The top regular season win totals in UK history:
1) 31-0 (2015)
2) 30-1 (2012)
3) 29-2 (2010)
4) 27-2 (1948)
4) 27-4 (1997)
6) 26-1 (1996)
6) 26-3 (2003)
6) 26-3 (1986)
9) 25-0 (1954)
9) 25-1 (1949)
9) 25-1 (1970)
9) 25-2 (1978)
They aren't the first in NCAA Division I history to accomplish the 31-0 regular season mark, however. That would be Wichita State, last year, which went 31-0 and finished 35-1 after falling to our Wildcats in the second round.
Examples I've found of 30+ win regular seasons:
1987 UNLV (30-1)
1998 Kansas (30-3)
2008 Memphis (30-1) (now vacated)
2014 Wichita State (31-0)
Most teams in the past played fewer regular season games. So even the following teams that went undefeated didn't reach 31-0.
29-0 teams: 1975 Indiana, 1979 Indiana State
28-0 teams: 1968 Houston, 1976 Rutgers
27-0 teams: 1979 Alcorn State, 1991 UNLV, 2004 St. Joseph's
I will add to these lists as I research this further. You'd be surprised by how inconsistent/inaccurate various sources can be.
Showing posts with label kansas jayhawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kansas jayhawks. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Is it bad to enter the NCAA tournament on a long winning streak? Yes.
(updated through 2016 tournament)
In the 32 NCAA tournaments of the six-round era, which began in 1985:
- 16 champions (50%) lost their final pre-tournament game, including the last 3 in a row
- 26 champions (81%) entered with a winning streak of five or fewer games
The only exceptions:
1986 Louisville - won 11 entering tournament, 17 in a row overall
1992 Duke - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
1995 UCLA - won 20 entering tournament, 26 overall
1998 Kentucky - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
2008 Kansas - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
2013 Louisville - won 10 entering tournament, 16 overall
The longest single-season winning streak to fall during a tournament?
2015 Kentucky - 38 in a row
In the earlier years of the NCAA tournament (pre-1985), an era of significantly less parity, long winning streaks were much more common among champions:
1941 Wisconsin - won 14 in a row to end the season
1943 Wyoming - won 29 in a row to end the season
1948 Kentucky - won 16 in a row to end the season
1955 San Francisco - won 25 in a row to end the season
1956 San Francisco - went undefeated, 29-0 (so this was a 54-game streak overall)
1957 UNC - went undefeated, 32-0
1961 Cincinnati - won 22 in a row to end the season
1962 Cincinnati - won 18 in a row to end the season
1964 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0
1965 UCLA - won 15 in a row to end the season
1967 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 45-game streak overall)
1968 UCLA - won 16 in a row to end the season
1971 UCLA - won 15 in a row to end the season
1972 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 45-game streak overall)
1973 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 75-game streak overall)
1974 NC State - won 28 in a row to end the season
1976 IU - went undefeated, 32-0
1978 UK - won 13 in a row to end the season
1982 UNC - won 16 in a row to end the season
1984 Georgetown - won 12 in a row to end the season
So the answer to the question posed in the post title would, statistically, be yes. It's been rare for teams to keep momentum all the way through March and April, especially since the tournament expanded to six rounds.
In the 32 NCAA tournaments of the six-round era, which began in 1985:
- 16 champions (50%) lost their final pre-tournament game, including the last 3 in a row
- 26 champions (81%) entered with a winning streak of five or fewer games
The only exceptions:
1986 Louisville - won 11 entering tournament, 17 in a row overall
1992 Duke - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
1995 UCLA - won 20 entering tournament, 26 overall
1998 Kentucky - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
2008 Kansas - won 7 entering tournament, 13 overall
2013 Louisville - won 10 entering tournament, 16 overall
The longest single-season winning streak to fall during a tournament?
2015 Kentucky - 38 in a row
In the earlier years of the NCAA tournament (pre-1985), an era of significantly less parity, long winning streaks were much more common among champions:
1941 Wisconsin - won 14 in a row to end the season
1943 Wyoming - won 29 in a row to end the season
1948 Kentucky - won 16 in a row to end the season
1955 San Francisco - won 25 in a row to end the season
1956 San Francisco - went undefeated, 29-0 (so this was a 54-game streak overall)
1957 UNC - went undefeated, 32-0
1961 Cincinnati - won 22 in a row to end the season
1962 Cincinnati - won 18 in a row to end the season
1964 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0
1965 UCLA - won 15 in a row to end the season
1967 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 45-game streak overall)
1968 UCLA - won 16 in a row to end the season
1971 UCLA - won 15 in a row to end the season
1972 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 45-game streak overall)
1973 UCLA - went undefeated, 30-0 (so this was a 75-game streak overall)
1974 NC State - won 28 in a row to end the season
1976 IU - went undefeated, 32-0
1978 UK - won 13 in a row to end the season
1982 UNC - won 16 in a row to end the season
1984 Georgetown - won 12 in a row to end the season
So the answer to the question posed in the post title would, statistically, be yes. It's been rare for teams to keep momentum all the way through March and April, especially since the tournament expanded to six rounds.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Helms Titles for North Carolina? Kansas? UK?
(updated through 2016)
If you want more information on the Helms Foundation, the easiest place to start for a simple explanation is the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms_Athletic_Foundation
To briefly summarize, a bunch of people got together in 1936 and decided to retroactively award national titles to basketball and football teams, back to 1901 and 1883 respectively. They then continued to award titles until they dissolved in 1982, in spite of the fact that the NCAA was already doing so in a more official capacity beginning in 1939.
The main reason it's a big deal is because Kansas and North Carolina actually like to get ahead by claiming their Helms titles. Kentucky, meanwhile, was also awarded a couple Helms titles but only claims its official NCAA banners.
Here are a couple lists I compiled, showing that UK would be perfectly happy to count Helms (but they don't bother)...
Official NCAA list:
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 8
3) UNC - 5
3) IU - 5
3) DUKE - 5
6) UCONN - 4
7) KU - 3
7) UofL - 3
With Helms titles added (and years added in parentheses):
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 10 (1933, 1954)
3) UNC - 6 (1924)
4) KU - 5 (1922, 1923)
4) IU - 5
4) DUKE - 5
7) UCONN - 4
7) WISCONSIN - 4 (1912, 1914, 1916)
9) LOUISVILLE - 3
9) SYRACUSE - 3 (1918, 1926)
9) COLUMBIA - 3 (1904, 1905, 1910)
9) CHICAGO - 3 (1907, 1908, 1909)
The biggest beneficiaries would be Wisconsin, Syracuse, Columbia and Chicago, which otherwise receive no major attention as top historical basketball programs. Of course Kansas would also jump a couple rungs on the ladder of blue bloods, and UNC would break its tie with IU and Duke.
If you want more information on the Helms Foundation, the easiest place to start for a simple explanation is the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms_Athletic_Foundation
To briefly summarize, a bunch of people got together in 1936 and decided to retroactively award national titles to basketball and football teams, back to 1901 and 1883 respectively. They then continued to award titles until they dissolved in 1982, in spite of the fact that the NCAA was already doing so in a more official capacity beginning in 1939.
The main reason it's a big deal is because Kansas and North Carolina actually like to get ahead by claiming their Helms titles. Kentucky, meanwhile, was also awarded a couple Helms titles but only claims its official NCAA banners.
Here are a couple lists I compiled, showing that UK would be perfectly happy to count Helms (but they don't bother)...
Official NCAA list:
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 8
3) UNC - 5
3) IU - 5
3) DUKE - 5
6) UCONN - 4
7) KU - 3
7) UofL - 3
With Helms titles added (and years added in parentheses):
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 10 (1933, 1954)
3) UNC - 6 (1924)
4) KU - 5 (1922, 1923)
4) IU - 5
4) DUKE - 5
7) UCONN - 4
7) WISCONSIN - 4 (1912, 1914, 1916)
9) LOUISVILLE - 3
9) SYRACUSE - 3 (1918, 1926)
9) COLUMBIA - 3 (1904, 1905, 1910)
9) CHICAGO - 3 (1907, 1908, 1909)
The biggest beneficiaries would be Wisconsin, Syracuse, Columbia and Chicago, which otherwise receive no major attention as top historical basketball programs. Of course Kansas would also jump a couple rungs on the ladder of blue bloods, and UNC would break its tie with IU and Duke.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Most impressive regular season run at the top since...?
Being #1 obviously puts a target on your back, and this UK team has withstood the pressure unlike many in recent seasons. This week, UK will remain #1 for the 7th consecutive AP poll.
Over the last few years, a number of teams have put together equal or better streaks:
2005-06 Duke = preseason #1, plus 10 additional weeks
2007-08 UNC = preseason #1, plus 10 additional weeks
2008-09 UNC = preseason #1, plus 7 additional weeks
2009-10 KU = preseason #1, plus 8 additional weeks
2010-11 Duke = preseason #1, plus 9 additional weeks
The obvious caveat here: all of the above streaks began at the season's outset, when it's arguably easier to retain the #1 ranking against an often-shoddy non-conference schedule. Sure you might be tested in an early-season tournament or in-state rivalry game, but you won't be challenged as consistently as you are during the conference schedule.
Therefore, I think you have to go back to 2004-05 to find a run at the top more striking than this Kentucky team. That year's Illinois team stayed at #1 for a remarkable 15 weeks through the heart of the season, before going on to lose in the national title game.
Over the last few years, a number of teams have put together equal or better streaks:
2005-06 Duke = preseason #1, plus 10 additional weeks
2007-08 UNC = preseason #1, plus 10 additional weeks
2008-09 UNC = preseason #1, plus 7 additional weeks
2009-10 KU = preseason #1, plus 8 additional weeks
2010-11 Duke = preseason #1, plus 9 additional weeks
The obvious caveat here: all of the above streaks began at the season's outset, when it's arguably easier to retain the #1 ranking against an often-shoddy non-conference schedule. Sure you might be tested in an early-season tournament or in-state rivalry game, but you won't be challenged as consistently as you are during the conference schedule.
Therefore, I think you have to go back to 2004-05 to find a run at the top more striking than this Kentucky team. That year's Illinois team stayed at #1 for a remarkable 15 weeks through the heart of the season, before going on to lose in the national title game.
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