The “one and done” era has taken on a new connotation. It used to just describe this current generation of players who are forced by NBA rules to compete in at least one season of college basketball before turning pro.

Now, it seems, those blue chip players are one and done for real. Duke’s opening round drubbing at the hands of Mercer provided a glimpse into just how far the mighty have fallen in college basketball. Duke features one of the nation’s best players in Jabari Parker, a freshman who symbolizes this era as much as anyone else.

Parker was joined in the college ranks by ballyhooed freshman sensations Andrew Wiggins of Kansas and Julius Randle of Kentucky. All three players were expected to be transcendent. There are currently at least 10 NBA teams who are losing on purpose to try and get in position to draft those players.

Randle is the only one who made it out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

More than any other opening weekend in memory this year’s NCAA Tourney first and second rounds have sent shockwaves through the basketball world. The big name programs and big name players fell by the wayside at an alarming rate all weekend long.

Let’s take a look at the teams that remain. Here are the matchups for the Sweet 16, a round that begins play  Thursday afternoon:

East Bracket – Virginia vs Michigan State; Iowa State vs Connecticut

South Bracket – Florida vs UCLA; Dayton vs Stanford

Midwest Bracket – Kentucky vs Louisville; Tennessee vs Michigan

West Bracket – Baylor vs Wisconsin; Arizona vs San Diego State

Taking a look at these matchups makes one thing very clear and that is the concept that landing some pretentious young savior is not the way to win the NCAA’s. Nearly all 16 of these teams are returning players in key roles. Even the Guru of One-and-done John Calipari has returnees such as Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Polythress contributing heavily.

Each of the remaining 16 teams boast great coaches who have trademark systems in place. As pointed out earlier, only Kentucky forward Julius Randle is a bona fide superstar. The rest of the field is teams comprised of good players who are implanted into their coaches great systems and are able to play as a team.

Perhaps now programs and coaches will understand what has been true in the sport of basketball from the very beginning. To win, you have to have the best team not just the best player.  Fifteen fundamentally sound players playing in unison for a great coach can beat any McDonald’s All-American any day.

Just ask Jabari Parker.