As all UK fans know, the Wildcats dominate in virtually every way (other than total titles...a distinction belonging to UCLA only because of one Sam Gilbert...but that's none of my business).
Let's check out some AP poll statistics, shall we? This poll didn't begin until 1949, so it eliminates a few of UK's best seasons (1945-48).
Most weeks at #1:
1) UCLA - 134
2) DUKE - 129
3) KENTUCKY - 124
4) NORTH CAROLINA - 110
5) KANSAS - 63
6) INDIANA - 54
7) CINCINNATI - 45
8) ARIZONA - 37
8) OHIO STATE - 37
10) UNLV - 32
Most weeks in top 5:
1) KENTUCKY - 453
2) NORTH CAROLINA - 426
3) DUKE - 381
4) KANSAS - 333
5) UCLA - 308
6) INDIANA - 179
7) ARIZONA - 143
8) OHIO STATE - 142
9) CINCINNATI - 126
10) LOUISVILLE - 125
Most weeks in top 10:
1) KENTUCKY - 674
2) NORTH CAROLINA - 654
3) DUKE - 636
4) KANSAS - 520
5) UCLA - 455
6) ARIZONA - 288
7) INDIANA - 282
8) LOUISVILLE - 281
9) SYRACUSE - 255
10) OHIO STATE - 225
10) ILLINOIS - 225
Most appearances in the AP Poll:
1) NORTH CAROLINA - 871
2) KENTUCKY - 856
3) DUKE - 767
4) KANSAS - 720
5) UCLA - 682
6) LOUISVILLE - 616
7) INDIANA - 554
8) SYRACUSE - 547
9) ARIZONA - 513
10) ILLINOIS - 445
If you weight each of these evenly...
1) KENTUCKY - 37 points
2) NORTH CAROLINA - 35 points
3) DUKE - 33 points
4) UCLA - 28 points
5) KANSAS - 27 points
6) INDIANA - 18 points
7) ARIZONA - 14 points
8) LOUISVILLE - 9 points
9) OHIO STATE - 7 points
10) CINCINNATI - 6 points
Showing posts with label ncaa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ncaa. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2017
Sunday, January 22, 2017
All the 30-win seasons in Kentucky basketball history
Kentucky has the most wins in college basketball history. So it should come as no surprise that a number of individual teams have racked up quite a few victories in specific seasons - 30 or more, to be specific. There have been 14 seasons with 30+ wins in Kentucky history. How does that compare to other schools?
Duke (14): 1986, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
Kansas (13): 1986, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
North Carolina (12): 1946, 1957, 1982, 1987, 1993, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016
UConn (9): 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014
UCLA (8): 1964, 1967, 1972, 1973, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008
Louisville (8): 1980, 1983, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
Syracuse (6): 1987, 1989, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013
Arizona (6): 1988, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015
Arkansas (5): 1978, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995
Oklahoma (5): 1985, 1988, 1989, 2002, 2009
Indiana (4): 1975, 1976, 1987, 1993
Georgetown (4): 1982, 1984, 1985, 2007
Wisconsin (4): 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015
Virginia (3): 1982, 2014, 2015
Michigan (3): 1989, 1993, 2013
Michigan State (3): 1999, 2000, 2009
Florida (3): 2006, 2007, 2014
Villanova (3): 2009, 2015, 2016
Wichita State (3): 2013, 2014, 2015
As you can see, many of these lists are "backloaded." Because teams like Duke (under Coach K), Kansas (under Bill Self) and UConn (under Jim Calhoun) have succeeded in an era when more games are played, they have piled up 30-win seasons.
One important note before we get to the UK list: a few of the best teams in UK history simply didn't play enough games to have a reasonable shot at topping the 30 mark. Teams like 1946 (28-2), 1950 (25-5), 1954 (25-0), 1955 (23-3), 1958 (23-6), 1959 (24-3), 1962 (23-3), 1966 (27-2), 1968 (22-5), 1969 (23-5), 1970 (26-2), 1975 (26-5), 1977 (26-4) stand out as examples. A big reason for the gap between 1951 and 1978 is that no SEC Tournament was held from 1952 through 1978. This eliminated as many as 4 additional games from the slate.
