Random college basketball notes

With a few NCAA Division 1 title contenders suffering embarrassing defeats today (Syracuse, Kansas), I decided to go back and look at the frequency with which previous champions have been blown out in the regular season or conference tournament action. Below lie all NCAA champions since 2003, along with their largest margin of defeat.

Syracuse: 14
UConn: 16
UNC: 11 
Florida: 5 
Florida: 13
Kansas:  9
UNC: 9 
Duke: 12 
UConn: 17 
Kentucky: 7 

And here’s a list of 2013 title contenders, with their largest current defeat.

Florida 11
Indiana 9 
Louisville 9 
Gonzaga 11 
Kansas 23 
Duke 27 
Pittsburgh 10 
MSU 13 
OSU 22 
Syracuse 22 
Miami 19 
Georgetown 28 

Does this suggest anything? Probably not.  I may, however, be slightly nervous selecting Miami, Georgetown, Syracuse, Duke, Kansas, or Ohio State to do something that no team has done in the past decade…lose by more than 17 points and then win the national title.

Also, keep in mind there is far more basketball to be played, and its feasible that another contender on the 2013 list suffers a similar defeat.