The 10 Best College Basketball Programs Since 2000

8. Louisville Cardinals

Average nERD: 13.97

For the last 15 of 17 seasons, head coach Rick Pitino has resided over the Louisville Cardinals basketball program. In the two years prior, the Cardinals were a combined 31-31, but have since gone 391-134 with a win percentage of 74.5%. All that brings us to an overall record of 422-165 in 17 years of play.

Unsurprisingly, Louisville enjoyed their best season in 2012-13, when the Cardinals finished 35-5 with their only national championship under Pitino. Outside of that, the Cardinals have won 20 games in all but one season under their long-time coach.

While Louisville has easily been the worst offensive team of the bunch -- ranking in the 79th percentile nationally -- they've been solid defensively. They have averaged a mark within the 85th percentile and have held opponents to less than 65 points per game in 13 of 17 seasons.