Interesting stat for Syracuse and Arizona

[thebigeast44]

From Bleacher Report: This is a re-run of a stat that I researched for the Jan. 27 AP Winners and Losers piece, but it bears repeating.

Arizona and Syracuse were ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the AP poll for eight consecutive weeks in the middle of the season.

In the past 20 years, that has only happened three times. All six teams involved advanced to the Final Four, and produced the national champion in each of those three years.

In two of those three years, the two teams faced each other in either the Final Four or the national championship—meaning those six teams had a combined tournament record of 31-1 against all other teams.

For all the hair-brained tournament theories and coincidences out there, this one seems to hold up pretty well. After all, in order to stay at the top of the polls for eight straight weeks, it means you've already demonstrated the ability to put together substantial winning streaks.

 

[CaptainJ]

I gave this a like and certainly would feel bad seeing both teams break that streak...but if Arizona is as bad as everyone was saying when we were #2, then the odds look healthy at least they will be the first. (lol?) I'm not sure how I feel the odds of the Cuse making the Final 4 are with the way they've been playing, healthy Grant or not. Although this isn't a knock on Bleacher Report as much as it is the sample size and possibly the timing. Any chance those other streaks were later and both teams stayed in the top 10?

That said, the tournmant is full of suprises, and the biggest shame is that we didn't get in Arizona's bracket and have a chance to prevent this streak from continuing.