Kansas Closing In on UCLA For Most Regular-Season League Titles in Row

May 10th, 2015 - 7:38

Kansas, if things pan out as expected regarding frontcourt replacements to complement Perry Ellis, could continue closing in on UCLA for most consecutive regular-season conference championships. Despite the early departure to the NBA of freshmen Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre Jr., the Jayhawks are expected to continue their sterling Big 12 Conference track record under coach Bill Self while surviving the loss of 15 undergraduates in the last nine NBA drafts - 2007 (Julian Wright), 2008 (Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush), 2010 (Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry), 2011 (Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris and Josh Selby), 2012 (Thomas Robinson), 2013 (Ben McLemore), 2014 (Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins) and 2015 (Alexander and Oubre).

UCLA's streak of 13 straight undisputed league titles from 1967 through 1979, divided among three coaches, is considered one of the foremost achievements in NCAA history. Kansas' regular-season league losses in the last 11 seasons came against Baylor (one), Iowa State (three), Kansas State (five), Missouri (four), Oklahoma (three), Oklahoma State (five), Texas (four), Texas A&M (one), Texas Christian (one), Texas Tech (three) and West Virginia (two). None of the Jayhawks' last 10 teams had a player average more than 20 points per game. Following is a summary of the seven schools to secure at least eight straight regular-season league titles:

UCLA (13 in Pacific-8/10; 171-15 league record from 1966-67 through 1978-79)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coaches Overall Mark
1966-67 14-0 Lew Alcindor (29 ppg) Lew Alcindor (15.5 rpg) John Wooden 30-0
1967-68 14-0 Lew Alcindor (26.2) Lew Alcindor (16.5) John Wooden 29-1
1968-69 13-1 Lew Alcindor (24) Lew Alcindor (14.6) John Wooden 29-1
1969-70 12-2 Sidney Wicks (18.6) Sidney Wicks (11.9) John Wooden 28-2
1970-71 14-0 Sidney Wicks (21.3) Sidney Wicks (12.8) John Wooden 29-1
1971-72 14-0 Bill Walton (21.1) Bill Walton (15.5) John Wooden 30-0
1972-73 14-0 Bill Walton (20.4) Bill Walton (16.9) John Wooden 30-0
1973-74 12-2 Bill Walton (19.3) Bill Walton (14.7) John Wooden 26-4
1974-75 12-2 David Meyers (18.3) David Meyers (7.9) John Wooden 28-3
1975-76 12-2 Richard Washington (20.1) Marques Johnson (9.4) Gene Bartow 27-5
1976-77 11-3 Marques Johnson (21.4) Marques Johnson (11.1) Gene Bartow 24-5
1977-78 14-0 David Greenwood (17.5) David Greenwood (11.4) Gary Cunningham 25-3
1978-79 15-3 David Greenwood (19.9) David Greenwood (10.3) Gary Cunningham 25-5

Kansas (11 in Big 12; 152-32 from 2004-05 through 2014-15)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coach Overall Mark
2004-05 12-4 Wayne Simien (20.3) Wayne Simien (11) Bill Self 23-7
2005-06 13-3 Brandon Rush (13.5) Brandon Rush (5.9) Bill Self 25-8
2006-07 14-2 Brandon Rush (13.8) Julian Wright (7.8) Bill Self 33-5
2007-08 13-3 Brandon Rush (13.3) Darnell Jackson (6.7) Bill Self 37-3
2008-09 14-2 Sherron Collins (18.9) Cole Aldrich (11.1) Bill Self 27-8
2009-10 15-1 Sherron Collins (15.5) Cole Aldrich (9.8) Bill Self 33-3
2010-11 14-2 Marcus Morris (17.2) Markieff Morris (8.3) Bill Self 35-3
2011-12 16-2 Thomas Robinson (17.7) Thomas Robinson (11.9) Bill Self 32-7
2012-13 14-4 Ben McLemore (15.9) Jeff Withey (8.5) Bill Self 31-6
2013-14 14-4 Andrew Wiggins (17.1) Joel Embiid (8.1) Bill Self 25-10
2014-15 13-5 Perry Ellis (13.8) Perry Ellis (6.9) Bill Self 27-9

NOTE: Kansas tied Oklahoma in 2004-05, Texas in 2005-06 and 2007-08 and Kansas State in 2012-13.

