The List.

Kentucky Joins List Of Defending Basketball Champions To Miss NCAA Tournament

There is no real shame in this list, because to be on it, you needed to have been national champions in the first place.

But it is rare for a team to go from NCAA champions one season and missing the tournament completely the next.

Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, it has happened just five times with the Kentucky Wildcats joining the club this year.

Here's a look at the teams to experience this high-low swing:

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Kentucky 2013
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The Wildcats' eighth national title in 2012 was the first for coach John Calipari. Freshman Anthony Davis had 16 rebounds and six blocks in the title game against Kansas. This season, Kentucky went 21-11 and 12-6 in the SEC. But a lack of wins against ranked teams and the season-ending injury to center Nerlens Noel worked against the Wildcats in the selection process.
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North Carolina 2010
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A year after Tyler Hansbrough led the Tar Heels to the national championship, they were back in the title game -- of the NIT. The Heels, who went 5-11 in the ACC, finished with an overall record of 20-17 after losing to Dayton in the NIT finals.
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Florida 2008
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With titles in 2006 and 2007, the Gators were the first repeat champs since Duke in 1991 and 1992. But nobody was really expecting a three-peat for Florida as it opened the season unranked. It ended with a loss in the NIT semifinals to UMass.
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Kansas 1989
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After Danny Manning and coach Larry Brown led the Jayhawks to the national title in 1988, both headed to the NBA. The program then was banned from the 1989 tournament because of NCAA sanctions. It finished 19-12 under new coach Roy Williams.
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Louisville 1987
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Pervis Ellison led the Cardinals to the championship as a freshman, so expectations were high the next season. Louisville was No. 2 in the first poll of the season, but a season-opening loss to Northeastern set the tone as the Cardinals struggled to an 18-14 finish.