Kentucky's record in each round of the NCAA tournament

(updated through 2017 Sweet 16 win over UCLA)

If you're here, you probably know...UK has the most wins in NCAA basketball history, AND the most tournament wins.

But let's get to the specific point of this post...wins in each round of the tournament.

It's important to note the changes in format, since the tournament began in 1939.  Bold years below signify major expansions (adding a round for some/all teams).

1939: 8 teams (all teams play at least 3 rounds)
1951: 16 teams (all teams play at least 4 rounds)
1953: 22 teams
1954: 24 teams
1956: 25 teams
1957: 23 teams
1958: 24 teams
1959: 23 teams
1960: 25 teams
1961: 24 teams
1962: 25 teams
1964: 26 teams
1965: 23 teams
1966: 22 teams
1967: 23 teams
1969: 25 teams
1975: 32 teams (all teams play at least 5 rounds)
1979: 40 teams 
1980: 48 teams
1983: 52 teams
1984: 53 teams
1985: 64 teams (all teams play at least 6 rounds)
2001: 65 teams (play-in added)
2011: 68 teams

So, how has UK fared in specific rounds?

Round of 64 (6-round tournament for all teams since 1985, but UK also had to play First Round in 1982): 25-3
Wins: 1985, 1986, 1988 (vacated), 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Losses: 1982, 1987, 2008

Round of 32 (since 1975): 25-7
Wins: 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 (vacated), 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
Losses: 1981, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2016

Sweet 16 (only existed since 1951): 33-9
Wins: 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
Losses: 1955, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1971, 1980, 1985, 1988 (vacated), 2001, 2002

Elite 8 (existed since 1939): 17-19
Wins: 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1984, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Losses: 1945, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010

National Semifinals: 12-5
Wins: 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1978, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2012, 2014
Losses: 1942, 1984, 1993, 2011, 2015

Championship Games: 8-4
Wins: 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012
Losses: 1966, 1975, 1997, 2014

Note: UK has also played in six consolation games...
1945: WIN over Tufts
1955: WIN over Penn State
1959: WIN over Marquette
1964: LOSS to Loyola (Chicago)
1969: WIN over Miami (Ohio)
1971: LOSS to Marquette

Overall record, NOT including consolation games: 120-47

Overall record, including consolation games: 124-49

Kentucky basketball vs. North Carolina all-time (17 different coaches, 13 different arenas)

UCLA may have the most titles in NCAA history (for now), but I've always thought UK and UNC were the top 2 programs of all time.  Why?  Consistent success.

Consider this one example of consistency:

1940s Final Fours: 
UK - 3
UNC - 1
UCLA - 0

1950s Final Fours:
UK - 2
UNC - 1
UCLA - 0

1960s Final Fours:
UCLA - 6
UNC - 3
UK - 1

1970s Final Fours:
UCLA - 7
UK - 2
UNC - 2

1980s Final Fours:
UNC - 2
UK - 1
UCLA - 0

1990s Final Fours:
UNC - 5
UK - 4
UCLA - 1

2000s Final Fours:
UNC - 4
UCLA - 3
UK - 0

2010s Final Fours:
UK - 4
UNC - 1
UCLA - 0

So, in eight decades, UK has only missed out on the Final Four once (the 2000s - basically why Tubby Smith was fired midway through the decade) and UNC has never missed it for an entire decade.  Meanwhile, UCLA has FIVE different decades without a Final Four...almost all of their success came during the Sam Gilbert era.

And if you broaden it to Elite Eights, and include all-time totals:
1) UK - 37
2) UNC - 28
3) KU - 23
4) UCLA - 21

Basically, it's like this...UK and UNC have been great throughout history in both the regular AND postseason.  KU has been great in the regular season (which is why they're second all-time in wins), but often falls short in the tournament.  And UCLA had ONE period of greatness.  Otherwise, they've been nothing special.

As much as it seems like I'm praising North Carolina here (and, tradition-wise, I am), I have no love for their school and think they should have been stripped of literally every accomplishment during the academic cheating era (1990-2010, roughly).  UK's superiority over them, numerically, should be even greater than it is.

Unfortunately, one disappointing fact remains...the Tar Heels are the only "Blue Blood" program with an all-time winning record against the Cats.  UK has won more often than lost against UCLA, Duke, Kansas, and Indiana.  Plus Louisville, another top school.  And so many other opponents.  

After all, UK is #1 all-time in wins, winning percentage, tournament wins, etc. etc...

But enough of that.  Let's take a look at the numbers for the UK-UNC series...

