UK's history in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8

(updated 3/30/15)

SWEET 16

Including the 2015 tournament, UK has been among the final 16 teams competing for an NCAA title 45 times.  They've actually only played 41 games in the round of 16 - because in the four 1940s tournaments they played in, they were already in the Elite 8 just by being invited.  The tournament expanded to 16 in 1951, and of course continued to expand as the years went by. 


In the seeded era (37 tournaments through 2015), Kentucky has participated in 31 tournaments, and reached the Round of 16 a total of 21 times (67% of the time).  In 1980, 1983 and 1984, this required only 1 win.  The other 19, since 1985, all required two wins because the tournament expanded to 6 rounds that year.

*note: they actually made it to 22 Sweet 16s during this era, but were stripped of their two tournament wins in 1988

In the seeded era of the Sweet 16, Kentucky has a record of 17-4 (81%).  In the entire history of the tournament, their record in the round of 16 is 32-9 (78%).

Wins in seeded era: Indiana (83), Louisville (84), Alabama (86), UMass (92), Wake Forest (93), Arizona State (95), Utah (96), St. Joseph's (97), UCLA (98), Miami OH (99), Wisconsin (03), Utah (05), Cornell (10), Ohio State (11), Indiana (12), Louisville (14), West Virginia (15)

Losses in seeded era: Duke (80), St. John's (85), Villanova (88), USC (01), Maryland (02)

Note: 1988 loss to Villanova was voided by probation.

Wins before seeded era: Louisville (51), Penn State (52), Wayne State (56), Pittsburgh (57), Miami OH (58), Morehead (61), Butler (62), Dayton (66), Marquette (68), Notre Dame (70), Marquette (72), Austin Peay (73), Central Michigan (75), VMI (77), Miami OH (78)

Losses before seeded era: Marquette (55), Louisville (59), Ohio (64), Marquette (69), Western Kentucky (71)

Playing as a #1 seed in the round of 16, Kentucky has a record of 10-1 (91%).  Their only loss came in 1980 to the 4 seed Duke.  Most of the time, they've faced a 5-seed, and are a perfect 6-0 against those as a #1 in the Sweet 16.  

Wins: #5 Louisville (84), #5 Alabama (86), #5 Wake Forest (93), #5 Arizona State (95), #4 Utah (96), #4 St. Joseph's (97), #5 Wisconsin (03), #12 Cornell (10), #4 Indiana (12), #5 West Virginia (15)

Losses: #4 Duke (80)

ELITE EIGHT

Unfortunately, in both the modern (seeded) era of the tournament and in the earlier years, UK has always struggled in the Round of 8 more than any other round - the main reason why, in spite of their superior success in so many other statistical categories, they lag slightly behind UCLA (17) and UNC (18) in Final Four appearances.  UK has 16, and all three schools are still in the running in 2015.

The Wildcats are only 9-8 in the seeded era (53%), and 17-19 all-time (47%) in Elite 8 games.

Wins in the seeded era: Illinois (84), Florida State (93), Wake Forest (96), Utah (97), Duke (98), UNC (11), Baylor (12), Michigan (14), Notre Dame (15)

Losses in the seeded era: Louisville (83), LSU (86), Duke (92), UNC (95), Michigan State (99), Michigan State (05), Marquette (03), West Virginia (10)

Wins before seeded era: Illinois (42), Columbia (48), Villanova (49), St. John's (51), Notre Dame (58), Michigan (66), Indiana (75), Michigan State (78)

Losses before seeded era: Ohio State (45), St. John's (52), Iowa (56), Michigan State (57), Ohio State (61), Ohio State (62), Ohio State (68), Jacksonville (70), Florida State (72), Indiana (73), UNC (77), 

Important note: in the earliest years (before 1951), there were only 8 teams involved, so the regional final was actually part of the final 4.  There were only two "regions" instead of 4.  


As a #1 seed in the modern Elite 8, UK is a more respectable 7-4 (64%).  

Wins: #2 Illinois (84), #3 FSU (93), #2 Wake Forest (96), #2 Utah (97), #2 UNC (11), #3 Baylor (12), #3 Notre Dame (15)

Losses: #11 LSU (86), #2 UNC (95), #3 Marquette (03), #2 West Virginia (10)

Among other websites consulted, one of my main sources for this and many other posts is the peerless UK resource (and probably the best site of its kind for any sports team) known as "The Kentucky Basketball Statistics Project" operated by Jon Scott.  Available at http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/statistics.html