Been There/Done That: Montgomery Wards Off Top-Ranked Opponent Again

February 2nd, 2014 - 7:50

"If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves." - Thomas Edison

When California edged visiting Arizona at the buzzer, it was the fifth time coach Mike Montgomery defeated the nation's top-ranked team. Montgomery twice beat the Wildcats among four #1 opponents he knocked off while coaching Pac-12 Conference rival Stanford (Arizona in 1987-88 and 2002-03, Duke in 2000-01 and Kansas in 2003-04). Montgomery wasn't like Edison by inventing the upset but he is one of three coaches to upend at two different outposts the same opponent when it was atop the national polls.

Ralph Miller (Wichita State/beat #! Cincinnati; Iowa/beat UCLA, and Oregon State/beat UCLA) is the only coach to defeat three #1 clubs while bench boss of three different schools. Joining Montgomery and Miller on the following list of coaches who defeated a nationally top-ranked team with at least two different schools are: