A 40-0 run could come to fruition with UK’s current team

By Karl Werner

Perfection is an ideal we all chase. In sports, the undefeated season is a sort of Holy Grail; it has appearances in “ancient history” (sports -wise), but every pursuer in the modern era, no matter how close, has come up empty-handed.

Sports fans will remember the 18-0 New England Patriots, a historically great team, having their dream season torn away by David Tyree and his miraculous “helmet catch” in Super Bowl 42. As UK fans will recall just two short seasons ago when Big Blue went 38-2 and claimed an eighth national title. This season, our team is perhaps the greatest collection of raw talent in NCAA D1 basketball history. We have nine All-Americans, a future lottery pick, and two of the best Kentucky high school players in recent memory. This team is one of Calipari’s most experienced, in terms of age and in terms of playing experience.

Driven by fresh, immense talent and a still-stinging defeat from last year’s championship, the Cats have thrashed every challenger so far. With a unique platoon system and transcendent defense, not one win has been by single digits. We crushed a Kansas team ranked in the top ten by 30 points, even while struggling horribly on the offensive end. Could it be possible? Could we be witnessing the greatest sports season of the modern era? Can the 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats go 40-0?

From 1964 to 1973, the UCLA men’s basketball team went undefeated four times. In 1976, the Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 en route to a national championship. Since then, no team has played a perfect season. Season length has continued to expand, and talent has spread across the college basketball landscape. This parity and strenuous scheduling has pushed competition levels to an all-time high. Michael Jordan himself lost twice while leading North Carolina to a 34-2 record and a title in 1982. Not even the best basketball player of all time could do it. And that was in 4 fewer games.

UK has recently had two out-of-this-world teams: 1996’s Untouchables led by Kenny “Sky” Walker went 34-2 and won the NCAA tournament. In 2011-2012, our team had the first and second overall picks in the NBA draft. The team also set the record for most players drafted in a single two-round draft (6). This team went 38-2, and without that second loss to Vanderbilt, I do not believe they would have won out. The loss lit a fire under the squad and propelled them to a dominant tournament performance. Despite having record-setting ability and a freak of nature named Anthony Davis, going undefeated was still undoable.

In the modern basketball era, UK has had astronomical ability more than once. This talent has led to a multitude of title runs, both failed and successful. Every single time, there have been hiccups. There has always been a blemish.

Last year, UK defeated a Wichita State team that had gone 34-0 in the regular season.  Only an easy schedule and phenomenal play allowed Wichita to get to this point, yet it still was not enough. This year’s UK team, despite a difficult early schedule, is currently unbeaten and has softer opponents to end the season. The Cats have arguably the greatest collection of raw ability in basketball history. Recently losing Alex Poythress hurts, but the depth and talent remain historically unparalleled. The team seems to be improving and playing well together. 40-0 has never been done in college basketball. Seasons with upwards of 40 games and parity across the NCAA have made it unreachable. Is this UK team, with their level of talent and teamwork, special enough to achieve the impossible?

So many formidable teams have knocked on the door and been turned away. Buzzer beaters, bad games, injuries, luck, referees, talent on other teams (Duke….they have a plethora of All-Americans themselves), and historical evidence make this task herculean. At best, it seems highly improbable, even with the platoon system. But if any team can do it, it is this one. Sit back, relax, and witness a run for the ages.