Overall, UK is 15-23 against UNC (39.5%)

UK is 8-6 in home games against UNC (57.1%)

Rupp Arena: 5-2 (71.4%)

Memorial Coliseum: 2-3 (40%)

Alumni Gym: 1-1 (50%)

UK is 2-6 in road games against UNC (25%)

Dean Smith Center: 2-6 (25%)

UK is 5-11 at neutral sites against UNC (31.3%)

Prudential Center (Newark): 1-0 (100%) - won 2011 East Regional Final

T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas): 1-0 (100%) - won 2016 regular season (CBS Sports Classic)

Freedom Hall (Louisville): 1-2 (33.3%) - won in 1974 regular season, lost in 1972 and 1989 regular season

Charlotte Coliseum: 1-2 (33.3%) - won in 1969 regular season, lost in 1964 and 1975 regular season

Greensboro Coliseum: 1-2 (33.3%) - won in 1960 regular season, lost in 1967 and 1973 regular season

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center: 0-1 (0%) - lost 1995 Southeast Regional Final

Cole Field House (College Park, MD): 0-1 (0%) - lost 1977 East Regional Final

Brendan Byrne Arena (East Rutherford): 0-1 (0%) - lost in 1981 regular season

Atlanta Municipal Auditorium: 0-2 (0%) - 1924 and 1932 Southern Conference Tournament games

By type of game:

Regular season: 14-19
Postseason: 1-4 (0-2 SoCon Tournament, 1-2 NCAA Tournament)

State of Kentucky: 9-8
State of North Carolina: 4-10
Every other state: 2-5

By UK coach:

John Calipari: 5-2 (3-0 home, 0-2 road, 1-0 reg season neutral, 1-0 NCAAT)

Billy Gillispie: 0-2 (0-1 home, 0-1 road)

Tubby Smith: 4-3 (2-1 home, 2-2 road)

Rick Pitino: 0-2 (0-1 road, 0-1 NCAAT)

Eddie Sutton: 0-1 (at Freedom Hall)

Joe B. Hall: 1-5 (1-4 reg season neutral, 0-1 NCAAT)

Adolph Rupp: 5-6 (3-3 home, 2-2 reg season neutral, 0-1 SoCon Tournament)

John Mauer: 0-1 (home)

George Buchheit: 0-1 (SoCon Tournament)

By UNC coach:

Roy Williams (since 2004): 7-6 against UK (2-5 vs. Calipari, 2-0 vs. Billy G, 3-1 vs. Tubby)

Matt Doherty: 0-3 against UK (Tubby Smith)

Dean Smith: 13-3 against UK (2-0 vs. Pitino, 1-0 vs. Sutton, 5-1 vs. Hall, 5-2 vs. Rupp)

Frank McGuire: 0-2 against UK (Rupp)

Tom Scott: 0-1 against UK (Rupp)

George Shepard: 1-0 against UK (Rupp)

James Ashmore: 1-0 against UK (Mauer)

Norman Shepard: 1-0 against UK (Buchheit)

Kentucky basketball vs. UCLA all-time (10 different coaches, 11 different arenas)

(updated through 2017 NCAA Tournament)

Kentucky and UCLA have now met 3 times in the tournament:

1975 - Wooden's last UCLA team beats Joe B. Hall's Cats in the title game, 92-85.  Their 10th title (1995 is the only one since).

1998 - Tubby Smith's first UK team smacks Steve Lavin's Bruins around in a Sweet 16 matchup on the way to the Wildcats' 7th title.

2017 - Calipari's Wildcats knocked off Alford's Bruins in the Sweet 16, and then...we'll see!

Of course, these two programs are 1 (UCLA - 11) and 2 (UK - 8) in championships.

But UK dominates the college scene in so many other areas - overall wins and winning percentage, tournament wins and winning percentage, etc. etc. etc.

Still, since Calipari took over at UK, the games have been odd.  

The Cats handed UCLA an embarrassment of a beatdown in Chicago in late 2014, 83-44 (after a truly unreal 41-7 halftime lead).

And then, in late 2015, they blew it at Pauley Pavilion against a subpar squad, losing by 10.  UK didn't amount to much in 2015-16, falling in the second round to IU, but UCLA was even worse...they didn't even sniff the tournament.  This was a bad loss.

Finally, a pair of matchups in the 2016-17 season.  In the regular season meeting at Rupp, Kentucky put up absolutely NO defensive fight.  UK fell by 5, and it didn't really feel that close.

The Cats exacted revenge in March, taking out UCLA 86-75 in the Sweet 16 behind 39 points from De'Aaron Fox.

Let's take a look at the history of this series.

Overall, UK is 8-6 (57.1%) against UCLA.

Kentucky is 2-1 in home games against UCLA (66.7%)

Memorial Coliseum: 2-0 (100%) - won in 1951 and 1961

Rupp Arena: 0-1 (0%) - lost in 2016

Kentucky is 1-1 in road games against UCLA (50%)

Los Angeles Sports Arena: 1-0 (100%) - won in 1959

Pauley Pavilion: 0-1 (0%) - lost in 2015

Kentucky is 5-4 at neutral sites against UCLA (55.6%)

FedExForum (Memphis): 1-0 (100%) - won South Regional Semifinal in 2017

United Center (Chicago): 1-0 (100%) - won CBS Sports Classic in 2014...that UK team barely fell short of an undefeated season

Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg): 1-0 (100%) - won South Regional Semifinal in 1998...that UK team won the national title

Eugenio Guerro Sports Complex (Puerto Rico): 1-0 (100%) - won 3rd place game in 1998 Puerto Rico Shootout

The Pond (Anaheim): 1-1 (50%) - won John Wooden Classic in 2003, lost in 1994

Lahaina Civic Center (Maui): 0-1 (0%) - lost Maui Classic semifinal in 2006...that UCLA team went to the Final Four

Madison Square Garden (New York): 0-1 (0%) - lost Coaches vs Cancer Classic in 2000

San Diego Sports Arena: 0-1 (0%) - lost NCAA Championship game in 1975

By Kentucky coach...

