The one loss or less jinx

By John McManus Sports Central Columnist

At 22-1, Duke is clearly the team to beat in college hoops as we approach March. The record speaks for itself.

However, heading into the NCAA Tournament with one loss or less does not necessarily guarantee a national championship.

In recent years, it has only set the stage for upsets of monumental proportions.

Let's look at how some prominent teams with one loss or less have fared in the NCAA Tournament since undefeated Indiana won it all in 1976.

1999 -- Duke (one loss heading into the tournament): This spectacular team, arguably Coach K's most talented, produced four first round NBA draft picks: Elton Brand, Trajan Langdon, Cory Maggette, and William Avery. Chris Carrawell and Shane Battier were future stars playing supporting roles. This team was deep, too, with Nate James and Chris Burgess coming off the bench with sixth man Maggette. Their only loss was a nail-biter in November to Cincinnati in the Great Alaska Shootout. They plowed their way through the ACC and the regionals into the Final Four where they ran into their most physical opponent in Michigan State and won by only six before losing to Connecticut by three in the championship game.

1997 -- Kansas (one loss heading into the tournament): Star point guard Jacque Vaughn was sidelined with a wrist injury for the first 10 games of the season, but they didn't miss a beat with reserve guard Ryan Robertson filling in beautifully. He wasn't spectacular like Vaughn, but he didn't have to be. Robertson and backcourt partner Jerod Haase were playing with one of the best frontlines I've ever seen in college basketball: Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, and Scot Pollard. Streaky shooter Billy Thomas and forward B.J. Williams provided depth.

This was a senior-laden team with plenty of experience on perhaps Roy Williams' best team. They had made a deep run in the tournament the year before, bowing out in the West Regional final to Syracuse. Vaughn came back from his injury and this team kept on rolling with the exception of a double overtime loss at Missouri and a handful of injury problems. Then, in the Sweet 16, they faced a young, cocky, energetic Arizona team who shocked the Jayhawks, leading them by 13 late in the second half. An incredible Kansas rally came just short after LaFrentz missed a three-pointer that would have tied it at the buzzer. We were watching the team of destiny that night. Little did we know it was Arizona.

1996 -- Massachusetts (one loss heading into the tournament): A talented starting five led by Marcus Camby was the hallmark of this team which lost in the Final Four to eventual national champion Kentucky. This was not a major upset, in fact, Kentucky was favored, though UMass had beaten UK early in the season. Still, it was another sampling of the one loss or less jinx.

1991 -- UNLV (no losses heading into the tournament): This was probably the most dominant team I've ever seen in college basketball. Who can give Vegas a game? That was the constant question posed all year. Jerry Tarkanian returned four starters from the 1990 National Championship team: Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony, and Anderson Hunt. Senior center George Ackles rounded out the starting five, which was made up of four seniors and one junior. Vegas won almost every game convincingly and that's what might have hurt them in the end. In a rematch with Duke in the national semifinals, Vegas folded under the pressure of a close game and fell to the Blue Devils in a huge upset.

1987 -- UNLV (one loss heading into the tournament): 1979 Indiana State (no losses heading into the tournament), and 1976 Rutgers (one loss heading into the tournament) were all victims to the one loss or less jinx, as well.

So Duke fans, perhaps a loss in February could be a blessing in disguise.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.