Which teams barely fell short? 1952, 1980, 1984, 1992, 2011 and 2014 were all 29-win seasons.
Here are the 14 Kentucky teams that have achieved this remarkable feat so far:
1946-1947: 34-3 28-2 in regular season (lost to Oklahoma A&M in Sugar Bowl, lost at DePaul). Won SEC regular season (11-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Tulane. Lost NIT Championship to Utah.
1947-1948: 36-3 (including 2-1 in Olympic Trials). 27-2 in regular season (lost at Temple and Notre Dame). Won SEC regular season (9-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Georgia Tech. Won National Championship over Baylor. Beat Louisville and Baylor in Olympic Trials, then lost to Phillips Oilers. Players from this team were major contributors to the Team USA's gold medal victory in the London Olympics.
1948-1949: 32-2 25-1 in regular season (lost to St. Louis in Sugar Bowl Championship). Won SEC regular season (13-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Tulane. Lost to Loyola (Chicago) in NIT. Won National Championship over Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State).
1950-1951: 32-2 25-1 in regular season (lost to St. Louis in Sugar Bowl). Won SEC regular season (14-0). Lost SEC Tournament Championship to Vanderbilt. Won National Championship over Kansas State.
1977-1978: 30-2 25-2 in regular season (lost at Alabama and LSU). Won SEC regular season (16-2). There was no SEC Tournament. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Duke.
1985-1986: 32-4 26-3 in regular season (lost at Kansas, Auburn and NC State). Won SEC regular season (17-1). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Alabama. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed, lost to LSU in their fourth meeting of the year (UK had won the first three).
1992-1993: 30-4 23-3 in regular season (lost at Vandy, Arkansas and Tennessee). Did NOT win SEC regular season (Vandy went 14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over LSU. Made Final Four as #1 seed, lost to Michigan.
1995-1996: 34-2 26-1 in regular season (lost to UMass in Great Eight, then won 25 in a row). Won SEC regular season (16-0). Lost SEC Tournament Championship to Mississippi State. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Syracuse.
1996-1997: 35-5 27-4 in regular season (lost twice to South Carolina, lost to Clemson in BCA Classic, lost at Ole Miss). Actually did NOT win SEC regular season because of loss to South Carolina on Senior Night. Did win SEC Tournament Championship, over Georgia. Lost National Championship Game as #1 seed to Arizona.
1997-1998: 35-4 26-4 in regular season (lost to Arizona in Maui, lost to Louisville, Ole Miss and Florida at Rupp). Undefeated in road games. Won SEC regular season (14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over South Carolina. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Utah.
2002-2003: 32-4 26-3 in regular season (lost to Virginia in Maui, lost at home to Michigan State, lost at Louisville...then went on a 26-game winning streak). Won SEC regular season (16-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Mississippi State. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed (lost to West Virginia).
2009-2010: 35-3 29-2 in regular season (lost at South Carolina and Tennessee). Won SEC regular season (14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Mississippi State. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed (lost to West Virginia).
2011-2012: 38-2 30-1 in regular season (lost at Indiana). Undefeated SEC schedule (16-0). Lost to Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament Championship. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Kansas.
2014-2015: 38-1 Undefeated regular season (31-0). Won SEC regular season (18-0) and SEC Tournament. Made Final Four as #1 seed (lost to Wisconsin).
Will 2016-2017 be the next one on the list? They have an excellent shot. With 29, and the NCAA tournament on the way, it would be shocking for them NOT to make it.
