Best College Basketball Teams That Never Won Big in the ’90s

During March Madness, there are winners and a whole lot of losers — some of which still shock us to this day.

March Madness is the ultimate sports tournament, as 68 college basketball teams compete for the national championship title and fans across the world fill out brackets to predict these teams’ fates (and win some serious dough in the process). And like all sports tournaments, there are winners and a whole lot of losers — some of which still shock us to this day.

We’re talking about those college basketball teams that should have won it all but for one reason or another managed an upset under pressure. These are the five teams who didn’t win a national championship but should have in the 1990s.

5. 1995-96 UMass Minutemen

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Coach: John Calipari

Key players: Donta Bright, Marcus Camby, Carmelo Travieso

Lost in the: Final Four

Even though Coach Cal has taken teams to the Final Four six times, he’s actually only won one national championship (with Kentucky in 2012). But the 1995-96 UMass team’s loss was perhaps the hardest. The defense-first team was centered around Marcus Camby, who was the Atlantic-10’s leader in blocks, and they only lost one game during the regular season.

The team had quite a promising NCAA tournament start, winning the first four games by an average of 17 points per game. But a Kentucky team that ended up sending nine players to the NBA was just too tough to beat.

4. 1994-95 Arkansas Razorbacks

Eric Gay / AP Photo

Coach: Nolan Richardson

Key players: Clint McDaniel, Scotty Thurman, Corliss Williamson

Lost in the: National championship game

The Razorbacks won the national championship in 1994, and about 90 percent of that team returned to make up this experienced team. Corliss Williamson led the group and finished among the top two in the conference in both total points and rebounds. He also averaged 22.6 points in Arkansas’ first five tournament games.

But when it came time for the championship, the Bruins brought their A-team — an entire starting five that would go onto the NBA.

3. 1998-99 Duke Blue Devils

United State Army – West Point / Wikimedia Commons

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski

Key players: Shane Battier, Elton Brand, Trajan Langdon, Corey Maggette

Lost in the: National championship game

Get this: NBA veteran Corey Maggette wasn’t even part of the starting five for this team that looked unstoppable heading into the NCAA tournament, riding a 27-game winning streak. Plus, Elton Brand was the AP Player of the Year, and four of his teammates were on the All-ACC Team.

Even though Duke made it to the national championship, UConn’s Richard Hamilton put up an amazing 27 points that led to a Huskies victory.

2. 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines

Ed Reinke / AP Photo

Coach: Steve Fisher

Key players: Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber

Lost in the: National championship game

Michigan was the best team in the country in terms of offensive rating, defensive rating and strength of schedule. And after beating No. 1 Kentucky in the Final Four, they had a solid chance of doing the same against North Carolina in the championship.

But Chris Webber’s late timeout led to a Tarheels win, and it’s something he still has to answer to 30 years later.

1. 1990-91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels

Jack Smith / AP Photo

Coach: Jerry Tarkanian

Key players: Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt, Larry Johnson

Lost in the: Final Four

This was the Rebels’ shot at a chance of establishing a dynasty, as the team had won the national championship the previous year and was riding a 45-game winning streak entering the final game.

Plus, the team had five future NBA players on it, and its top three players — Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and Stacey Augmon — were all seniors. But, sometimes, revenge is the ultimate champion, and the Rebels lost to Duke (the team they had beaten in the title game the year prior) by just two points.

For more college basketball teams that should have won it all but didn’t, check out “Greatest College Basketball Teams That Didn’t Win a Title.”