Last of the Unbeatens: Odds Showed It Would Be Shocker If Wichita Won Title
Wichita State, the last unbeaten team this season (only squad ever to win as many as 35 games until bowing against Kentucky in second round of NCAA Tournament), should have known all good things must come to an end. No NCAA Division I men's team has compiled an undefeated record since Indiana in 1975-76. Historical odds came into play and were against the Shockers winning the NCAA title because only three final undefeated teams in the previous 36 years (Duke '92, UConn '99 and Florida '06) went on to capture the national crown. Only 1/3 of the first 37 teams (two in 1991-92) since IU '76 in this category reached the Final Four.
Clemson, losing nine of 11 games upon incurring its initial setback in 2006-07, is the only school in the last-of-the-unbeaten category to fail to participate in the NCAA playoffs. The Tigers, shaky down the stretch in the regular season akin to POTUS facing off against Putin, finished runner-up in the NIT.
Two years ago, Murray State became the 10th of these 37 last-remaining-standing teams to suffer their first defeat at home. Following are vital facts on final unbeaten teams since the Hoosiers in 1975-76 (in reverse order):
| Season | Last Unbeaten (Wins) | First Defeat | Date | Score | Final Record/Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Wichita State (35)* | Kentucky | 3-23-14 | 78-76 | 35-1/Second Round |
| 2012-13 | Michigan (16) | at Ohio State | 1-13-13 | 56-53 | 31-8/NCAA Runner-up |
| 2011-12 | Murray State (23)* | Tennessee State | 2-9-12 | 72-68 | 31-2/Second Round |
| 2010-11 | Ohio State (24) | at Wisconsin | 2-12-11 | 71-67 | 34-3/Regional Semifinal |
| 2009-10 | Kentucky (19) | at South Carolina | 1-26-10 | 68-62 | 35-3/Regional Final |
| 2008-09 | Wake Forest (16) | Virginia Tech | 1-21-09 | 78-71 | 24-7/First Round |
| 2007-08 | Memphis (26) | Tennessee | 2-23-08 | 66-62 | 38-2/National Runner-up |
| 2006-07 | Clemson (17)* | at Maryland | 1-13-07 | 92-87 | 25-11/NIT Runner-up |
| 2005-06 | Florida (17)* | at Tennessee | 1-21-06 | 80-76 | 33-6/NCAA Champion |
| 2004-05 | Illinois (29)* | at Ohio State | 3-6-05 | 65-64 | 37-2/NCAA Runner-up |
| 2003-04 | Saint Joseph's (27)* | vs. Xavier | 3-11-04 | 87-67 | 30-2/Regional Final |
| 2002-03 | Duke (12) | at Maryland | 1-18-03 | 87-72 | 26-7/Regional Semifinal |
| 2001-02 | Duke (12) | at Florida State | 1-6-02 | 77-76 | 31-4/Regional Semifinal |
| 2000-01 | Stanford (20) | UCLA | 2-3-01 | 79-73 | 31-3/Regional Final |
| 1999-00 | Syracuse (19) | Seton Hall | 2-7-00 | 69-67 | 26-6/Regional Semifinal |
| 1998-99 | Connecticut (19) | Syracuse | 2-1-99 | 59-42 | 34-2/NCAA Champion |
| 1997-98 | Utah (18) | at New Mexico | 2-1-98 | 77-74 | 30-4/NCAA Runner-up |
| 1996-97 | Kansas (22) | at Missouri (2OT) | 2-4-97 | 96-94 | 34-2/Regional Semifinal |
| 1995-96 | Massachusetts (26)* | George Washington | 2-24-96 | 86-76 | 35-2/NCAA Semifinal |
| 1994-95 | Connecticut (15) | at Kansas | 1-28-95 | 88-59 | 28-5/Regional Final |
| 1993-94 | UCLA (14) | at California | 1-30-94 | 85-70 | 21-7/First Round |
| 1992-93 | Virginia (11) | at North Carolina | 1-20-93 | 80-58 | 21-10/Regional Semifinal |
| 1991-92 | Duke (17) | at North Carolina | 2-5-92 | 75-73 | 34-2/NCAA Champion |
| 1991-92 | Oklahoma State (20) | at Nebraska | 2-5-92 | 85-69 | 28-8/Regional Semifinal |
| 1990-91 | UNLV (34) | vs. Duke | 3-30-91 | 79-77 | 34-1/NCAA Semifinal |
| 1989-90 | Georgetown (14) | at Connecticut | 1-20-90 | 70-65 | 24-7/Second Round |
| 1988-89 | Illinois (17) | at Minnesota | 1-26-89 | 69-62 | 31-5/NCAA Semifinal |
| 1987-88 | Brigham Young (17)* | at UAB | 2-6-88 | 102-83 | 26-6/Sweet 16 |
| 1986-87 | DePaul (16) | at Georgetown | 1-25-87 | 74-71 | 28-3/Regional Semifinal |
| 1985-86 | Memphis State (20) | at Virginia Tech | 2-1-86 | 76-72 | 28-6/Second Round |
| 1984-85 | Georgetown (18) | St. John's | 1-26-85 | 66-65 | 35-3/NCAA Runner-up |
| 1983-84 | North Carolina (21) | vs. Arkansas | 2-12-84 | 65-64 | 28-3/Regional Semifinal |
| 1982-83 | UNLV (24) | at Cal State Fullerton | 2-24-83 | 86-78 | 28-3/Second Round |
| 1981-82 | Missouri (19) | Nebraska | 2-6-82 | 67-51 | 27-4/Regional Semifinal |
| 1980-81 | Oregon State (26)* | Arizona State | 3-7-81 | 87-67 | 26-2/Second Round |
| 1979-80 | DePaul (26)* | at Notre Dame (2OT) | 2-27-80 | 76-74 | 26-2/Second Round |
| 1978-79 | Indiana State (33)* | vs. Michigan State | 3-26-79 | 75-64 | 33-1/NCAA Runner-up |
| 1977-78 | Kentucky (14) | at Alabama | 1-23-78 | 78-62 | 30-2/NCAA Champion |
| 1976-77 | San Francisco (29) | at Notre Dame | 3-5-77 | 93-82 | 29-2/First Round |
*All-time top winning streaks.
NOTES: Indiana State lost in NCAA Tournament championship game at Salt Lake City. . . . North Carolina lost in Pine Bluff, Ark. . . . Saint Joseph's lost in Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Dayton. . . . UNLV lost against Duke in 1991 NCAA Tournament national semifinals in Indianapolis. . . . Wichita State lost against Kentucky in 2014 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Second Round in St. Louis.