would give the edge to UCLA. Although it's harder to win championships today, no one else has been able to replicate UCLA's success during the 1960s and 1970s. We're not talking about ancient history. This level of success has never been seen in modern sports. Furthermore, UCLA often doesn't get the proper credit for its consistency over time. While they may not have maintained their standard of National Championships, they hold a record for 54 straight winning seasons and have won the conference title almost every year.

The biggest wrinkle in their modern history, since 1950, has been the Steve Lavin era. During this time, he won only one conference title, and the furthest he got was the Elite Eight. This was also the period when Arizona took over the Pac-10. However, Lavin was still able to reach the Sweet Sixteen every season under his direction, except for twice (once when they failed to make the NCAA Tournament).

UCLA has also excelled in recruiting and producing NBA talent. The school has more NBA MVPs, first-round picks, All-Americans, All-Conference players, McDonald's All-Americans, Olympians, and Hall of Famers than any other basketball school in the country.

6 Indiana

Indiana should be no lower than #5 on this list. If I was gonna rank them I'd say #1 UCLA, #2 Kentucky, #3 North Carolina, #4 Indiana, #5 Duke, with Kansas and a bunch of Big East teams following them. 5 National Titles, 8 Final Fours and countless tourney apperances. Beyond Championships, there is just something magically about the IU and the state of Indiana and basketball. Only other state that comes close in North Carolina.

Indianas 1987 NCAA championship team with Steve Alford was THE BOMB! They beat much bigger teams in order to win that year, teams ranked higher than them. I still think IU is a better team when they are made up of instate players who know and love the tradition of Indiana basketball. We really faltered when they got rid of Bob Knight and Mike Davis went South for players. I know Keith Smart was from the South and was a big factor at the end of the game. There are always exceptions. Still------.

7 Uconn

In the past twenty years alone, Uconn has joined the upper echelons of Basketball Blue Bloods.

One of best teams over last 20 years.

8 Louisville

Hard to believe Louisville and Kentucky are seeded where they are on the list. UCLA has way more national championships than any other program and would be considered the most dominant in any era. But how is Kentucky not the all time #1? Kinda hard to believe. Mad love for Louisville, Kentucky, and both of the programs. Best state in basketball!

I'm guessing this list was made prior to 2012... things have changed since. Adding 2 more final fours and a title to the list... not to mention 3 more conference tournament championships. Louisville comes in at #6 all time for me. Right behind Kansas, and just ahead of both Uconn and Indiana.

All the final fours and 3 titles. Comfortable with them at 7. UConn has had some recent success but doesn't have the rich history dating back to the 70's, 80's into the 2000's. Longevity and equal number of natty's makes Louisville a stronger program.

9 Michigan State Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is widely known for its men's basketball program, which has won two national championships.

Although we have less National Championships than other programs (B10 included) and play in a conference with several respectable opponents, I would say we belong ahead of at LEAST Indiana, if not Kansas. We're in the Izzo era now, and if he keeps going like he does, I predict at least three more MSU NCAAM Championships! My full support Izzo, and GO GREEN!
P.S, I feel OHU goes right behind Indiana.
UofM is a bunch of dirtbag cheaters, yet MSU STILL wrecks them almost every year (by which I mean sweep them.) Just something to think about...

10 Syracuse Located in Syracuse, New York, this program is a member of the ACC. Notable for their men's basketball and lacrosse teams, they have numerous championships under their belt. Orange is the primary team color.

Carrier Dome... 35,000-plus fans. Great University and some amazing talent thru the years. Pearl, Coleman, Warrick, C. Anthony, Louie-Bouie Show, with a long line of players turning Pro. A consistant top ten basketball program for almost forty years. #Amazing.

Boeheim second all time in wins! Attendance records galore, regular contenders, 4 final fours and a title

Horrible choice of a top ten team!

The Contenders
11 Villanova

More all time wins, ncaa bids than UConn in 20 less years. Nova>UConn

12 Arizona

Arizona is the most consistent team in basketball. Always in the tournament, always to the elite eight. Plus the most impressive tournament championship of any team. The only team to beat three number 1 seeds to pull off the title

13 Georgetown

Mostly irrelevant since Iverson left in 1996.

Back on the rise after a few down years.

14 Michigan

Seriously Florida gulf coast there not a good program there just young and got to the sweet 16 but really get serious!

15 Florida

We beat the Cinderella team FGCU, and Minnesota and Evansville really?! Even Einstein doesn't know what school that is and UNLV just because of Anthony Bennett! Wow Florida is better than all these teams it should be in the TOP 15 at the very least! Ughhh

16 Ohio State
17 Illinois

Seriously, FGCU ahead of Illinois, Illinois is one of the winningest ball teams out there FGCU is some small school that joined division 1 15 years ago and made a lucky run an Atlantic Sun team should never be ahead of a big ten team. Go Illini please vote for them

18 North Carolina State
19 Memphis
20 Virginia
21 Kansas State
22 Xavier

Tyrone Hill. David West. Bryon Grant. Byron Larkin. We're at least better than Evansville

23 Texas
24 Wichita State
25 West Virginia
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