Overcoming Adversity: UConn's Four Titlists Lost 10 Games by Double Digits

Connecticut's four NCAA champions lost a total of 10 pre-tourney games by double figures. One sizable setback this season (81-48 at Louisville) set a standard for widest margin of defeat for an eventual national kingpin. The following seven NCAA titlists lost a regular-season contest away from home by more than 20 points:

NCAA Champion Margin Pre-NCAA Playoff Defeat Result
Connecticut '14 33 at Louisville 81-48
UCLA '65 27 at Illinois 110-83
North Carolina '93 26 at Wake Forest 88-62
Villanova '85 23 at Pittsburgh 85-62
UCLA '75 22 at Washington 103-81
Duke '91 22 at Charlotte vs. North Carolina 96-74
Maryland '02 21 at Duke 99-78