Does UCLA, Big Ten Have a Men's Basketball Problem?

UCLA and its conference rivals have gone too long without a national championship.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo talks to guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) after a play against Auburn during the second half of the Elite Eight round of NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. on Sunday, March 30, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four will not have a Big Ten representative this year, and thus, it marks 25 years since the conference hoisted a national championship. One has to ask does the Big Ten and as a result, UCLA have a problem winning in Men's basketball?

It was the 2000 national championship game in which the last time the conference won the dance. Tom Izzo won his first and only title with an 89-76 win over Florida. The Spartans were led by superstar guard Mateen Cleaves, who won the Most Outstanding Player award for the tournament and MVP of the game.

Since that triumphant day in Indianapolis, Indiana, Michigan State has only returned to the title game once, and that was an 89-72 loss to North Carolina.

The loser of the 2000 National Championship, the Florida Gators, went on to win two titles under head coach Billy Donovan as Donovan avenged his loss to a Big Ten opponent by defeating future conference member UCLA in 2006 and Ohio State in 2007.

Now the Big Ten has come close to winning it all, but their propensity to lose during the National Championship game has continued to raise many questions about the level of Big Ten basketball.

As members of the Big Ten, Indiana lost in 2002, Illinois lost in 2005, Ohio State lost in 2007, Michigan State lost in 2009, Michigan lost in 2013, Wisconsin lost in controversial fashion in 2015, Michigan again lost in 2018, and Purdue lost in 2024.

That's eight-straight title game losses for the Big Ten, but it gets worse. Since 2000, the ACC has won eight titles, the SEC has won three, the Big East has won eight, the Big 12 has won three and even the American has won one.

Currently, the Final Four is made up of two SEC teams (Florida and Auburn), an ACC team (Duke), and a Big 12 team (Houston).

So where does that leave the Big Ten and UCLA? Mick Cronin went to the Final Four with the Bruins as a member of the Pac-12; he lost in the second round as a member of the Big Ten.

Maryland used to be a national contender in the ACC. Not in the Big Ten. Rutgers has struggled heavily since coming over. The Blue Bloods are not winning.

Whatever the reason is that the Big Ten cannot get over the hump, it needs to be figured out quickly because going essentially my entire lifetime with only one title is not acceptable for a conference with this much prestige.

Perhaps a new approach to the transfer portal may be the answer. UCLA is making the most of it.

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