Cold Hard Facts: Numbers Fans Need to Know Exemplified by Streaks

"When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind." - Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)

The mathematical measurements aren't nearly as complex as the scientific equations noted British physicist Lord Kelvin embraced, but numerical streaks speak volumes in terms of the best of college basketball's "Numbers Game." Amid coping with polar-vortex frigid temperatures, warmhearted fans of Duke (122 weeks ranked in Top Ten) and Kansas (68 consecutive victories at home against nonconference opponents) have every reason to be proud despite their favorites seeing long streaks come to a halt early in the new year. In an effort to try to boost your knowledge to a satisfactory kind, following is a good, bad and ugly look at cold, hard text citing notable streaks that were intact during the 2013-14 campaign:

120: Consecutive victories for San Diego State when leading with five minutes remaining (entering West Regional Sweet 16).
109: Non-conference homecourt victories for Duke (through 2013).
81: Non-conference homecourt victories for Missouri (after Long Beach State).
75: Years for Northwestern failing to appear in NCAA Tournament since the inaugural playoff in 1939.
72: Years for Pittsburgh failing to return to Final Four since making its lone appearance there in 1941.
63: Homecourt victories in December for Duke (through 2013). . . . Seasons for Nebraska without a conference championship since Huskers shared Big Seven title with Kansas and Kansas State in 1950.
57: Homecourt victories without a loss for North Carolina against Clemson.
55: Seasons without an undefeated team in Mid-American Conference competition since Wayne Embry-led Miami Ohio in 1957-58.
51: Homecourt victories for Syracuse against non-conference opponents (through 2013).
48: Victories for Syracuse over in-state opponent Colgate.
46: Defeats for DePaul against ranked opponents (after losing against visiting Creighton on 1/7). . . . Years for Marshall failing to win a game in NCAA Tournament or NIT since finishing in fourth place in 1967 NIT. . . . Years for Virginia Tech failing to reach an NCAA Tournament regional final since lone appearance there in 1967.
43: Division I-leading winning seasons for Syracuse since compiling a 12-12 mark in 1969-70.
42: Years for Drake failing to win a game in either the NCAA Tournament or NIT.
40: Years for South Carolina failing to win an NCAA Tournament game since 1973.
39: Victories for Marquette against cross-town rival Milwaukee. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Southland Conference competition since Arkansas State in 1973-74.
38: Seasons for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim without a losing record during his entire career.
37: Years for Rutgers failing to supply an NCAA consensus All-American since Phil Sellers in 1976. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Big Ten Conference competition since Indiana became the nation's last unbeaten for an entire season in 1975-76.
36: Seasons without a Jewish All-American since Tennessee's Ernie Grunfeld in 1977. . . . Years for Duquesne failing to appear in NCAA Tournament.
35: Homecourt victories in December for Kansas State (through 2013). . . . Years for Notre Dame failing to return to Final Four since making its lone appearance there in 1978. . . . Years for Tennessee failing to win a SEC Tournament. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Pac-12 Conference competition since David Greenwood-led UCLA in 1977-78.
34: Seasons without an undefeated team in Big East Conference competition since formation of league. . . . Years for two-time national champion San Francisco failing to win an NCAA Tournament game since 1979. . . . Victories for Syracuse against in-state opponent Cornell.
33: Years for Purdue failing to return to Final Four since making its second appearance there in 1980. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in SWAC competition since Larry Smith-led Alcorn State in 1979-80.
32: Seasons without an undefeated team in Northeast Conference competition since formation of league.
31: Seasons for Oregon State winless in NCAA Tournament. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Summit League competition since formation of conference.
30: Seasons without an undefeated team in CAA competition since William & Mary in inaugural campaign. . . . Winning seasons for Kansas (all with at least 22 victories except 19-12 mark in 1988-89 in Roy Williams' first season as KU coach).
