Top Ten NCAA College Basketball Home Winning Streaks
My quest was to find the longest home winning streaks for NCAA Division 1 College Basketball. It took me so long to find the information that I figured I would post it on my blog and perhaps make someone else’s job a little easier. Here is the Top 13:
#1 Kentucky – 129 games (1943-1955) (broken by Georgia Tech 59-58 in Memorial Coliseum on Jan. 8, 1955)
#2 St. Bonaventure – 99 games (1948-1961) (broken by Niagara 87-77)
#3 UCLA – 98 games (1970-1976) (broken by Oregon 65-45)
#4 Cincinnati – 86 games (1957-1964) (broken by Bradley 87-77)
#5 Arizona – 81 games (1945-1951) (broken by Kansas St. 76-57)
#5 Marquette – 81 games (1967-1973) (broken by Notre Dame 71-69)
#7 Lamar – 80 games (1978-1984) (broken by Louisiana Tech 68-65)
#8 Long Beach State – 75 games (1968-1974) (broken by San Francisco 94-84)
#9 UNLV – 72 games (1974-1978) (broken by New Mexico 102-98)
#10 Arizona – 71 games (1987-1992) (broken by UCLA 89-87)
#11 Kansas – 69 games (2008-2011) (broken by Texas 74-63)
#12 Cincinnati – 68 games (1972-1978) (broken by Georgia Tech 59-56)
#13 Western Kentucky – 67 games (1949-1955) (broken by Xavier 82-80 in overtime)
UPDATE: With KU’s win over UCLA (KU 77 – UCLA 76) the streak is now at 64.
UPDATE: With KU’s win over North Texas on 11-19-10, they have tied their team record of 62 consecutive home victories set back in the 90′s under Roy Williams. The next home victory will break the record. They have two challenging non-league home games–Memphis (currently ranked #19) and UCLA (I don’t care what their record is, UCLA is UCLA). NOTE: KU’s game with Memphis was at a neutral site not a home game.
UPDATE: Here are my thoughts on the Kansas Jayhawks getting into the Top 10 on this list. Currently, they have a 59 game home winning streak. They will not play another home game until next basketball season. This year 2009-2010 they played 12 home games BEFORE league play began. If they win all of those, and they should, they’d tie Arizona at #10. As long as their non-league games don’t include some powerhouse (and it usually doesn’t) and they don’t play a high ranked team in league play the first few games, they have a legitimate shot at working their way up the Top 10 list.
They had 20 total home games this year. If they have 20 more next season and won them all, they’d have a 79 home game winning streak. My guess is that would place them in the top 5 or 6. If they went unbeaten again the following season and played 20 home games, then they’d tied St. Bonaventure at #2. That would be quite a feat in this day and age of basketball.
December 29th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Thanks so much for this! I know Kansas has the ACTIVE win streak at home in the NCAA, but I searched and searched and couldn’t find the longest streak in HISTORY. Someone needs to tell NCAA.org that their stats page is broken. Well, KU is only at 50, so I guess they have a ways to go. Thanks so much!
December 29th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
You’re welcome!
KU’s active streak is what drove me to look into it. I thought KU would at least be in the Top 10. But, alas, they are not. And even cracking the Top 10 will be challenging to do as good as the Big 12 looks this year.
Rock Chalk!
February 12th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Not in the top ten, but if it’s any help, Indiana’s longest home winning streak was 50 games. 2/24/1991 – 1/24/1995.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
That might put Indiana in the top 25.
KU is at 55 and counting.
I think they can crack the Top 10 if they win the few remaining home games left this year, as next year will begin with non-conference teams and it will be a number of cupcakes that they should easily beat.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Yeah, I bet you’re right. Do they have a difficult schedule for the remainder of the season?
A bit off topic, but what do you think of the rumors about the Big Ten courting Texas?
February 12th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
#9 Kansas State in about a week.
I didn’t know the Big Ten was going after Texas. I heard they were going after Mizzou and Mizzou was talking with them. Apparently, Mizzou doesn’t think it gets the respect it should in the Big 12.
I’d be surprised if Texas went but anything is possible.
February 12th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
It’s pretty long, but I think this guy makes some good points: http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2009/12/27/the-big-ten-expansion-index-a-different-shade-of-orange/
PS You going to the Final Four this year?
March 4th, 2010 at 1:13 am
Do you happen to know what KU’s longest streak is? I can’t find it, but I don’t ever remember hearing that the current one is the longest one. Just wondering.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:39 am
KU’s longest home winning streak is 62 games from 1994-1998 under coach Roy Williams.
April 15th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Thanks for sharing, great site and keep it up. I will be back!
September 6th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Hey, I searched for this blog on (bing & yahoo & google) and just wanted to say thanks for the excellent read. I would have to agree with it, thank you again!
November 23rd, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Re: your latest update
The KU/Memphis game isn’t in Lawrence. It’s at MSG.
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Great site and good call on UCLA being unranked but tough. Currently 75-73 KU with 29.2 left Taylor at the line.
ROCK CHALK!
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
That was a close game! Rock Chalk! KU 77 UCLA 76
December 24th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Remember that time UNI beat Kansas? Just thought I’d remind you
Don’t get an ego off a home win streak…there are bigger things. It’s good, but not the only important thing.
Rock CHOKE Jayhawks! Love to see you again this year…we’ll do it again!!!!
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:51 pm
#1 Kentucky – 129 games (1943-1955)
#2 St. Bonaventure – 99 games (1948-1961)
#3 UCLA – 98 games (1970-1976)
#4 Cincinnati – 86 games (1957-1964)
#5 (tie) Arizona – 81 games (1945-51)
and Marquette – 81 games (1967-73)
#7 Lamar – 80 games (1978-84)
#8 Long Beach St. – 75 games (1968-74)
#9 UNLV – 72 games (1974-78)
#10 Arizona – 71 games (1987-92)
KU is at 67
For Win# vs. Opponent (rank)
68 v. UMKC
69 Nebraska
70 Texas (13)
71 Kansas State (17), ties for 10th longest streak
72 Missouri (10), ties for 9th longest streak
73 Iowa State, 9th longest streak outright
74 Colorado
75 Oklahoma State, ties for 8th longest streak
76 Texas A&M (18), 8th longest streak outright
End of regular season
There should be 10 conference home games, 20 conference games total which is up two from this year.
2010-11 w/ 12-teams in Big12: play teams in B12-North twice (5×2) + B12-South once (6) = 16
2011-12 w/ 10-teams in Big12: play each team twice (9×2) = 18
KU ‘could’ hold the 4th longest home winning streak in 2012, and even 2nd in the 2012-2013 season, but that’s getting way, way ahead of the game. There are, and will be, still many top 25 teams and longtime Big 12 opponents to beat first.
January 6th, 2011 at 10:21 am
You got the best of us, I’ll admit. And we’d love to see you again this year.
January 6th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Excellent info! And thanks for the updated count on who plays who. It’s going to be tough to crack the Top 10 with that schedule.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Ah, you are right. I saw that it was a “home” game and concluded it was at KU. KU was simply labeled the home team since one team had to be labeled “home”.
January 16th, 2011 at 12:43 am
#2 St Bonaventure streak was broken by Niagara University, 88 – 78. Niagara was led by Calvin Murphy
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Lots of “home cookin’ ” goes into those homecourt streaks, especially when they extend beyond 70, 75 games. #7, Lamar stole a few close games, thanks to the refs, back when LU had a perenniel Top-25 program. Great fun, though, to be a part of NCAA history!
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:56 pm
I don’t see anybody ever topping the Kentucky streak it is unbelievable that a team could go 12 yrs. without losing at home.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:45 pm
And it comes to an end at 69…does that make Kansas 11th all time?
January 31st, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Great question! I’m not sure.
January 31st, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Agree. I think this is a different day and age of basketball. Regardless, that streak is impressive in any day and age!
February 26th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Actually St.Bonas was ranked #2 in the nation at the time in 1961,and had only been beaten once on the road @ Madison Square Garden by then #1 Ohio state 84-82 I believe. Ohio state was led by John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, and a forward by the name of Bobby Knight The 50th anniversary was Feb. 25th that they lost on that fateful night in 1961 to Niagara University robbing SBU of 100 straight home victories. Calvin Murphy actually came on the scene in the late 1960′s and early 70′s when they had the oppurtunity to face Big Bob Lanier and his NCAA final four Bonaventure team.
December 1st, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Does anyone know what Kentuckys streak is at Rupp Arena?
December 28th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
As of 12/28/11, Kentucky’s basketball win streak at Rupp Arena in Lexington is at 42. This is Kentucky’s second longest home win-streak ever.
January 21st, 2012 at 6:46 pm
I don’t see Kentucky’s 129 game home winning streak ever being broken. They accumulated that streak from 1943-1955 when their competition in the SEC was suspect at best. By today’s standards, Kansas’s 64 game streak is phenomenal when you consider the balance nationwide.
January 21st, 2012 at 11:26 pm
1-21-12 UK now at 47 in Rupp Arena. 2nd longest in UK history. Calapari is unbeaten at home since coming to Lexington. Documentaries I have read about the 12 YEAR streak relate that after the loss in 1955, most of the approximate 10,000 fans in Memorial Coliseum that night were so stunned that they sat in motionless silence for at least 5 minutes afterwards.
February 9th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
IU had a 50 home game win streak…not sure when