The AP keeps an all time tab on which colleges have appeared the most times since 1949 in the Top Ten, Top 25, etc. Kentucky with an average rand of 6.63 is second on the list to Carolina.

Louisville ranks 7th (Average RK 11.58) behind UCLA, Duke, Kansas and IU. Syracuse, Arizona and Illinois round out the Top Ten. Maryland ranks 12th. Which I mention because of the 25 teams on the list, it’s the only team besides the Cardinals which has never held the top spot. As in ever.

Of course, both schools hold NCAA crowns, so they got that going for them. Which is more than can be said for several of the schools who have held the top spot, but never toted that trophy home at the end of the season.

Louisville’s high point in rankings — not to be confused with the legitimacy of actually winning titles in ‘80 and ‘86 — was preseason in 1974. Sports Illustrated ranked the Cards #1 in their college hoops issue. They finished third after blowing some free throws and a lead against John Wooden’s Bruins in the ‘75 semi-final in San Diego.

– Seedy K