COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 04: A view of the NCAA logo on a basketball before the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Xfinity Center on December 04, 2024 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
So, just HOW good was Florida? I love historical sports discussions, and modern technology and advanced stats have never made them easier to compare players and teams across eras. In this article, I’m going to use those advanced stats but also my own eye test to evaluate the last 15 champions of College Basketball and rank them 1-15, including my placement of this year’s champion, the Florida Gators.
1. 2021 Baylor
MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA – JANUARY 18: The Baylor Bears logo on pair of shorts before a college basketball game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum on January 18, 2022 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
The COVID-shortened season is difficult to evaluate, but the Bears were never tested in the NCAA Tournament and beat a previously unbeaten Gonzaga squad by 16 points to cut down the nets.
2. 2012 Kentucky
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 17: The Kentucky Wildcats logo on a pair of short during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game against the Providence Friars at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Anthony Davis and company only lost once in the regular season and avenged that loss in the tournament, and won every NCAA Tournament game by 8 points or more in a truly dominant run.
3. 2025 Florida
CHARLESTON, SC – NOVEMBER 22: The Florida Gators logo on a pair of shorts during a second round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at the TD Arena on November 22, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
I’m not a prisoner of the moment – this Gators squad was REALLY good. They won the conference tournament of the best single-year conference we have ever seen, beat four top-10 KenPom teams on their way to the title, lost only one non-road game all season, and own the highest overall KenPom rating of any team on this list.
4. 2024 UConn
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 10: A view of the Connecticut Huskies logo on their uniform during the game against the Georgetown Hoyas at Capital One Arena on February 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
While the regular season resume does not match some of the very top teams, their dominance in the NCAA Tournament can not be understated, winning every game by at least 14 points.
5. 2018 Villanova
PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 04: The Villanova Wildcats logo on a pair of shorts during a college basketball game against the Providence Friars at Wells Fargo Center on February 4, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
They were one of the best offensive teams in the last 15 years, had multiple NBA talents and was un-tested in the NCAA Tournament.
6. 2013 Louisville
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 12: A view of the Louisville Cardinals logo on their uniform during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the First Round of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Because of the chaos of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, it’s easy to forget that Rick Pitino’s squad was the number one overall seed and had arguably one of the best backcourts of any team on this list.
7. 2016 Villanova
Dec 31, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Villanova Wildcats fans celebrate the win against the Creighton Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha. Villanova defeated Creighton 80-70. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
The Wildcats battled through a tough draw, beating 5 straight top-25 (including #2 and #3) ranked KenPom teams to win the title in dramatic fashion thanks to a balanced attack that ranked top-5 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
8. 2010 Duke
DURHAM, NC – DECEMBER 18: A detail view of Nike basketballs prior to the game between the Elon Phoenix and the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
The first of two Duke teams on this list was a great basketball team in all respects, but it’s hard to shake the fact that they were mere inches away from giving this spot away to an overall unimpressive Butler squad.
9. 2015 Duke
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski talks to reporter after win over Cal State Fullerton during the first round of NCAA tournament on Friday, March 18, 2022, in Greenville, South Carolina.
Coach K’s final champion was the beneficiary of the bracket, as Wisconsin was able to eliminate Kentucky, a team that I would have envisioned Duke struggling against. But still, this Duke team’s KenPom rating of 32.48 is right around the average of this list.
10. 2017 North Carolina
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 14: A general view of the NC logo on the shorts of RJ Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels. During a game against the La Salle Explorers at Dean E. Smith Center on December 14, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 93-67. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
The 2017 season was one where no team truly reached great heights, and UNC was just the last team standing at the end, despite ranking only 9th and 11th, respectively, in offensive and defensive efficiency on the season.
11. 2023 UConn
Apr 3, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins (24) holds the trophy after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs in the national championship game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
It would be easy to pick on this UConn team for not having to beat a 1 or 2-seed on their way to the title, but they were so dominant in the tournament (winning every game by 13 or more) that they avoided the basement of this ranking.
12. 2011 UConn
Apr 05, 2011; Storrs, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Kemba Walker (15) gets emotional on stage with head coach Jim Calhoun at Gampel Pavilion after returning from the 2011 NCAA men’s college basketball championship game in Houston, TX where they defeated the Butler Bulldogs 53-41. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
We all remember the magical run of Kemba Walker’s Huskies, who won 11 straight postseason games, but overall, this team was nothing special and ended their season ranked 10th in KenPom.
13. 2022 Kansas
MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA – JANUARY 20: A view of the Kansas Jayhawks logo on their uniform during the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum on January 20, 2024 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
While the order does not match exactly, this Kansas team had the 13th-best KenPom rating of any team on this list and sits here at #13 on my list.
14. 2019 Virginia
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 14: A view of the Virginia Cavaliers logo on their uniform during the game against the Boston College Eagles in the Quarterfinals of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 14, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Call me unimpressed – this Virginia team lost in the semifinals of their conference tournament (and were arguably the 3rd-best team in their conference), beat no teams seeded higher than 3 in the NCAA Tournament, had no wins of greater than 15 points in that tournament, and relied on numerous improbable escapes that are mathematically unlikely to ever happen again.
15. 2014 UConn
Apr 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Shabazz Napier (13) and forward DeAndre Daniels (2) celebrate with fans after beating the Kentucky Wildcats during the championship game of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Mens Division I Championship tournament at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
It was a magical run for Shabazz Napier and company, but at the end of the day, no other team could fill this spot. They have the lowest KenPom rating of any team on this list by a wide margin, and needed an unlikely and-one in the final minute against St Joes to even escape the round of 64.
