As we get ready for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Kansas continues to extend the record for the longest consecutive streak of Big Dance invites. Where do the Jayhawks stack up? Here's a look at the teams with most consecutive tournament bids.
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The Jayhawks extended their record streak to 30 straight seasons with an NCAA Tournament berth in 2019. The streak started in 1990 under head coach Roy Williams and has continued into the Bill Self era. The school has been to seven Final Fours during the streak but has only one national championship (2008) to show for it.
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27: North Carolina
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The Tar Heels had a 27-year NCAA Tournament streak between head coaches Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge and Matt Doherty. The streak ended in 2002 and included two national championships. North Carolina got back on track under Roy Williams, who has taken the Tar Heels to nine Big Dances through 2019.
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Arizona made 25 straight tourneys between head coaches Lute Olson, Kevin O'Neill and Russ Pennell, from 1985-2009. The Wildcats earned four Final Four appearances and one title over that time.
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Duke has made 24 straight NCAA Tournament appearances with a streak that started in 1996. The streak has included five Final Fours and three national championships under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, adding to the two national titles he had before the streak started. Duke's streak looks in jeopardy in 2021.
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22: Michigan State
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Head coach Tim Izzo has a reputation for doing his best work in March. The Spartans made the tourney 22 straight years through 2019, including seven Final Four appearances during that span and a national championship in 2000.
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It seems improbable that a school of Gonzaga's size would be so high on the list, but that speaks to the job head coach Mark Few has done in the WCC. The streak's first year was under Dan Monson before Few took over, and the Bulldogs finally made their first Final Four in 2017.
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The Badgers made 19 straight NCAA Tournament appearances and went to the Final Four in 2000, 2014 and 2015 under Bo Ryan. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, it did not make the tournament in 2018 but returned last season and lost in the first round.
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Head coach Bob Knight started a tournament streak in 1986 that spanned 18 seasons, ending after Mike Davis' third year at the school. Indiana won the national championship in 1987 and returned to the Final Four in 1992 and 2002.
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One of the most storied programs in college basketball, Kentucky found a tournament berth from 1992-2008 under Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie. The Wildcats won two national championships during the streak, in 1996 and 1998.
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The school with the most national championships in college basketball history, UCLA made 15 consecutive tournaments, from 1967-1981. Legendary head coach John Wooden won eight national finals over nine years during that streak. Gene Bartow, Gary Cunningham and Larry Brown also contributed to the tournament streak after Wooden retired in 1975. The Bruins also had a 14-year streak, from 1989-2002.
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Head coach Bob Huggins coached the Bearcats for 16 seasons, and he made the NCAA Tournament in 14 of them, from 1992-2005. The team made the Final Four in 1992.
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Head coach John Thompson Jr. led the Hoyas to 14 straight NCAA Tournaments, from 1979-1992, winning the national championship in 1984. He also lost in the finals twice.
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Rick Barnes' tenure at Texas didn't end gracefully, but he still led the school to 14 straight tournaments, from 1999-2012. Texas made one Final Four over that time.
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One of the greatest head coaches in college basketball history to never make a Final Four, John Chaney made 12 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, from 1990-2001. He made 17 tournaments in all while coaching the Owls.
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Stanford made 10 straight NCAA Tournaments under Mike Montgomery and one more under Trent Johnson in 2005. The school found itself in the Final Four in 1998 during that streak.
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Gary Williams' phenomenal career at Maryland included 11 consecutive trips to the big dance from, 1994-2004. He led the team to the Final Four in 2001 and won the national championship in 2002.
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Dale Brown coached the Tigers from 1972-1997 and had a 10-year tournament streak from 1984-1993. LSU made the Final Four in 1986.
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Pitt has had its share of strong coaches, including Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon, who combined to make the tournament from 2002-2011. The most success during that streak was a trip to the regional final in 2009.
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Al McGuire is known as one of college basketball's best coaches of all time, due in large part to his success in the tournament. He made it to two national finals, winning one in 1977. Marquette's 10-year tournament streak spanned from 1971-1980, with Hank Raymonds coaching the last three seasons.
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Syracuse basketball is synonymous with head coach Jim Boeheim, who began as the head coach in 1976 and made 10 tournaments from 1983-1992. He went to one Final Four during that streak and eventually won the national championship in 2003.
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Head coach Bobby Cremins led the Yellow Jackets to nine consecutive tournaments from 1985-1993. The school made the Final Four during that streak in 1990.
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Jerry Tarkanian had one of the most successful streaks in college basketball history from 1983-1991, making three Final Fours and winning the national championship in 1990. His squad was an undefeated 34-0 in 1991 before losing to Duke in the national final.