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Wisconsin Badgers 74 year championship drought is longest in tournament history

By Ethan Finkelstein

Mar 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Sam Dekker (15) celebrates the 85-78 victory against Arizona Wildcats during the second half in the finals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Sam Dekker (15) celebrates the 85-78 victory against Arizona Wildcats during the second half in the finals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 74 years in between NCAA Championship game appearances is the longest such stretch in men’s tournament history.

It’s been a while since the Wisconsin Badgers won a national championship. In fact, the last time the Badgers were on top of the college basketball world, a guy by the name of Ted Williams was chasing a .400 batting average for Boston.

Unlike the Red Sox that season in 1941, the Badgers did claim a championship. That was a full 74 years in the past though, which makes it the longest span in between two title game appearances in NCAA tournament history.

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On Monday, coach Bo Ryan and company will attempt to capture the school’s first Division I basketball title in nearly three-quarters of a century. Looking to prevent history is perennial powerhouse Duke, led by the legendary Mike Krzyzewski. “Coach K” will be seeking his, as well as the entire program’s, fifth championship.

Think about how much history has passed in between now and the last time Wisconsin was vying for a NCAA basketball championship. World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf, Cold, and Iraq Wars.  America has  had 13 different presidents, dating back to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was in the middle of an unprecedented run as president at the time.

Major League Baseball has since been desegregated, the pitcher’s mound was lowered by a full six inches. Baseball has since had two new home run kings. The Super Bowl was born as a result of the AFL-NFL merger. There are plenty more examples of history related to sports, however, for the sake of time, we will just mention the following.

College basketball had yet to incorporate a three pointer, something that would not be available on a full time basis in the professional level either until the late 1960s. It was a much different time.

Just to give one final note of perspective on how long it has been since Madison has had a team competing for a title this late in the NCAA basketball season, two members of The Beatles had not even come into existence yet; Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

So, it’s been a while.

[H/T ESPN SportsCenter]

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