John Calipari: 2-2 against UCLA (0-1 home, 0-1 road, 2-0 neutral)

Tubby Smith: 3-2 against UCLA (all neutral sites, including 1-0 NCAA tournament)

Rick Pitino: 0-1 against UCLA ("neutral site" - the Pond)

Joe B. Hall: 0-1 against UCLA ('75 title)

Adolph Rupp: 3-0 against UCLA (2-0 home, 1-0 road)

By UCLA coach...

Steve Alford: 2-2 against UK (all vs. Calipari)

Ben Howland: 1-1 against UK (both vs. Smith)

Steve Lavin: 1-2 against UK (all vs. Smith)

Jim Harrick: 1-0 against UK (Pitino)

John Wooden: 1-3 against UK (1-0 vs. Hall, 0-3 vs. Rupp)

Kentucky basketball vs. Arkansas all-time (13 different coaches, 10 different arenas)

(Updated through 2017 SEC Tournament)

Although they didn't join the Southeastern Conference until 1992, Arkansas made their mark immediately.  Nolan Richardson's Hogs were an SEC powerhouse, competing with Rick Pitino's Wildcats throughout the mid-90s, and even taking home a national title in 1994.  Richardson is easily the most successful coach in their history, with their only NCAA title and 3 of their 6 Final Fours.  Eddie Sutton also had success at the school, making the 1978 Final Four and winning a number of Southwest Conference titles.

The dynamic in the Kentucky-Arkansas series was very interesting during the 1990s, with Arkansas often getting the better of UK in regular season meetings (4-2 during the Pitino years), but almost always taking the loss in conference tournament matchups (0-4 against Pitino).

Since Richardson's departure in 2002, things have gotten a little more lopsided in favor of UK during the regular season, but Arkansas is still a bitter challenge on their home floor.  In fact, the overall record in Fayetteville is an even 7-7 split (and 6-7 since Arkansas joined the SEC).

Let's take a look at the all-time series results...

Kentucky is 30-11 against Arkansas (73.2%)

Kentucky is 13-3 at home against Arkansas (81.3%)

Rupp Arena: 11-3 (78.6%) - all games since Arkansas joined the league...losses were in 1992, 1994 and 2014

Alumni Gymnasium: 2-0 (100%) - games were in 1945 and 1948


Kentucky is 7-7 in Fayetteville (50%)

Bud Walton Arena (games since 1995): 6-6 (50%)

Barnhill Arena (game in 1993): 0-1 (0%)

Robinson Auditorium (game in 1950): 1-0 (100%)

Kentucky is 10-1 at neutral sites against Arkansas (90.9%)

Georgia Dome (Atlanta): 3-1 (75%) - UK won the 1995 and 1999 SEC Tournament Championships, plus an SEC semifinal in 1998.  Lost in a 2000 SEC quarterfinal.

Gaylord Entertainment Center / Bridgestone Arena (Nashville): 3-0 (100%) - UK won the 2015 and 2017 SEC Tournament Championships, plus a 2001 SEC semifinal.

Superdome (New Orleans): 1-0 (100%) - UK won a 1996 SEC semifinal

Rupp Arena: 1-0 (100%) - UK won a 1993 SEC semifinal

The Pyramid (Memphis): 1-0 (100%) - UK won a 1994 SEC semifinal

Checkerdome (St. Louis): 1-0 (100%) - UK won a 1978 National Semifinal, before beating Duke in the final

By type of game:
SEC regular season home games: 11-3
SEC regular season road games: 6-7

Total SEC regular season record: 17-10

Pre-SEC regular season home games: 2-0
Pre-SEC regular season road games: 1-0

Overall regular season record: 20-10

SEC Tournament games: 9-1
NCAA Tournament games: 1-0

Postseason record: 10-1

By UK coach:

John Calipari: 7-4 (4-1 home, 1-3 road, 2-0 SECT)

Billy Gillispie: 2-0 (1-0 home, 1-0 road)

Tubby Smith: 11-3 (5-0 home, 3-2 road, 3-1 SECT)

Rick Pitino: 6-4 (1-2 home, 1-2 road, 4-0 SECT)

Joe B. Hall: 1-0 (1978 Final Four)

Adolph Rupp: 3-0 (2-0 home, 1-0 road)

By opposing coach:

Mike Anderson (since 2012): 3-6 against Kentucky (all against Calipari)

John Pelphrey (2008-2011): 1-3 against Kentucky (1-1 vs. Calipari, 0-2 vs. Billy G)

Stan Heath (2003-2007): 0-5 against Kentucky (all against Tubby)

Nolan Richardson (1992-2002): 7-12 against Kentucky (3-6 against Tubby, 4-6 against Pitino).  He was only 1-7 in SEC tournament meetings but 6-5 in the regular season.

