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)
Showing posts with label north carolina tar heels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label north carolina tar heels. Show all posts
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Kentucky's Worst NCAA Tournament Enemies
(updated through the 2016 tournament)
UK has had enormous success in the NCAA Tournament - 55 appearances, 36 Elite Eights, 17 Final Fours, 12 title games, and 8 championships.
Their overall record is 121-49. That's the most wins in the history of the tournament. Note that 2 wins (over Southern and Maryland) and 1 loss (to Villanova) in 1988 were voided by the NCAA.
But they have had trouble with certain opponents, and a number of these probably popped into your head before you even clicked this link. The following five teams combine to account for 19 of our 49 losses.
1) CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
UK's overall record against them: 1-4 (they never played each other until 2006)
UK's tournament record against them: 0-3
Tournament wins: none
Tournament losses: 2006 Round of 32, 2011 Final Four, 2014 championship game
Most significant loss: 2014 title game. But both of their recent titles basically came at our expense.
2) OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
UK's overall record against them: 11-8
UK's tournament record against them: 1-5
Wins: 2011 Sweet 16 (a memorable upset on Brandon Knight's jumper)
Losses: 1945 Elite 8, 1961 Elite 8, 1962 Elite 8, 1968 Elite 8, 1987 First Round
Most significant loss: Probably 1962, because that was the best team of the bunch, ranked #3 nationally at the time. Ohio State won the national title in 1960 and was runner-up in 1961 and 1962, so losing to them certainly was no embarrassment.
3) MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
UK's overall record against them: 7-7
UK's tournament record against them: 4-6 (more NCAA defeats than any other opponent)
Wins: 1959 consolation, 1968 Sweet 16, 1972 Sweet 16, 1975 First Round
Losses: 1955 Sweet 16, 1969 Sweet 16, 1971 consolation, 1994 Round of 32, 2003 Elite 8
Most significant loss: 2003 Elite 8. Dwyane Wade helped end UK's 26 game winning streak and magical season.
4) MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
UK's overall record against them: 13-11
UK's tournament record against them: 1-3 (every game was a regional final)
Wins: 1978 Elite 8
Losses: 1957 Elite 8, 1999 Elite 8, 2005 Elite 8
Most significant loss: The double-overtime thriller in 2005. Patrick Sparks' heroics at the end of regulation went for naught. The most lasting memory is their failure to get a shot off at the end of the first overtime.
5) NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
UK's overall record against them: 15-23 (our worst mark against any of the "blue bloods")
UK's tournament record against them: 1-2 (every game was a regional final)
Wins: 2011 Elite 8. Our 2011 team got some vengeance against two teams on this list.
Losses: 1977 Elite 8, 1995 Elite 8.
Most significant loss: Impossible to choose. The 1977 and 1995 teams were incredibly similar - the year before a championship, with lots of talent and a high ranking but not quite ready to seal the deal. Really should've beaten UNC both times, but both UNC teams had quite a bit of talent as well.
Just for the heck of it, here are UK's records against other teams they've met multiple times.
6-0 vs. Utah
4-0 vs. Miami (Ohio)
4-0 vs. Illinois
4-2 vs. Louisville
3-0 vs. Notre Dame
3-0 vs. Wake Forest
3-1 vs. Florida State
3-2 vs. Indiana
3-2 vs. Duke
2-0 vs. Cincinnati
2-0 vs. Kansas State
2-0 vs. UMass
2-0 vs. Baylor
2-0 vs. Iowa State
2-0 vs. Kansas State
2-0 vs. Penn State
2-1 vs. Wisconsin
2-1 vs. Kansas
2-1 vs. West Virginia
2-1 vs. Western Kentucky
2-1 vs. Michigan
2-1 vs. Iowa
2-1 vs. Syracuse
2-1 (2-0) vs. Villanova (the loss, in 1988, was vacated)
1-1 vs. UCLA
1-1 vs. Ohio
1-1 (0-1) vs. Maryland (the win, in 1988, was vacated)
1-2 vs. UAB
And some memorable teams they've faced only once:
1-0 vs. UNLV
1-0 vs. Arkansas
1-0 vs. Alabama
1-0 vs. Wichita State
0-1 vs. UTEP
0-1 vs. LSU (our only loss against an SEC school in the tournament)
0-1 vs. Arizona
UK has had enormous success in the NCAA Tournament - 55 appearances, 36 Elite Eights, 17 Final Fours, 12 title games, and 8 championships.
