By Mike Douchant
Special to CBS SportsLine
March 15, 1997
"No, you never get any fun out of the things you haven't done."
--Ogden Nash
Nobody said it was going to be easy. The preceding quote definitely rings true for 57 of the 306 NCAA Division I members (18.6 percent) in a quandary because they've never participated in the Division I Tournament. Here is an alphabetical list of the playoff wannabees after Charleston Southern and Jackson State made their inaugural appearance this year (initial season classified as a major college is in parentheses):
| Alabama State ('83) | Northeastern Illinois ('91) |
| American ('67) | Northern Arizona ('72) |
| Arkansas State ('71) | Northwestern ('48) |
| Army ('48) | Northwestern (La.) State ('77) |
| Bethune-Cookman ('81) | Portland State ('73-'81 and '97) |
| Buffalo ('74-'77 and '92) | Prairie View A&M ('81) |
| Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo ('95) | Radford ('85) |
| Cal State Northridge ('92) | Sacramento State ('92) |
| Centenary ('60) | St. Francis, N.Y. ('48) |
| Central Connecticut State ('87) | Samford ('73) |
| Chicago State ('85) | Sam Houston State ('87) |
| The Citadel ('48) | Southeastern Louisiana ('81) |
| Delaware State ('74) | Southeast Missouri State ('92) |
| Eastern Washington ('84) | Southern Utah State ('89) |
| Florida A&M ('79) | Stephen F. Austin State ('87) |
| Florida Atlantic ('94) | Stetson ('72) |
| Grambling State ('78) | Tennessee-Martin ('93) |
| Hartford ('85) | Texas-Arlington ('69) |
| Illinois-Chicago ('82) | Texas-Pan American ('69) |
| Jacksonville State ('96) | Troy State ('94) |
| Kent ('52) | Vermont ('62) |
| Maine ('62) | Wagner ('77) |
| Maryland-Baltimore County ('87) | Western Illinois ('82) |
| Maryland-Eastern Shore ('82) | William & Mary ('48) |
| Missouri-Kansas City ('90) | Winthrop ('87) |
| Morgan State ('85) | Wisconsin-Milwaukee ('74-'80 and '91) |
| New Hampshire ('62) | Wofford ('96) |
| UNC Asheville ('87) | Youngstown State ('82) |
| UNC Wilmington ('77) |
The most recognizable school never to appear in the NCAA tourney is Northwestern, where new coach Kevin O'Neill will soon discover how difficult it is to survive yet alone thrive.
"We've had four winning seasons in the 35 years since I graduated," said Joe Ruklick, who holds the school record for career scoring average and is second in career rebounds. "That's baloney! That's not what amateur athletics is all about. The reason is the benign neglect of the trustees. I don't think losing in the Big Ten enhances anyone's life or self-esteem. The Big Ten is Northwestern's Vietnam, and we should declare victory and withdraw."
Some of the Division I schools to compete in the NCAA Tournament still possess a defect because they've never won a game at that level. Ole Miss had an opportunity to depart that dubious category this year, but the Rebels couldn't cope with Temple's zone defense.
Miami (Fla.) is the only school to have ever finished in the top 10 of a final AP poll (10th in 1960) but never win an NCAA Tournament game. The following list includes nine impaired institutions to go winless in the first 59 years of the NCAA playoffs despite membership in a conference with at least one current member capturing a national title:
| School | Conference | NCAA Playoff Appearances |
| Air Force | member of WAC | lost two games (1960 and 1962) |
| Hawaii | WAC | lost two games (1972 and 1994) |
| Miami, Fla. | Big East | lost one game (1960) |
| Mississippi | SEC | lost two games (1981 and 1997) |
| Nebraska | Big 12 | lost five games (1986-91-92-93-94) |
| Northwestern | Big Ten | never participated |
| San Diego State | WAC | lost three games (1975-76-85) |
| San Jose State | WAC | lost three games (1951-80-96) |
| Southern Mississippi | C-USA | lost two games (1990 and 1991) |
Mike Douchant's historical columns will be appearing on CBS SportsLine periodically throughout the NCAA Tournament. Check out our March Mania History section for more of Douchant's touch.