Fran #24 Player, now coaching in NCAA Tournament
- Thread starter Clark44
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Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Chris Holtman's Taylor teams probably played against Southern Indiana teams coached by Steve Alford.
There's a lot of former student managers on the list, particularly in the lower half between 34 and 68 where high school players weren't quite good enough to play in college. Being a Div. 1 student manager isn't a bad path to a coaching career.
If Georgetown ever makes the NCAA's all bets are off. Patrick Ewing is probably one of the 20 best players of all time. He would easily be #1 on this list. He is definitely one of the three best, along with Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, to never win an NBA ring. Jordan blocked the paths of all three and superstars back then didn't hitch to other superstar's buggies.
Correction. Bruce Pearl coached Southern Indiana. Led them to a national championship for whatever division they were in. Alford coached Manchester University. All three of them may have ended up playing each other.
There's a lot of former student managers on the list, particularly in the lower half between 34 and 68 where high school players weren't quite good enough to play in college. Being a Div. 1 student manager isn't a bad path to a coaching career.
If Georgetown ever makes the NCAA's all bets are off. Patrick Ewing is probably one of the 20 best players of all time. He would easily be #1 on this list. He is definitely one of the three best, along with Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, to never win an NBA ring. Jordan blocked the paths of all three and superstars back then didn't hitch to other superstar's buggies.
Correction. Bruce Pearl coached Southern Indiana. Led them to a national championship for whatever division they were in. Alford coached Manchester University. All three of them may have ended up playing each other.
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kicker22
Well-Known Member
Mostly true but lets not forget that both Barkley and Malone ended their careers attempting to create/join Super teams away from where they called "home".
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
The year that Fran sat out as a transfer (1979) Penn made the final four. They were no match for eventual national champion Michigan State.
That was a golden age for Midwest teams getting the final four. DePaul was in that one, Notre Dame the year before. Marquette won in 1977, Indiana in '76, '81, and '87. Michigan made a final four. If you consider Kentucky teams as Midwest, which is a reach, there's three more Natty's.
Then there was 1980. Iowa and Purdue!
