Rare Air: Kentucky is 11th Team in 39 Years to Go Unbeaten in Power League
March 8th, 2015 - 21:48
Top-ranked and undefeated Kentucky became only the 11th member of a power conference to go undefeated in league play since Bob Knight-coached Indiana in 1975-76 was the nation's last team to go unscathed overall. The SEC is the lone power league to supply an unbeaten squad in conference competition in the last 13 seasons.
The Big Ten Conference hasn't had a team go unbeaten in league competition since IU and the Big East never has had an undefeated club. Kentucky, under three different coaches, supplied four of the following 11 teams to go unbeaten in a power alliance in the last 39 years:
| Year | League | Unbeaten School | Coach (Overall Mark) | Leading Scorer | Leading Rebounder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Pacific-8 | UCLA (14-0) | Gary Cunningham (25-3) | David Greenwood (17.5) | David Greenwood (11.4) |
| 1984 | ACC | North Carolina (14-0) | Dean Smith (28-3) | Michael Jordan (19.6) | Sam Perkins (9.6) |
| 1987 | ACC | North Carolina (14-0) | Dean Smith (32-4) | Kenny Smith (16.9) | J.R. Reid (7.4) |
| 1994 | Big Eight | Missouri (14-0) | Norm Stewart (28-4) | Melvin Booker (18.1) | Jevon Crudup (8) |
| 1996 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0/East) | Rick Pitino (34-2) | Tony Delk (17.8) | Antoine Walker (8.4) |
| 1999 | ACC | Duke (16-0) | Mike Krzyzewski (37-2) | Elton Brand (17.7) | Elton Brand (9.8) |
| 2002 | Big 12 | Kansas (16-0) | Roy Williams (33-4) | Drew Gooden (19.8) | Drew Gooden (11.4) |
| 2003 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0/East) | Tubby Smith (32-4) | Keith Bogans (15.7) | Chuck Hayes (6.8) |
| 2012 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0) | John Calipari (38-2) | Anthony Davis (14.2) | Anthony Davis (10.4) |
| 2014 | SEC | Florida (18-0) | Billy Donovan (36-3) | Casey Prather (13.8) | Dorian Finney-Smith (6.7) |
| 2015 | SEC | Kentucky (18-0) | John Calipari (TBD) | Aaron Harrison (11.2) | Karl-Anthony Towns (6.6) |