Is this the craziest opening weekend ever? Is the South the craziest region ever? Would UK's path be the easiest ever?

QUESTION 1 - The 2018 NCAA Tournament has been madness, even by March standards.  But is it the craziest opening weekend ever?  I took a look at every bracket since 1985 (when it expanded to 64 teams) and compared.

This year, a total of 9 of the 16 top-4 seeds have lost.
1 Virginia
1 Xavier
2 Cincinnati
2 UNC
3 Tennessee
3 Michigan State
4 Arizona
4 Wichita State
4 Auburn

But it isn't the first time.  9 top-4 seeds also went down in:
1986
1990
2000 (including two #1 seeds, like this year)

And 8 of them went down in:
1987
1999
2005
2010

However, given the fact that the number 1 OVERALL seed lost this year (and in the first round, to a 16), I'll give this year the nod as the new craziest opening weekend.

* * * * *

QUESTION 2 - Is the 2018 South Region Dumpster Fire the most absurd bracket quadrant ever?

If you add up the total seed numbers remaining, here is the list of craziest Sweet 16 regions:

34 (1+10+11+12) in 2011 Southwest Region) - #11 VCU advanced to the Final Four by playing a 10 and 1 seed, but lost in a national semifinal.

34 (1+7+12+14 in 1986 East Region) - #1 Duke advanced to the Final Four by playing a 12 and 7 seed, but lost in the title game.

32 (5+7+9+11 in 2018 South Region) - Results to be determined.

31 (1+7+11+12 in 2001 South Region) - #1 Michigan State advanced to the Final Four by playing a 12 and 11 seed, but lost in a national semifinal game.

31 (1+7+11+12 in 1990 West Region) - #1 UNLV advanced to the Final Four by playing a 12 and 11 seed, and then won the tournament.

30 (2+6+9+13 in 2013 West Region) - #9 Wichita State advanced to the Final Four by playing a 13 and 2 seed, but lost in a national semifinal game.

This year's South doesn't have the highest total...but there are two HUGE things in its favor in this argument:

- lack of ANY top 4 seeds (which has never happened before) 

- UMBC over Virginia, obviously

So, yes, I would say this is the craziest region ever (so far).  It's a shame UMBC couldn't take down Kansas State to really cement this year in history, but I think we'll always remember the 2018 South.  Bring on Atlanta!

* * * * *

QUESTION 3 - Would UK's path to a Final Four be the easiest ever? 

In the region seed total list above, you can see a few of the unexpectedly "easy" paths faced by certain regional winners in past years.  

Here is the all-time list (since 1985) of worst seed totals faced to reach the Final Four (eventual champions in red):

1991 #1 UNC - 47 (16, 9, 12, 10)

1990 #1 UNLV - 47 (16, 8, 12, 11)

2008 #1 Kansas - 46 (16, 8, 12, 10)

1993 #1 Michigan - 44 (16, 9, 12, 7)

1999 #1 Duke - 43 (16, 9, 12, 6)

1990 #4 Arkansas - 43 (13, 12, 8, 10)

1986 #1 Duke - 43 (16, 8, 12, 7)

1999 #1 Michigan State - 41 (16, 9, 13, 3)

2014 #1 Florida - 40 (16, 9, 4, 11)

2008 #1 UCLA - 40 (16, 9, 12, 3)

2005 #1 Illinois - 40 (16, 9, 12, 3)

1999 #1 UConn - 40 (16, 9, 5, 10)

1994 #1 Arkansas - 40 (16, 9, 12, 3)

2017 #1 Gonzaga - 39 (16, 8, 4, 11)

1987 #1 Indiana - 39 (16, 8, 5, 10)

1987 #1 UNLV - 39 (16, 9, 12, 2)

2013 #1 Louisville - 38 (16, 8, 12, 2)

2015 #2 Kansas - 37 (15, 10, 11, 1)

2010 #2 WVU - 37 (15, 10, 11, 1)

2016 #1 UNC - 36 (16, 9, 5, 6)

2002 #5 Indiana - 36 (12, 13, 1, 10)

2001 #3 Maryland - 36 (14, 11, 10, 1)

1997 #1 UNC - 36 (16, 9, 5, 6)

1997 #4 Arizona - 36 (13, 12, 1, 10)

(note: the lowest possible totals for each seed are 30 for a 1 seed, 26 for a 2 seed, 23 for a 3 seed, 21 for a 4 seed, 19 for a 5 seed, 17 for a 6 seed, 16 for a 7 seed, 16 for an 8 seed, 15 for a 9 seed, 13 for a 10 seed, 12 for an 11 seed, 12 for a 12 seed, 12 for a 13 seed, 12 for a 14 seed, 13 for a 15 seed, and 15 for a 16 seed).

If Kentucky makes the Final Four, it will have faced either:

12+13+9+7 = 41 (tied for 8th easiest path ever)

or

12+13+9+11 = 45 (4th easiest path ever)

So, it would be high on the list (not #1)...but with UNC appearing three times, Duke twice, Kansas twice, Indiana twice, UNLV twice, and Arkansas twice on the list above (zero appearances for UK - its highest/easiest total for any of its eight Final Fours in the era was 32), it's about time UK got some of that luck.  

Check out the chalk-lined roads they've faced to hang these eight Final Four banners since 1985:

1993 #1 UK = 32 (lowest possible = 30)

1996 #1 UK = 31 (lowest possible = 30)

1997 #1 UK = 30 (lowest possible = 30)

1998 #2 UK = 32 (lowest possible = 26)

2011 #4 UK = 21 (lowest possible = 21)

2012 #1 UK = 31 (lowest possible = 30)

2014 #8 UK = 16 (lowest possible = 16)

2015 #1 UK = 32 (lowest possible = 30)

Even in 1998, UK just faced a 10 (instead of a 7) and a 6 (instead of a 3) to account for the difference.

So, in summary...my answers to the questions posed are yes, yes and no.

* * * * *

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.