Connecticut (10 in Yankee; 71-8 from 1950-51 through 1959-60)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coach Overall Mark
1950-51 6-1 Vin Yokabaskas (15.5) William Ebel (9) Hugh Greer 22-4
1951-52 6-1 Vin Yokabaskas (16.8) Burr Carlson (14.5) Hugh Greer 20-7
1952-53 5-1 Art Quimby (16.7) Art Quimby (20.5) Hugh Greer 17-4
1953-54 7-0 Art Quimby (16.3) Art Quimby (22.6) Hugh Greer 23-3
1954-55 7-0 Art Quimby (23.2) Art Quimby (24.4) Hugh Greer 20-5
1955-56 6-1 Gordon Ruddy (16.6) unavailable Hugh Greer 17-11
1956-57 8-0 Bob Osborne (15.6) Al Cooper (11.8) Hugh Greer 17-8
1957-58 10-0 Jack Rose (13) Al Cooper (11) Hugh Greer 17-10
1958-59 8-2 Jack Rose (16) Ed Martin (12.1) Hugh Greer 17-7
1959-60 8-2 John Pipczynski (15.2) Walt Griffin (11.5) Hugh Greer 17-9

UNLV (10 in PCAA/Big West; 165-13 from 1982-83 through 1991-92)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coach Overall Mark
1982-83 15-1 Sidney Green (22.1) Sidney Green (11.9) Jerry Tarkanian 28-3
1983-84 16-2 Richie Adams (12.7) Richie Adams (6.7) Jerry Tarkanian 29-6
1984-85 17-1 Richie Adams (15.8) Richie Adams (7.9) Jerry Tarkanian 28-4
1985-86 16-2 Anthony Jones (18) Armon Gilliam (8.5) Jerry Tarkanian 33-5
1986-87 18-0 Armon Gilliam (23.2) Armon Gilliam (9.3) Jerry Tarkanian 37-2
1987-88 15-3 Gerald Paddio (19.4) Jarvis Basnight (6.9) Jerry Tarkanian 28-6
1988-89 16-2 David Butler (15.4) Stacey Augmon (7.4) Jerry Tarkanian 29-8
1989-90 16-2 Larry Johnson (20.6) Larry Johnson (11.4) Jerry Tarkanian 35-5
1990-91 18-0 Larry Johnson (22.7) Larry Johnson (10.9) Jerry Tarkanian 34-1
1991-92 18-0 J.R. Rider (20.7) Elmore Spencer (8.1) Jerry Tarkanian 26-2

NOTE: UNLV tied New Mexico State in 1989-90.

Idaho State (eight in Rocky Mountain; 76-4 from 1952-53 through 1959-60)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coach Overall Mark
1952-53 10-0 Les Roh (16.6) unavailable Steve Belko 18-7
1953-54 9-1 Les Roh (17.1) unavailable Steve Belko 22-5
1954-55 9-1 Les Roh (21.7) unavailable Steve Belko 18-8
1955-56 9-1 Les Roh (20.8) unavailable Steve Belko 18-8
1956-57 12-0 Jim Rodgers (15) Jack Allain (12.5) John Grayson 25-4
1957-58 10-0 Lloyd Harris (14.7) LeRoy Bacher (9) John Grayson 22-6
1958-59 9-1 Jim Rodgers (17.4) Homer Watkins (11.6) John Grayson 21-7
1959-60 8-0 Myrl Goodwin (16.4) unavailable John Evans 21-5

Kentucky (eight in SEC; 82-3 from 1944-45 through 1951-52)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coach Overall Mark
1944-45 4-1 Jack Tingle (11.7) unavailable Adolph Rupp 22-4
1945-46 6-0 Jack Parkinson (11.3) unavailable Adolph Rupp 28-2
1946-47 11-0 Ralph Beard (10.9) unavailable Adolph Rupp 34-3
1947-48 9-0 Alex Groza (12.5) unavailable Adolph Rupp 36-3
1948-49 13-0 Alex Groza (20.5) unavailable Adolph Rupp 32-2
1949-50 11-2 Bill Spivey (19.3) unavailable Adolph Rupp 25-5
1950-51 14-0 Bill Spivey (19.2) Bill Spivey (17.2) Adolph Rupp 32-2
1951-52 14-0 Cliff Hagan (21.6) Cliff Hagan (16.5) Adolph Rupp 29-3

NOTES: Kentucky tied Tennessee in 1944-45 and Louisiana State in 1945-46. . . . UK did not field a team in 1952-53 before tying LSU in 1953-54 and winning outright in 1954-55.

Long Beach State (eight in PCAA; 75-13 from 1969-70 through 1976-77)

Season League Mark Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader Coaches Overall Mark
1969-70 10-0 George Trapp (16.3) Sam Robinson (7.8) Jerry Tarkanian 23-5
1970-71 10-0 Ed Ratleff (19.9) George Trapp (11) Jerry Tarkanian 24-5
1971-72 10-2 Ed Ratleff (21.4) Nate Stephens (10.3) Jerry Tarkanian 25-4
1972-73 10-2 Ed Ratleff (22.8) Leonard Gray (9.3) Jerry Tarkanian 26-3
1973-74 12-0 Clifton Pondexter (15.6) Clifton Pondexter (8.6) Lute Olson 24-2
1974-75 8-2 Rich Johnson (17.8) Bob Gross (8.5) Dwight Jones 19-7
1975-76 6-4 Anthony McGee (14.8) Clarence Ruffen (7.4) Dwight Jones 14-12
1976-77 9-3 Lloyd McMillian (15.8) Lloyd McMillian (7.9) Dwight Jones 21-8

NOTE: Long Beach State tied Cal State Fullerton in 1975-76 and San Diego State in 1976-77.