Eddie Sutton (1978 Final Four): 0-1 against Kentucky (Hall)

Presley Askew (1950): 0-1 against Kentucky (Rupp)

Eugene Lambert (1945, 1948): 0-2 against Kentucky (Rupp)

UK's records in each round of the SEC tournament

(updated through 2017 tournament)

UK's overall record in the SEC tournament is 130-25.  They have 30 championships, plus another in 1988 that was vacated.

Here are their records by round:

FIRST ROUND (BEFORE QUARTERFINALS): 15-1 

(obviously, UK usually has gotten a bye when the tournament was set up that way)

QUARTERFINALS: 43-12

(UK's main stumbling block...they've fallen a number of times in their very first game of the tournament)

SEMIFINALS: 41-2

(incredible - the only losses were in 1936 and 2006)

FINALS: 31-10

(one championship was vacated)

UK's record against each school in the SEC tournament

(updated through 2017 tournament)

Kentucky is 130-25 in the SEC tournament, and have taken home 30 titles (the rest of the league has 27 combined).

Against each school (Georgia Tech and Tulane left long ago):

Mississippi: 15-0 (100%)
Georgia Tech: 5-0 (100%)

Texas A&M: 1-0 (100%)
Auburn: 13-1 (92.9%)
Georgia: 11-1 (90.9%)
Arkansas: 9-1 (90%)
Louisiana State: 16-2 (88.9%)
Alabama: 15-2 (88.2%)
Tulane: 6-1 (85.7%)
Mississippi State: 8-2 (80%)
Florida: 13-4 (76.5%)
Tennessee: 11-4 (73.3%)
South Carolina: 3-2 (60%)
Vanderbilt: 4-5 (44.4%)

Some thoughts, and additional facts:

1) I hate Vanderbilt.  They're like our SEC Tournament version of UConn.  Their only two titles (1951 and 2012) were both won at our expense, and they also defeated us in 1981, 1989 and 2013.  Our victories against them were in 1940, 1947, 1992 and 2003.  Really strange that we haven't met more frequently.

2) No surprise that we dominate Ole Miss and Auburn, just as we have in the regular season.

3) It is, however, a bit surprising that UK has a combined 24-3 record against Arkansas and LSU, two teams that have been very difficult opponents in the regular season.

4) We still haven't faced Missouri.

Detailed history of SEC men's basketball titles

The 2016-17 season is the 85th in SEC basketball history.  But while there have been 85 regular season titles (some shared), there have only been 58 conference tournaments - it wasn't held in 1935, nor from 1953 through 1978).

The Southeastern Conference originated during the 1932-33 season, and consisted of the following schools:

Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Kentucky
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Sewanee
Tennessee
Tulane
Vanderbilt

All thirteen of these teams had just made an exodus from the Southern Conference, which was a 23-team behemoth in 1931-1932.  Most of the other "SoCon" members at that time would go on to form the core of the ACC in 1953-54 (UNC, Duke, Maryland, Clemson,  Virginia etc.).

Schools leave the SEC...and others join...

1940: Sewanee leaves, reducing membership to 12.  It stayed that way for 24 seasons.

1964: Georgia Tech leaves, reducing memberships to 11.

...followed by Tulane in 1966, leaving 10 schools.

This was the list for 25 years:

Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

(these same 10 schools are original and current members)

The next change came in 1991-92, when Arkansas and South Carolina joined, bringing the SEC back to a total of 12.

And finally (for now), Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012, for the current 14-team configuration.

Scheduling inconsistency in the early days

The early days of the league were a bit strange, as far as regular season championships go.  The scheduling and methodology was uneven, to put it mildly.  Want examples?

1936: Kentucky won the league with 6 wins and 2 losses...a better percentage than Vandy (8-4) and Tennessee (9-4).

1938: Kentucky won at 6-0, a better percentage than Ole Miss (11-2). 

Or what about 1943?  Kentucky won at 8-1....Mississippi State played more than twice as many league games and finished 13-7...Florida was 0-6.  Things were all over the place.

1944 was clearly affected by the second World War, as a total of six league games were played and it seems silly to even crown a champion.

A dose of uniformity...but many changes to come

Things became much more sane during the 1950-51 season, with a 14-game league schedule for all teams.  

In 1952-53, it was a 13-game schedule, as Kentucky did not participate that season.

In 1953-54, it was back to 14 games for all schools...although it still wasn't necessary for teams to play ALL others in the league - as evidenced by both UK and LSU finishing 14-0.  

It seems that in the following year (1954-55), it became standard practice to face all 11 of the other league members.  From then through the departure of Georgia Tech in 1964, there were three teams that Kentucky faced twice in each league season: Tech, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.  A fairly difficult slate, really.

In 1964-65 (after Georgia Tech left), there were 11 teams, playing a 16-game schedule.  That year and the next, UK faced Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Vandy twice.  LSU, MSU, Ole Miss and Tulane once each.

In 1966-67 (after Tulane departed), there were 10 teams, playing an 18-game, "round robin" schedule.  Thus began the longest period of scheduling stability - all teams played every other team twice a year until 1991-92.  This was arguably the period during which the "truest" regular season champions were crowned.

When Arkansas and South Carolina joined in 1991-92 (the former from the now-defunct Southwest Conference, the latter from the Metro and previously the ACC and SoCon), things changed again.  The SEC split into two divisions:

East: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

West: Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi, MSU

Each team played its division-mates twice and the others once, for a total of 16 games.  This format remained until 2011-2012, when divisions ceased to exist in SEC basketball.

In 2012-2013, the schedule switched back to 18 games when Missouri and Texas A&M arrived.  As there are 13 opponents and 18 games, some are obviously faced only once each year.  This even includes traditional opponents - there have been years when UK played Tennessee or Vanderbilt only once.  Florida has been the only twice-annual opponent for Kentucky since the new arrangement began.

Regular season championships:

1) Kentucky - 48 (won 50 but vacated in 1988, on probation in 1991)

Outright: 36
Shared: 12
Also won tournament: 17 (plus one vacated)
Outright and won tournament: 13 (plus one vacated)

1933: 8-0 (also won tournament)
1935: 11-0 (shared with LSU)
1936: 6-2
1938: 6-0
1941: 8-1
1943: 8-1
1945: 4-1 (shared with Tennessee, also won tournament)
1946: 6-0 (shared with LSU, also won tournament)
1947: 11-0 (also won tournament)
1948: 9-0 (also won tournament)
1949: 13-0 (also won tournament)
1950: 11-2 (also won tournament)
1951: 14-0 
1952: 14-0 (also won tournament)
1954: 14-0 (shared with LSU)
1955: 12-2
1957: 12-2
1958: 12-2
1962: 13-1 (shared with MSU)
1964: 11-3
1966: 15-1
1968: 15-3
1969: 16-2
1970: 17-1
1971: 16-2
1972: 14-4 (shared with Tennessee)
1973: 14-4
1975: 15-3 (shared with Alabama)
1977: 16-2 (shared with Tennessee)
1978: 16-2
1980: 15-3
1982: 13-5 (shared with Tennessee)
1983: 13-5
1984: 14-4 (also won tournament)
1986: 17-1 (also won tournament)
1988: 13-5 (also won tournament)*** both vacated
1995: 14-2 (also won tournament)
1996: 16-0
1998: 14-2 (also won tournament)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, LSU, Tennessee)
2001: 12-4 (shared with Florida, also won tournament)
2003: 16-0 (also won tournament)
2005: 14-2
2010: 14-2 (also won tournament)
2012: 16-0
2015: 18-0 (also won tournament)
2016: 13-5 (shared with Texas A&M, also won tournament)
2017: 16-2 (also won tournament)

2) LSU - 11 

Outright: 6
Shared: 5
Also won tournament: 0

1935: 12-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1946: 8-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1953: 13-0
1954: 14-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1979: 14-4
1981: 17-1
1985: 13-5
1991: 13-5 (shared with Mississippi State)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee)
2006: 14-2
2009: 13-3

3) Alabama - 8

Outright: 6
Shared: 2
Also won tournament: 1
Outright and won tournament: 1

1939: 13-4
1940: 14-4
1956: 14-0
1974: 15-3 (shared with Vanderbilt)
1975: 15-3 (shared with Kentucky)
1976: 15-3
1987: 16-2 (also won tournament)
2002: 12-4

3) Tennessee - 8

Outright: 3
Shared: 5
Also won tournament: 0

1942: 7-1
1945: 8-2 (shared with Kentucky)
1967: 15-3
1972: 14-4 (shared with Kentucky)
1977: 16-2 (shared with Kentucky)
1982: 13-5 (shared with Kentucky)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, Kentucky, LSU)
2008: 14-2


5) Florida - 7

Outright: 5
Shared: 2
Also won tournament: 2
Outright, and won tournament: 2

1989: 13-5
2000: 12-4 (shared with Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee)
2001: 12-4 (shared with Kentucky)
2007: 13-3 (also won tournament)
2011: 13-3
2013: 14-4
2014: 18-0 (also won tournament)

6) Mississippi State - 6

Outright: 5
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1959: 13-1
1961: 11-3
1962: 13-1 (shared with Kentucky)
1963: 12-2
1991: 13-5
2004: 14-2

7) Vanderbilt - 3

Outright: 2
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1965: 15-1
1974: 15-3 (shared with Alabama)
1993: 14-2

8) Georgia Tech - 2

Outright: 1
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1937: 10-0
1944: 2-0 (shared with Tulane)

8) Auburn - 2

Outright: 2
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1960: 12-2
1999: 14-2

10) Arkansas - 2

Outright: 2
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1992: 13-3
1994: 14-2

11) Tulane - 1

Outright: 0
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1944: 4-0 (shared with Georgia Tech)

11) Georgia - 1

Outright: 1
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1990: 13-5

11) South Carolina - 1

Outright: 1
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1997: 15-1

11) Texas A&M - 1

Outright: 0
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

2016: 13-5 (shared with Kentucky)

Teams with no regular season titles: Ole Miss (since 1932), Sewanee (1932-1940), Missouri (2013-present)

Tournament championships:

1) Kentucky - 30 (won 31 but vacated in 1988)

1933 - also won regular season title
1937
1939
1940
1942
1944
1945 - also shared regular season title
1946 - also shared regular season title
1947 - also won regular season title
1948 - also won regular season title
1949 - also won regular season title
1950 - also won regular season title
1952 - also won regular season title
1984 - also won regular season title
1986 - also won regular season title
1988 - also won regular season title*** both vacated
1992
1993
1994
1995 - also won regular season title
1997
1998 - also won regular season title
1999
2001
2003 - also won regular season title
2004
2010 - also won regular season title
2011
2015 - also won regular season title
2016 - also shared regular season title
2017 - also won regular season title

2) Alabama - 6

1934
1982
1987 - also won regular season title
1989
1990
1991

3) Tennessee - 4

1936
1941
1943
1979

3) Florida - 4

2005
2006
2007 - also won regular season title
2014 - also won regular season title

5) Mississippi State - 3

1996
2002
2009

6) Ole Miss - 2

1981 - only finished 8-10 in the league
2013

7) Georgia - 2

1983 - only finished 9-9 in the league, but also made the Final Four
2008 - only finished 4-12 in the league

7) Vanderbilt - 2
1951
2012

9) Georgia Tech - 1

1938

9) LSU - 1

1980

9) Auburn - 1

1985 - only finished 8-10 in the league

9) Arkansas - 1

2000 - only finished 7-9 in the league


Teams with no tournament titles: Sewanee (1932-1940), Tulane (1932-1966), South Carolina (1992-present), Missouri (2013-present), Texas A&M (2013-present)

Total championships

1) Kentucky - 78

2) Alabama - 14

3) Tennessee and LSU - 12

5) Florida - 11

6) MSU - 9

7) Vanderbilt - 5

8) Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, Georgia Tech - 3

12) Ole Miss - 2

13) South Carolina, Texas A&M, Tulane - 1

16) Missouri, Sewanee - 0

Total "dual" titles (regular and tournament)

1) Kentucky - 18 (plus one vacated)

2) Florida - 2

3) Alabama - 1

Kentucky coaching records in SEC regular season home games

Kentucky's total record in SEC regular home games?



So, what's Kentucky's total record in SEC regular season games at Rupp Arena?

306-38 (89.0%)

In other words, they win more than 8 out of every 9 times.  What about by individual coach?

Calipari at Rupp: 66-3 (95.7%)
2010: 8-0
2011: 8-0
2012: 8-0
2013: 8-1
2014: 7-2
2015: 9-0
2016: 9-0
2017: 9-0

Billy G at Rupp: 12-4 (75%)
2008: 8-0
2009: 4-4

Tubby at Rupp: 67-12 (84.8%)
1998: 5-2 (also beat Alabama at Freedom Hall)
1999: 7-1
2000: 8-0
2001: 8-0
2002: 6-2
2003: 8-0
2004: 7-1
2005: 8-0
2006: 4-4
2007: 6-2

Pitino at Rupp: 60-4 (93.8%)
1990: 9-0
1991: 9-0
1992: 7-1
1993: 8-0
1994: 6-1 (also beat Ole Miss at Freedom Hall)
1995: 7-1
1996: 8-0
1997: 6-1 (also beat Vandy at Riverfront Coliseum)

Sutton at Rupp: 28-7 (80%)
1986: 9-0
1987: 6-2 (also beat Georgia at Freedom Hall)
1988: 7-2
1989: 6-3


Hall at Rupp: 73-8 (90.1%)
1977: 8-1
1978: 9-0
1979: 7-2
1980: 7-2
1981: 9-0
1982: 9-0 (but lost at Rupp in SEC tourn.)
1983: 8-1
1984: 9-0
1985: 7-2

Hall at Memorial: 31-5 (86.1%)
1973: 8-1
1974: 6-3
1975: 9-0
1976: 8-1

Hall's career total: 104-13 (88.9%)

Rupp at Memorial:
1951: 7-0 (also beat Ole Miss in Owensboro)
1952: 7-0 (also beat Georgia in Louisville)
1953: N/A
1954: 7-0 (also beat Georgia Tech in Louisville, Georgia in Owensboro)
1955: 7-1 (also beat LSU in Memorial in December '54...unclear whether this was an SEC game or not)
1956: 7-0 (also beat Georgia in Louisville)
1957: 7-0
1958: 7-0
1959: 7-0
1960: 5-2
1961: 7-0
1962: 6-1
1963: 4-3
1964: 7-0
1965: 7-1
1966: 8-0
1967: 5-3
1968: 8-0
1969: 9-0
1970: 9-0
1971: 9-0
1972: 9-0

Not only does Calipari have the best mark of any UK coach at Rupp Arena...it's even better than Adolph Rupp's home SEC record at Memorial Coliseum (150-12, 92.6%) and only a little bit behind Rupp's home SEC record at Alumni Gym (an absurd 71-2, 97.3%).

Rupp's overall home SEC record was 221-14 (94%).

