THE BEST 25-YEAR TOURNEY TEAM MIGHT NOT BE WHO YOU THINK IT IS

The 2009 tourney was the twenty-fifth dance using a 64-team bracket. Yeah, yeah, we've had the play-in game for the last few years, but essentially it's been the same format since 1985. It's time to answer the question, "Which school has been the best tourney performer of the last quarter century?"

Last year at about this time, Duke was holding on to a safe yet dwindling lead over its in-state rival, North Carolina. Then the Tar Heels cruised to the championship and Duke struggled with its fifth straight underachieving dance. Was that enough to nudge North Carolina ahead Duke in the 25-year rankings? Let's examine the schools based on win/loss records, accomplishments and performance against expectations.

Duke still the winningest tourney school since 1985, barely

The 2009 tourney results didn't change the rankings of the top eight schools by winning percentage. But they did make them a whole lot closer. Duke can claim the mantle of being the winningest school of the last quarter century. However, by going 2-1 last year while the Tar Heels went 6-0, the Blue Devil lead is now a scant .002 in winning percentage. One extra North Carolina win over the last 25 years would've been enough to overtake Duke. In fact, the team that goes further in this year's tourney will decide which has the best winning record of the modern era. Here's how the numbers shake out for the top ten schools with at least 10 appearances since the dance expanded to 64 teams in 1985: