Kansas has climbed seven wins closer to Kentucky since last year at this time
Kentucky and Kansas — the two winningest programs in men’s college basketball history — collide for the 30th time on Saturday (6:15 p.m., ESPN).
The Wildcats enjoy an 18-victory lead over the Jayhawks in the race for most all-time wins, UK with 2,222 and Kansas with 2,204. The Jayhawks have shaved seven victories off their deficit since the teams took the court against each other last year.
UK also leads the all-time series between the teams, 22-7, and is 7-1 all-time against Kansas in Lexington, where Saturday’s game will be played. The last time the teams met in Rupp Arena was Jan. 9, 2005, and Kansas won, 65-59. Kansas also won the teams’ most recent meeting overall, 90-84 last season in Lawrence, Kan.
Kansas (18-2) is ranked No. 2 this week in The Associated Press media poll and No. 1 in the USA Today coaches’ poll. Kentucky (17-3) is No. 4 in both polls. Both teams were defeated in their most recent games on Tuesday night. Kansas fell at West Virginia, 85-69. Kentucky was beaten at Tennessee, 82-80.
KENTUCKY-KANSAS: BY THE NUMBERS
Category | Kentucky | Kansas |
All-time wins | 2,222 | 2,204 |
All-time losses | 685 | 838 |
All-time win pct. | .764 | .725 |
NCAA titles | 8 | 3 |
NCAA Final Fours | 17 | 14 |
NCAA tourneys | 55 | 45 |
NCAA tourney wins | 121 | 100 |
Hall of Famers | 10 | 18 |
Consensus First-Team All-Americans | 26 | 28 |
1,000-point scorers | 60 | 58 |
NBA first-round picks | 42 | 32 |
Players currently in NBA | 23 | 15 |
NCAA TITLES
Kentucky (8) — 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012.
Kansas (3) — 1952, 1988, 2008.
NAISMITH HALL OF FAME MEMBERS
Kentucky (10) — John Calipari, Louie Dampier, Cliff Hagan, Dan Issel, C.M. Newton, Rick Pitino, Frank Ramsey, Pat Riley, Adolph Rupp, Adrian Smith.
Kansas (18) — Phog Allen, Larry Brown, John Bunn, Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Endacott, Bill Johnson, Allen Kelley, Arthur Lonborg, Clyde Lovellette, John McClendon, Ralph Miller, Dr. James Naismith, E.C. Quigley, Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Jo Jo White, Roy Williams, Lynette Woodard.
PLAYERS CURRENTLY ON NBA ROSTERS
Kentucky (23) — Eric Bledsoe (Phoenix), Devin Booker (Phoenix), Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte), Andrew Harrison (Memphis), Terrence Jones (New Orleans), Enes Kanter (Oklahoma City), Brandon Knight (Phoenix), Skal Labissiere (Sacramento), DeAndre Liggins (Cleveland), Trey Lyles (Utah), Jodie Meeks (Orlando), Jamal Murray (Denver), Nerlens Noel (Philadelphia), Patrick Patterson (Toronto), Julius Randle (L.A. Lakers), Rajon Rondo (Chicago), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota), Tyler Ulis (Phoenix), John Wall (Washington), James Young (Boston).
Kansas (15) — Cole Aldrich (Minnesota), Darrell Arthur (Denver), Tarik Black (L.A. Lakers), Nick Collison (Oklahoma City), Cheick Diallo (New Orleans), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia), Ben McLemore (Sacramento), Marcus Morris (Detroit), Markieff Morris (Washington), Kelly Oubre (Washington), Paul Pierce (L.A. Clippers), Thomas Robinson (L.A. Lakers), Brandon Rush (Minnesota), Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota), Jeff Withey (Utah).
KENTUCKY-KANSAS SERIES
Kentucky leads 22-7
Date | Winner | Score | Location |
Dec. 16, 1950 | Kentucky | 68-39 | Lexington |
Dec. 14, 1959 | Kentucky | 77-72 (OT) | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 6, 1969 | Kentucky | 115-85 | Lexington |
Dec. 4, 1971 | Kentucky | 79-69 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 23, 1972 | Kentucky | 77-71 | Lexington |
Dec. 3, 1973 | Kansas | 71-63 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 23, 1974 | Kentucky | 100-63 | Louisville |
Dec. 13, 1975 | Kentucky | 54-48 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 11, 1976 | Kentucky | 90-63 | Lexington |
Dec. 10, 1977 | Kentucky | 73-66 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 9, 1978 | Kentucky | 67-66 (OT) | Lexington |
Dec. 12, 1979 | Kentucky | 57-56 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 13, 1980 | Kentucky | 87-73 | Lexington |
Dec. 12, 1981 | Kentucky | 77-74 | (OT) Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 29, 1982 | Kentucky | 83-62 | Louisville |
Dec. 10, 1983 | Kentucky | 72-50 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 31, 1984 | Kentucky | 92-89 | Louisville |
Dec. 14, 1985 | Kansas | 83-66 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 9, 1989 | Kansas | 150-95 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Dec. 8, 1990 | Kentucky | 88-71 | Lexington |
Dec. 1, 199 | 8 Kentucky | 63-45 | Chicago (Great Eight) |
Mar. 14, 1999 | Kentucky | 92-88 (OT) | New Orleans (NCAA 2nd rd.) |
Jan. 9, 2005 | Kansas | 65-59 | Lexington |
Jan. 7, 2006 | Kansas | 73-46 | Lawrence, Kan. |
Mar. 18, 2007 | Kansas | 88-76 | Chicago (NCAA 2nd rd.) |
Nov. 15, 2011 | Kentucky | 75-65 | New York (Champions Classic) |
Apr. 2, 2012 | Kentucky | 67-59 | New Orleans (NCAA Title) |
Nov. 18, 2014 | Kentucky | 72-40 | Indianapolis (Champions Classic) |
Jan. 30, 2016 | Kansas | 90-84 (OT) | Lawrence, Kan. |
WINNINGEST PROGRAMS
College basketball’s all-time winningest programs by number of victories:
1. Kentucky 2,222
2. Kansas 2,204
3. North Carolina 2,192
4. Duke 2,102
5. Syracuse 1,955
6. Temple 1,881
7. UCLA 1,837
8. Notre Dame 1,836
9. St. John’s 1,813
10. Indiana 1,797
11. Louisville 1,795
12. BYU 1,779
13. Utah 1,773
14. Illinois 1,757
15. Arizona 1,756
16. Texas 1,747
17. Cincinnati 1,745
18. Washington 1,744
19. Western Kentucky 1,743
20. Penn 1,741-x
21. Purdue 1,737
22. West Virginia 1,718
23. Oregon State 1,710
24. Princeton 1,705
25. Villanova 1,700
x-Friday’s game not included
This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Kansas has climbed seven wins closer to Kentucky since last year at this time."