The longest home winning streaks in college basketball history (and UK history)

(updated through 3/3/17)

Kentucky is the winningest program in college basketball history, and have been immensely successful at home.  Now and then, you'll hear about a school like Kansas racking up another long home streak.  But no one ever comes close to UK's all-time NCAA record of 129 home wins in a row.

On January 2nd, 1943, UK lost in Alumni Gym to Ohio State.  They went on to play 84 more home games at Alumni, the last in February, 1950.  ALL were wins.

Then they moved into Memorial Coliseum, and the streak continued.  45 MORE wins, for a total of 129.  They didn't lose until January 8th, 1955, against conference foe (at that time) Georgia Tech.  And it was a narrow 1-point defeat!

That's right.  Twelve years and six days without a home loss.  It's unlikely to ever be topped.

Longest home winning streaks in NCAA history:

1) Kentucky - 129 games (1943-1955, ended by Georgia Tech)

2) St. Bonaventure - 99 games (1948-61, ended by Niagara).  

3) UCLA won 98 straight at home during their prime (1970-76, ended by Oregon).  That is the most recent streak of 80+ games.

4) Cincinnati won 84 in a row at home, also during their heyday (1957-64, ended by Kansas).

5) (tie) Both Arizona (1945-51) and Marquette (1967-73) won 81 in a row at home.

Notes on other prominent schools:

- Kansas' longest streak at Allen Fieldhouse is 69 games (2007-11). 

- Duke's longest at Cameron Indoor is 46 (1997-2000), but they currently hold a 132-game winning streak in home non-conference games.  Most of those have come against garbage opponents, but I'll begrudgingly grant that it's a very impressive mark.

- Indiana's longest streak at Assembly Hall is 50 games.

Here are the longest home streaks in Kentucky history...

1) 129 games
Coach: Adolph Rupp
Venues: Alumni Gym (84 games) and Memorial Coliseum (45 games)
Loss that preceded it: 1/2/1943 vs. Ohio State
First win: 1/4/1943 vs. Fort Knox
Last win: 12/30/1954 vs. St. Louis
Loss that ended it: 1/8/1955 vs. Georgia Tech (59-58)
Highlights during the streak: Where to start?  This era was when UK basketball truly arrived on the scene.  Championships in 1948, 1949 and 1951.  Elite Eights in 1945 and 1952.  
Victories over blue bloods: North Carolina (1950), Kansas (1950), UCLA (1951), Duke (1953)

2) 54 games
Coach: John Calipari
Venue: Rupp Arena
Loss that preceded it: 3/4/2009 vs. Georgia (Senior Day)
First win: 11/13/2009 vs. Morehead State
Last win: 11/23/2012 vs. Long Island
Loss that ended it: 12/1/2012 vs. Baylor (64-55)
Highlights during the streak: 2012 National Champions, 2010 and 2011 Final Fours.  First college program to reach 2000 wins (vs. Drexel 12/21/09)
Victories over blue bloods: North Carolina (2009), Indiana (2010), North Carolina (2011)

3) 42 games
Coach: John Calipari
Venue: Rupp Arena
Loss that preceded it: 2/27/2014 vs. Arkansas
First win: 3/4/2014 vs. Alabama (Senior Day)
Last win: 11/25/2016 vs. Tennessee-Martin
Loss that ended it: 12/3/2016 vs. UCLA (97-92)
Highlights during the streak: 2014 Final Four, the near-undefeated 2015 season
Victories over blue bloods: North Carolina (2014)

4) 40 games (regular season, official home games only - 30 if you count tournament games)
Coach: Joe B. Hall
Venue: Rupp Arena
Loss that preceded it: 1/28/1980 vs. LSU
First win: 2/2/1980 vs. Tennessee
Last win: 1/5/1983 vs. LSU
Loss that ended it: 1/15/1983 vs. Auburn (75-67)
Important note about this streak: UK lost not once but TWICE at Rupp during this streak, but the losses were a 1980 NCAA Tournament game against Duke and the 1982 SEC Tournament Championship game against Alabama.  If you count those as home losses (which they weren't, officially), then the longest part of the streak was actually 30 games (between the Duke and Alabama games).

5) 39 games
Coach: Adolph Rupp
Venue: Alumni Gym
Loss that preceded it: 1/2/1933 vs. Ohio State
First win: 1/10/1933 vs. South Carolina
Last win: 2/21/1936 vs. Creighton
Loss that ended it: 2/22/1936 vs. Creighton (31-29, the day after beating the same team by 30 points)
Note about this streak: it began in the first season of Southeastern Conference play, at a time when Sewanee, Tulane and Georgia Tech were in the SEC

6) 30 games (regular season, official home games only - 33 if you count tournament games)
Coach: Rick Pitino
Venue: Rupp Arena
Loss that preceded it: 1/25/1992 vs. Arkansas
First win: 1/29/1992 vs. Ole Miss
Last win: 2/2/1994 vs. Alabama
Loss that ended it: 2/9/1994 vs. Arkansas (90-82)
Highlights during the streak: 1992 Elite Eight run by the Unforgettables, 1993 Final Four
Important note about this streak: UK also won the 1993 SEC Tournament at Rupp, which would add 3 games to the "Rupp streak" but not the "home streak."

