Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Likely Never to Be Matched (#3)

July 9th, 2023 - 8:20

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #3 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

3. UCLA's 38-game winning streak in NCAA Tournament (under coach John Wooden from 1964 to 1974).

UCLA's first three outings in this streak were decided by fewer than seven points but the Bruins only had four more decisions in that category in their next 35 playoff assignments. Long Beach State (three), New Mexico State (three) and San Francisco (four) each succumbed at least three times against the Bruins during their streak. USF (eight in 1964) and LBSU (four in 1971) were the only two teams to lead them at halftime during the 38 triumphs. As a means of comparison even with additional rounds of competition for several decades, 17 power-conference members - Arizona State (four), Clemson (three), Colorado (two), DePaul (one), Georgia (one), Minnesota (two), Ole Miss (four), Nebraska (zero), Northwestern (two), Oregon State (three), Penn State (three), Providence (three), Rutgers (one), St. John's (one), Texas Christian (two), Virginia Tech (three) and Washington State (three) - have combined for a total of 38 NCAA playoff triumphs thus far in the 21st Century. Following is a look at UCLA's NCAA Tournament hit list during the Bruins' wonder years when they won nine national championships from 1964 through 1973 before losing to North Carolina State (80-77 in double overtime) at the 1974 Final Four:

Date Opponent Score Bruins High Scorer
3-13-64 Seattle 95-90 Walt Hazzard 26
3-14-64 San Francisco 76-72 Walt Hazzard 23
3-20-64 Kansas State 90-84 Keith Erickson 28
3-21-64 Duke* 98-83 Gail Goodrich 27
3-12-65 Brigham Young 100-76 Gail Goodrich 40
3-13-65 San Francisco 101-93 Gail Goodrich 30
3-19-65 Wichita State 108-89 Gail Goodrich 28
3-20-65 Michigan* 91-80 Gail Goodrich 42
3-17-67 Wyoming 109-60 Lew Alcindor 29
3-18-67 Pacific 80-64 Lew Alcindor 38
3-24-67 Houston 73-58 Lynn Shackelford 22
3-25-67 Dayton* 79-64 Lew Alcindor 20
3-15-68 New Mexico State 58-49 Lew Alcindor 28
3-16-68 Santa Clara 87-66 Lew Alcindor 22
3-22-68 Houston 101-69 Lew Alcindor/Mike Lynn/Lucious Allen 19
3-23-68 North Carolina* 78-55 Lew Alcindor 34
3-13-69 New Mexico State 53-38 Lew Alcindor 16
3-15-69 Santa Clara 90-52 Lew Alcindor 17
3-20-69 Drake 85-82 John Vallely 29
3-22-69 Purdue* 92-72 Lew Alcindor 37
3-12-70 Long Beach State 88-65 Henry Bibby/Sidney Wicks 20
3-14-70 Utah State 101-79 Curtis Rowe/Sidney Wicks 26
3-19-70 New Mexico State 93-77 John Vallely 23
3-21-70 Jacksonville* 80-69 Curtis Rowe 19
3-18-71 Brigham Young 91-73 Henry Bibby 15
3-20-71 Long Beach State 57-55 Sidney Wicks 18
3-25-71 Kansas 68-60 Sidney Wicks 21
3-27-71 Villanova* 68-62 Steve Patterson 29
3-18-72 Weber State 90-58 Henry Bibby 16
3-20-72 Long Beach State 73-57 Henry Bibby 23
3-23-72 Louisville 96-77 Bill Walton 33
3-25-72 Florida State* 81-76 Bill Walton 24
3-15-73 Arizona State 98-81 Bill Walton 28
3-17-73 San Francisco 54-39 Larry Farmer 13
3-24-73 Indiana 70-59 Tommy Curtis 22
3-26-73 Memphis State* 87-66 Bill Walton 44
3-14-74 Dayton** 111-100 Dave Meyers 28
3-16-74 San Francisco 83-60 Keith Wilkes 27

*NCAA Tournament title games.
**Triple overtime.

4. Pete Maravich's career scoring average of 44.2 points per game with a total of 28 contests scoring at least 50 points (for LSU from 1967-68 through 1969-70).
5. Bill Walton's NCAA Tournament championship game field-goal accuracy of 95.5% (21 of 22 for UCLA vs. Memphis State in 1973).
6. UCLA's streak of 13 consecutive undisputed conference championships in a power league (from 1967 through 1979 in Pacific-8/Pacific-10).
7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71).
8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.
9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955).
10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).