Duke (14): 1986, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
Kansas (13): 1986, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
North Carolina (12): 1946, 1957, 1982, 1987, 1993, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016
UConn (9): 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014
UCLA (8): 1964, 1967, 1972, 1973, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008
Louisville (8): 1980, 1983, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
Syracuse (6): 1987, 1989, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013
Arizona (6): 1988, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015
Arkansas (5): 1978, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995
Oklahoma (5): 1985, 1988, 1989, 2002, 2009
Indiana (4): 1975, 1976, 1987, 1993
Georgetown (4): 1982, 1984, 1985, 2007
Wisconsin (4): 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015
Virginia (3): 1982, 2014, 2015
Michigan (3): 1989, 1993, 2013
Michigan State (3): 1999, 2000, 2009
Florida (3): 2006, 2007, 2014
Villanova (3): 2009, 2015, 2016
Wichita State (3): 2013, 2014, 2015
As you can see, many of these lists are "backloaded." Because teams like Duke (under Coach K), Kansas (under Bill Self) and UConn (under Jim Calhoun) have succeeded in an era when more games are played, they have piled up 30-win seasons.
One important note before we get to the UK list: a few of the best teams in UK history simply didn't play enough games to have a reasonable shot at topping the 30 mark. Teams like 1946 (28-2), 1950 (25-5), 1954 (25-0), 1955 (23-3), 1958 (23-6), 1959 (24-3), 1962 (23-3), 1966 (27-2), 1968 (22-5), 1969 (23-5), 1970 (26-2), 1975 (26-5), 1977 (26-4) stand out as examples. A big reason for the gap between 1951 and 1978 is that no SEC Tournament was held from 1952 through 1978. This eliminated as many as 4 additional games from the slate.
Which teams barely fell short? 1952, 1980, 1984, 1992, 2011 and 2014 were all 29-win seasons.
Here are the 14 Kentucky teams that have achieved this remarkable feat so far:
1946-1947: 34-3 28-2 in regular season (lost to Oklahoma A&M in Sugar Bowl, lost at DePaul). Won SEC regular season (11-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Tulane. Lost NIT Championship to Utah.
1947-1948: 36-3 (including 2-1 in Olympic Trials). 27-2 in regular season (lost at Temple and Notre Dame). Won SEC regular season (9-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Georgia Tech. Won National Championship over Baylor. Beat Louisville and Baylor in Olympic Trials, then lost to Phillips Oilers. Players from this team were major contributors to the Team USA's gold medal victory in the London Olympics.
1948-1949: 32-2 25-1 in regular season (lost to St. Louis in Sugar Bowl Championship). Won SEC regular season (13-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Tulane. Lost to Loyola (Chicago) in NIT. Won National Championship over Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State).
1950-1951: 32-2 25-1 in regular season (lost to St. Louis in Sugar Bowl). Won SEC regular season (14-0). Lost SEC Tournament Championship to Vanderbilt. Won National Championship over Kansas State.
1977-1978: 30-2 25-2 in regular season (lost at Alabama and LSU). Won SEC regular season (16-2). There was no SEC Tournament. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Duke.
1985-1986: 32-4 26-3 in regular season (lost at Kansas, Auburn and NC State). Won SEC regular season (17-1). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Alabama. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed, lost to LSU in their fourth meeting of the year (UK had won the first three).
1992-1993: 30-4 23-3 in regular season (lost at Vandy, Arkansas and Tennessee). Did NOT win SEC regular season (Vandy went 14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over LSU. Made Final Four as #1 seed, lost to Michigan.
1995-1996: 34-2 26-1 in regular season (lost to UMass in Great Eight, then won 25 in a row). Won SEC regular season (16-0). Lost SEC Tournament Championship to Mississippi State. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Syracuse.
1996-1997: 35-5 27-4 in regular season (lost twice to South Carolina, lost to Clemson in BCA Classic, lost at Ole Miss). Actually did NOT win SEC regular season because of loss to South Carolina on Senior Night. Did win SEC Tournament Championship, over Georgia. Lost National Championship Game as #1 seed to Arizona.
1997-1998: 35-4 26-4 in regular season (lost to Arizona in Maui, lost to Louisville, Ole Miss and Florida at Rupp). Undefeated in road games. Won SEC regular season (14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over South Carolina. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Utah.