What about Kentucky's home SEC streaks?

1) 69 games (1939-55) under Rupp - ended against Georgia Tech

2) 49 games (1967-73) under Rupp and Hall - ended against Vanderbilt

3) 33 games (1955-60) under Rupp - ended against Georgia Tech

4) 28 games (2014-present) under Calipari

5) 24 games (2010-13) under Calipari - ended against Texas A&M

6) (tie) 22 games (1980-82) under Hall, 22 games (1989-92) under Sutton and Pitino, 22 games (1999-2002) under Tubby

And finally, UK's non-conference home streaks?

1) 78 games (1943-55) under Rupp - ended against Georgia Tech

2) 39 games (1991-97) under Pitino - ended against Louisville

3) 36 games (2012-16) under Calipari - ended against UCLA

4) 34 games (2008-12) under Gillispie and Calipari - ended against Baylor

5) 29 games (1979-84) under Hall - ended against Southern Methodist

More 3-point history for UK basketball

One might argue that it all started with "Pitino's Bombinos."  Rick's early teams were obsessed with shooting beyond the arc.  And while UK's use of long-range shots has waxed and waned over the years, it has certainly remained a fixture in Big Blue culture.  We love the three.  So it's unsurprising that the 'Cats would manage to leave another scratch in the record books by becoming the first team to hit a three in 1000 consecutive games.  Truth be told, UNLV's streak started earlier.  But once UK got going (and kept having successful seasons which allowed for more games played), they eventually passed everyone else.

How about some UK 3-point history?

PLAYERS

Most threes in a career:
TONY DELK - 283
KEITH BOGANS - 254
TAYSHAUN PRINCE - 204

Most threes in a season:
JODIE MEEKS (08-09) - 117
JAMAL MURRAY (15-16) - 113
TRAVIS FORD (92-93) - 101
(Malik Monk could make this list)

Most threes in a game:
JODIE MEEKS (1/13/09 at Tennesee) - 10
TONY DELK (1/20/96 vs. TCU) - 9
JODIE MEEKS (12/20/08 vs. Appalachian State) - 9
(we all remember Delk's 7 makes against Syracuse in '96)

Best 3P% (at least 100 made) in a career:
DORON LAMB - 47.5%
TRAVIS FORD - 44.5%
JAMAL MURRAY - 40.8%
(both Malik Monk and Derek Willis could make this list)

Best 3P% (at least 50 made) in a season:
TRAVIS FORD (92-93) - 52.9%
DORON LAMB (10-11) - 48.6%
DORON LAMB (11-12) - 46.6%
(Cameron Mills made 53.2% in a season but only made 42 shots)

TEAMS

Most threes made in a season:
1992-93: 340
1991-92: 317
1993-94: 301
1996-97: 287
2010-11: 281
1989-90: 281
1994-95: 276
1995-96: 266
2005-06: 265
1997-98: 250

Best 3P% in a season:
2010-11: 39.7%
1995-96: 39.7%
1992-93: 39.4%
2011-12: 37.8%
1994-95: 37.5%
1986-87: 37.2%
2007-08: 36.9%
1996-97: 36.9%
1997-98: 36.7%
2015-16: 36.6%

GAMES / MOMENTS

There are too many to count, but here are some that stand out for me, in chronological order.

4/1/96: Tony Delk falling into his own bench and getting mobbed by his teammates after being fouled on his SEVENTH made three of the National Championship game against Syracuse, about midway through the second half.

3/22/98: Cameron Mills made his only three of the game a big one, putting UK in the lead after trailing Duke by 17 midway through the second half.  This was Elite 8 revenge for the Cats.

12/8/01: Tayshaun Prince scored the first 15 points of the game for Kentucky on 5 consecutive threes, the last just BARELY inside the UK logo at midcourt, to send a message to North Carolina.  He ended up with 31 points and 7 made threes in a 20-point blowout.

3/27/05: Patrick Sparks made a frantic, buzzer-beating three against Michigan State to force overtime in a classic Elite 8 game.  Not only did the shot barely fall in after hanging on the rim forever, but it had to be reviewed for several minutes because it was unclear whether Sparks was behind the line.  It's sad that this memorable shot didn't lead to victory.  UK wasted opportunities in the first OT and then ran out of gas in the second.

1/13/09: In a forgettable season, Jodie Meeks saving the day at Tennessee with a MAMMOTH 54-point performance, including 10 threes, will never be forgotten.

3/30/14: Aaron Harrison made a three with 2.3 seconds left to beat Michigan and send 8-seed Kentucky to the Final Four.  Then...

4/5/14: Aaron Harrison does it AGAIN.  He hits one with 5.7 seconds left, bringing UK from down 2 to up 1, defeating Wisconsin and sending them to the National Championship game.  We won't talk about what happened there.

12/18/16: In an early-season heavyweight showdown, another UK star victimized UNC.  This time it was freshman Malik Monk, scoring 47 and hitting 8 of 12 threes, including one to tie with 1:15 left and another to go ahead with 0:17 left.  Wow.  Final score: 103-100.