Out of Order: KU's Streak of Big 12 Conference Crowns Comes to Conclusion

Kansas surpassed UCLA for most consecutive regular-season conference championships with 14 last year before the streak ended this campaign as Kansas State and Texas Tech shared the title. The Jayhawks had four ties in that span while all of the Bruins' titles were undisputed. Sterling Big 12 Conference track record of titles under coach Bill Self was assembled while surviving the loss of 17 undergraduates covering 11 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), 2015 (Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre Jr.), 2016 (Cheick Diallo) and 2017 (Josh Jackson).

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 during the run of 14 crowns came against Baylor (two), Iowa State (five), Kansas State (five), Missouri (four), Oklahoma (four), Oklahoma State (eight), Texas (four), Texas A&M (one), Texas Christian (one), Texas Tech (four) and West Virginia (four). First-team All-Americans competing for these opponents included Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Kevin Durant (Texas), Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Acie Law IV (Texas A&M) and Trae Young (Oklahoma).

As a means of comparison, coaching luminaries John Beilein (seven/West Virginia and Michigan), Jim Boeheim (six/Syracuse) and Bob Huggins (five/West Virginia) combined for 18 league finishes from sixth- to 10th-place in the previous 14 campaigns. Jerry Tarkanian was coach for two of the schools boasting the longest league streaks (Long Beach State and UNLV). Following is a summary of the eight schools securing at least eight straight regular-season league titles:

Kansas (14 in Big 12; 212-44 league record from 2004-05 through 2017-18)

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

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

Gonzaga (11 in West Coast; 143-15 league record from 2000-01 through 2010-11)

NOTE: Gonzaga tied Pepperdine in 2001-02 and Saint Mary's in 2010-11.

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

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

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

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

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

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 league record from 1969-70 through 1976-77)

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