Bad starts and NCAA tournaments

Minnesota has never made the NCAA tournament after starting the Big Ten season poorly, defined here as 0-3 or worse. Here’s a look at seasons in which the Gophers either started poorly or made the Big Dance since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985:

Bad start Big Ten

or NCAAs? Season start Final record Season notes

Bad start 1985-86 0-3 15-16, 5-13 Opened with three road losses in a row.

Bad start 1987-88 0-5 10-18, 4-14 Clem Haskins’ second season started badly.

NCAAs 1988-89 1-2 19-12, 9-9 Made it to the Sweet 16; lost to 2 seed Duke.

NCAAs 1989-90 1-2 23-9, 11-7 Advanced to the Elite 8; lost to Ga. Tech.

NCAAs 1993-94* 2-1 21-12, 10-8 Lost to 3 seed Louisville in the second round.

NCAAs 1994-95* 2-1 19-12, 10-8 Lost to 9 seed Saint Louis in the first round.

Bad start 1995-96* 1-3 19-13, 10-8 Won first, then lost three in a row.

NCAAs 1996-97* 4-0 31-4, 16-2 Made U’s only Final Four, lost to Kentucky.

Bad start 1997-98* 0-6 20-15, 6-10 Team was 13-14 at end of regular season.

NCAAs 1998-99* 1-2 17-11, 6-10 Lost to 10 seed Gonzaga in the first round.

Bad start 2003-04 0-8 12-18, 3-13 First Big Ten victory came on Feb. 11.

NCAAs 2004-05 2-1 21-11, 10-6 Lost to 9 seed Iowa State in the first round.

Bad start 2005-06 0-6 16-15, 5-11 Streak included triple-OT loss at Iowa.

Bad start 2006-07 1-5 9-22, 3-13 Dan Monson was fired before Big Ten play.

NCAAs 2008-09 4-1 22-11, 9-9 Lost to 7 seed Texas in the first round.

NCAAs 2009-10 2-1 21-14, 9-9 Lost to 6 seed Xavier in the first round.

Bad start 2011-12 0-4 23-15, 6-12 Team later lost six in a row to fall off.

NCAAs 2012-13 3-0 21-13, 8-10 Beat UCLA, then lost to Florida in second rd.

* Season later vacated because of academic scandal