2002-2003: 32-4 26-3 in regular season (lost to Virginia in Maui, lost at home to Michigan State, lost at Louisville...then went on a 26-game winning streak). Won SEC regular season (16-0). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Mississippi State. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed (lost to West Virginia).
2009-2010: 35-3 29-2 in regular season (lost at South Carolina and Tennessee). Won SEC regular season (14-2). Won SEC Tournament Championship over Mississippi State. Made Elite Eight as #1 seed (lost to West Virginia).
2011-2012: 38-2 30-1 in regular season (lost at Indiana). Undefeated SEC schedule (16-0). Lost to Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament Championship. Won National Championship as #1 seed over Kansas.
2014-2015: 38-1 Undefeated regular season (31-0). Won SEC regular season (18-0) and SEC Tournament. Made Final Four as #1 seed (lost to Wisconsin).
Will 2016-2017 be the next one on the list? They have an excellent shot. With 29, and the NCAA tournament on the way, it would be shocking for them NOT to make it.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Kentucky basketball vs. Louisville all-time (14 different arenas)
UK is 34-16 all-time against the Cardinals.
In the modern home-and-home series (initiated after the "Dream Game" in 1983), Kentucky leads 22-12.
Regular season home games: UK is 17-5 (77.3%)
Rupp Arena: 13-4 (games played in 1983 through present) - 76.5%
Buell Armory Gymnasium: 3-0 (1913, 1914, 1922)
Woodland Auditorium: 1-1
Did you know? UK never played UofL in Alumni Gym or in Memorial Coliseum. Crazy, right?
Regular season road games: UK is 12-9 (57%)
Freedom Hall: 7-6 (1984 through 2009) - 53.8%
Yum! Center: 2-2 (2010 through 2016) - 50.0%
St. Xavier Gym: 1-0 (1922)
Louisville YMCA: 1-1 (1915, 1916)
Tharp Gymnasium: 1-0 (1914)
NCAA Tournament Games: UK is 4-2 (60%)
Wins:
2014 Midwest Regional Semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium
2012 National Semifinal at the Superdome
1984 Mideast Regional Semifinal at Rupp Arena
1951 East Regional 1st Round at Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh)
Losses:
1983 Mideast Regional Final at Stokely Center (Knoxville)
1959 Mideast Regional Semifinal at McGaw Memorial Hall (Evanston)
Other: UK is 1-0
Old Madison Square Garden (NYC, 1948 Olympic Trials): 1-0
One final, happy note:
- UK has won three (or more) in a row against UofL EIGHT times, and UofL has never accomplished a three game winning streak against UK.
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
In the modern home-and-home series (initiated after the "Dream Game" in 1983), Kentucky leads 22-12.
Regular season home games: UK is 17-5 (77.3%)
Rupp Arena: 13-4 (games played in 1983 through present) - 76.5%
Buell Armory Gymnasium: 3-0 (1913, 1914, 1922)
Woodland Auditorium: 1-1
Did you know? UK never played UofL in Alumni Gym or in Memorial Coliseum. Crazy, right?
Regular season road games: UK is 12-9 (57%)
Freedom Hall: 7-6 (1984 through 2009) - 53.8%
Yum! Center: 2-2 (2010 through 2016) - 50.0%
St. Xavier Gym: 1-0 (1922)
Louisville YMCA: 1-1 (1915, 1916)
Tharp Gymnasium: 1-0 (1914)
NCAA Tournament Games: UK is 4-2 (60%)
Wins:
2014 Midwest Regional Semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium
2012 National Semifinal at the Superdome
1984 Mideast Regional Semifinal at Rupp Arena
1951 East Regional 1st Round at Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh)
Losses:
1983 Mideast Regional Final at Stokely Center (Knoxville)
1959 Mideast Regional Semifinal at McGaw Memorial Hall (Evanston)
Other: UK is 1-0
Old Madison Square Garden (NYC, 1948 Olympic Trials): 1-0
One final, happy note:
- UK has won three (or more) in a row against UofL EIGHT times, and UofL has never accomplished a three game winning streak against UK.
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
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