Their overall record is 121-49. That's the most wins in the history of the tournament. Note that 2 wins (over Southern and Maryland) and 1 loss (to Villanova) in 1988 were voided by the NCAA.
But they have had trouble with certain opponents, and a number of these probably popped into your head before you even clicked this link. The following five teams combine to account for 19 of our 49 losses.
1) CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
UK's overall record against them: 1-4 (they never played each other until 2006)
UK's tournament record against them: 0-3
Tournament wins: none
Tournament losses: 2006 Round of 32, 2011 Final Four, 2014 championship game
Most significant loss: 2014 title game. But both of their recent titles basically came at our expense.
2) OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
UK's overall record against them: 11-8
UK's tournament record against them: 1-5
Wins: 2011 Sweet 16 (a memorable upset on Brandon Knight's jumper)
Losses: 1945 Elite 8, 1961 Elite 8, 1962 Elite 8, 1968 Elite 8, 1987 First Round
Most significant loss: Probably 1962, because that was the best team of the bunch, ranked #3 nationally at the time. Ohio State won the national title in 1960 and was runner-up in 1961 and 1962, so losing to them certainly was no embarrassment.
3) MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
UK's overall record against them: 7-7
UK's tournament record against them: 4-6 (more NCAA defeats than any other opponent)
Wins: 1959 consolation, 1968 Sweet 16, 1972 Sweet 16, 1975 First Round
Losses: 1955 Sweet 16, 1969 Sweet 16, 1971 consolation, 1994 Round of 32, 2003 Elite 8
Most significant loss: 2003 Elite 8. Dwyane Wade helped end UK's 26 game winning streak and magical season.
4) MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
UK's overall record against them: 13-11
UK's tournament record against them: 1-3 (every game was a regional final)
Wins: 1978 Elite 8
Losses: 1957 Elite 8, 1999 Elite 8, 2005 Elite 8
Most significant loss: The double-overtime thriller in 2005. Patrick Sparks' heroics at the end of regulation went for naught. The most lasting memory is their failure to get a shot off at the end of the first overtime.
5) NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
UK's overall record against them: 15-23 (our worst mark against any of the "blue bloods")
UK's tournament record against them: 1-2 (every game was a regional final)
Wins: 2011 Elite 8. Our 2011 team got some vengeance against two teams on this list.
Losses: 1977 Elite 8, 1995 Elite 8.
Most significant loss: Impossible to choose. The 1977 and 1995 teams were incredibly similar - the year before a championship, with lots of talent and a high ranking but not quite ready to seal the deal. Really should've beaten UNC both times, but both UNC teams had quite a bit of talent as well.
Just for the heck of it, here are UK's records against other teams they've met multiple times.
6-0 vs. Utah
4-0 vs. Miami (Ohio)
4-0 vs. Illinois
4-2 vs. Louisville
3-0 vs. Notre Dame
3-0 vs. Wake Forest
3-1 vs. Florida State
3-2 vs. Indiana
3-2 vs. Duke
2-0 vs. Cincinnati
2-0 vs. Kansas State
2-0 vs. UMass
2-0 vs. Baylor
2-0 vs. Iowa State
2-0 vs. Kansas State
2-0 vs. Penn State
2-1 vs. Wisconsin
2-1 vs. Kansas
2-1 vs. West Virginia
2-1 vs. Western Kentucky
2-1 vs. Michigan
2-1 vs. Iowa
2-1 vs. Syracuse
2-1 (2-0) vs. Villanova (the loss, in 1988, was vacated)
1-1 vs. UCLA
1-1 vs. Ohio
1-1 (0-1) vs. Maryland (the win, in 1988, was vacated)
1-2 vs. UAB
And some memorable teams they've faced only once:
1-0 vs. UNLV
1-0 vs. Arkansas
1-0 vs. Alabama
1-0 vs. Wichita State
0-1 vs. UTEP
0-1 vs. LSU (our only loss against an SEC school in the tournament)
0-1 vs. Arizona
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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