29: Seasons for Houston winless in NCAA Tournament since Hakeem Olajuwon-led Cougars finished national runner-up in 1984. . . . Defeats for Saint Francis (Pa.) in as many games against in-state opponent Pittsburgh.
28: Defeats for Dayton at Xavier in duel of underrated programs in state of Ohio.
27: NCAA Tournament appearances for Brigham Young without ever reaching Final Four. . . . Seasons for Michigan without an undisputed Big Ten Conference regular-season championship. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Missouri Valley Conference competition since Hersey Hawkins-led Bradley in 1985-86.
26: Winning seasons for Connecticut and Murray State. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Missouri without ever reaching Final Four. . . . Years for Texas Christian failing to win an NCAA Tournament game since 1987.
25: Victories for Duke against in-state opponent Davidson. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Kansas.
24: Years for five-time College Division champion Evansville failing to win a game in NCAA Division I Tournament or NIT. . . . Seasons for Kansas with at least 23 victories. . . . NCAA Tournament opening-game victories without a defeat for coach Roy Williams with Kansas and North Carolina. . . . Seasons for North Carolina State with double-digit defeats. . . . Seasons for Sacramento State without a winning record.
23: Defeats for Bradley west of the Mississippi River (after loss at Missouri State on 2/1). . . . Seasons for Florida winning its season opener. . . . Seasons for Kansas winning its conference opener. . . . Seasons without an undefeated team in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference competition since Lionel Simmons-led La Salle in 1989-90. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Xavier without ever reaching Final Four.
21: Seasons without an undefeated team in America East Conference competition since Delaware in 1991-92.
20: Seasons for Oregon State compiling a losing record in Pac-10/12 Conference competition since going 9-9 in 1992-93. . . . Years for SMU failing to participate in NCAA Tournament.
19: Defeats for North Carolina State at Duke since 1995 when Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski was on medical leave.
18: Defeats for Iowa at Michigan State. . . . Losing seasons for New Hampshire.
16: Seasons without an undefeated team in Atlantic Sun Conference competition since College of Charleston in 1996-97. . . . Seasons for Gonzaga with at least 23 victories and Creighton with a minimum of 18 triumphs. . . . Twenty-win seasons for Syracuse under coach Jim Boeheim.
15: Victories in as many Maui Invitational games for Duke. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Gonzaga and Wisconsin. . . . Defeats for South Florida at Memphis.
14: Seasons without an undefeated team in ACC competition since Elton Brand-led Duke in 1998-99. . . . Seasons for Nebraska failing to post a winning conference record.
13: Seasons for Memphis with more than 20 victories. . . . Victories for Tennessee against SEC rival South Carolina.
12: Victories for California against Oregon (after 1/9 win at Oregon). . . . Seasons for Pittsburgh winning at least 20 games. . . . Top four finishes for Wisconsin in Big Ten Conference standings during coach Bo Ryan's tenure.
11: Victories for Wisconsin in Big Ten Conference openers.
10: Seasons for Howard University losing more than 20 games.
9: Big 12 Conference regular-season championships for Kansas. . . . Defeats for Louisiana State at Alabama and St. John's at Georgetown. . . . Defeats for Southern Methodist in conference tournament competition.
8: Seasons for Akron and Ohio State winning at least 22 games. . . . Seasons with at least 25 victories for Kansas. . . . Twenty-win seasons for San Diego State. . . . Seasons for Pepperdine failing to have an All-WCC selection.
7: Years for Akron reaching Mid-American Conference Tournament final. . . . Victories for North Carolina coach Roy Williams over Michigan State counterpart Tom Izzo in as many games between them. . . . Seasons for Rutgers failing to have an all-conference selection. . . . Years for #13 or #14 seed winning an NCAA Tournament opening-round game.
6: Years for Big Ten Conference Tournament champion failing to reach Final Four.
5: Seasons for six-time Final Four participant Arkansas failing to appear in NCAA Tournament. . . . Seasons for Temple defeating an opponent ranked in the Top 10.
4: Seasons with more than 30 victories for Kansas. . . . Seasons for Wisconsin having an All-Big Ten Conference selection who previously averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman.