October 12, 2009

Jason King and Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Basketball Staff

Preseason practice begins this week, which means everyone is starting to get serious about weighing in with their pick to win it all this season.

While that's certainly a good debate, computer guru Jeff Sagarin has gone one better - listing his greatest programs of all time.

We asked writers Mike Huguenin and Jason King which program they would pick No. 1. Here are their thoughts.

MIKE HUGUENIN SAYS ...

It's all about national titles, which means UCLA is No. 1.

There's something to be said for consistency, and you certainly can ding the Bruins for some mediocre teams in the 1980s and '90s. But you also have to reward them for their extraordinary run under John Wooden in the 1960s and '70s, a run that never will be equaled.

UCLA has won 11 titles, four more than anyone else. The Bruins are No. 2 in Final Four appearances, including a streak of 10 in a row from 1967-76. They lead in the number of Final Four games and in the number of Final Four wins.

There are some critics who note the NCAA field was much smaller in the 1960s and '70s and that the Bruins didn't have to win as many games in the tournament to get to the Final Four. The flipside is that regular-season greatness also was rewarded. You had to win your league's regular-season title to get into the field; they didn't take five or six teams from each league back then. There was much less margin for error.

As for talent, the Bruins produced quite possibly the best two centers in college history in Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Bill Walton.

If not for an incredible performance by N.C. State's David Thompson -- for my money, the best player in college history -- in a 1974 semifinal game, UCLA would've won nine titles in a row. As it is, the Bruins settled for seven in a row and 10 in a 12-year stretch.

That type of greatness makes UCLA the greatest college basketball program in history.

JASON KING SAYS ...

UCLA and Kentucky have the championships, and Kansas has the tradition. Year to year, though, North Carolina has been as consistent as any program in the country.

The Tar Heels have won five national titles under coaches Frank McGuire, Dean Smith and Roy Williams, and they are just four wins (1,984) behind Kentucky (1,988) on the all-time victory list. Remember that North Carolina plays in the ACC, which historically has been the toughest conference in college basketball.

North Carolina also produced the best player in basketball history in Michael Jordan.

Things don't appear to be slowing down, either. In just six years as the Tar Heels' coach, Williams already has led his team to three Final Fours and two national titles. Williams is the top coach in the game, and he's only getting better.

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com. He can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.
Jason King is a college basketball writer for Rivals.com and Yahoo! Sports. Send Jason a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.