In other news, UConn allowed its own record to remain intact

[alexrgct]

Heck, as far as I'm concerned, a double-digit win over Notre Dame is always a season highlight. It's just not a season record, and the record in question is in that much more danger of holding up.

The record in question is the highest lowest single-game margin of victory in a season. To qualify, a team must be undefeated. Otherwise, that team's MOV is negative for that game. For instance, the highest single-game MOV for UConn 2000 is -1 (sole loss of the season to Tennessee) or -2 for UConn 2015 (sole loss of the season to Stanford.) So, what about undefeated teams? Immaculata had one in 1973, and the Macs' single-game MOV went as high as the single digits. The same can be said of La Tech in 1981, Texas 1986, Tennessee 1998, and Baylor 2012.

What about UConn's undefeated seasons? Well UConn 1995 featured the six-pointer in the NC game (not to mention the regional finals), 2002 had included the 9-point win over Va Tech, 2009 included 10-point wins over ND and and Rutgers, and 2010 had the the six-point win over Stanford in the NC game.

Of course, UConn 2013-14 won every game by at least 11 points. Now, THAT is the record.

And the smart money is on the record standing for at least another season.

The record is guaranteed to stand for another season as soon as the last team in Division 1 wins by 10 or fewer points. Of the undefeated teams remaining, only USC and Missouri, by my research, have won all of its games by 11 or more.

Meanwhile, UConn's own record from 2014 was in danger of falling to...Uconn 2016. I mean, makes sense with the 40+-point beatdowns to open the season, right? Plus, I thought the 16-point win over DePaul was especially auspicious. If UConn plays that well against that system on the road, watch out for the Huskies.

And then UConn 2015-16 only beat Notre Dame by 10, even after being up 22. Damn them.

 

[alexrgct]

No comments at all? Tough crowd!

Ah well- I'll also have the significance of the 55-game win streak to discuss as Uconn closes in on 12 more in a row...

 

[Aluminny69]

"For instance, the highest single-game MOV for UConn 2000 is -1"

Shouldn't that be LOWEST single game MOV?

BTW, a more important stat would be average MOV for undefeated teams, although that stat would depend on quality of opposition.

 

[UcMiami]

Alex - fun stuff.
When looking at some of the records for Uconn there are a few that stand out as being hard to imagine ever being broken except possibly by another Uconn team:

1. 90 wins - no other coaching staff in WCBB seems to have perfected the ability to so consistently achieve focus in the moment - possession to possessions, game to game, year after year. Even should this great Uconn team go undefeated, they would still end up needing another 15 wins next year to tie. The only recently dominant team that looked like it might be capable of getting close - Baylor after their 40-0 season ended only three games into their next season.

2. 5 undefeated NCAA D1 seasons - again, the focus achieved at Uconn is unique - the next closest team/coach has one such season, and it has only been achieved three other times (Baylor/Kim, TN/Pat, Texas/Conradt)

3. 10 national championships - like Wooden/UCLA before, Geno/Uconn are spanning eras in the respective genders from pre-modern to modern where the money/resources/focus are expanding rapidly. The chance of any current or future coach has of coming close to this record is very slim, especially considering there are 2 active coaches with 2 wins (Kim/Tara) and only 4 more with a single NC (Gary, Brenda, Muffet, Sylvia.) Like in the men's game, competition has expanded and coaches will become 'legendary' for reaching 3 or 4 wins rather than challenging the actual record.

4. 8 Consecutive final four appearances - five teams/coaches have appeared in five consecutive final fours - Uconn (2), LSU, Stanford, and ND. Two of those streak are on-going Uconn at 8 and ND at 5. This one is a record that it might be possible to duplicate or pass - ND and Uconn both look likely to extend their streaks, and ND should Uconn falter in the next few years is well positioned to continue their streak into future years. While the competition has improved in the women's game, the coaching has perhaps not kept up with the talent, and building a team capable of being one of the 4 best teams each year is a lot easier than building one that is continually THE best.

5. 2 3peats - the 3peat has been accomplished three times, twice by Geno/Uconn and once by Pat/TN - with the increased competition, it is getting harder to maintain being #1 in three consecutive years. With no active coaches/teams having achieved it once, it is hard to see any current coach/team getting there twice. And it will just get harder every year.

6. 2 Double digit minimum MOV seasons - as noted in #2, undefeated seasons are rare enough, maintaining an MOV of double digits in an undefeated season is even rare having been done only twice, as Alex notes. This record is not likely, but also not unachievable - putting together a truly dominant team in women's basketball can be done, and maintaining a ten point MOV through perhaps 10 truly competitive games in a season could be accomplished by any really good coach. It is rare, but the idea of doing it twice if you have a Griner and Sims combination with a good supporting cast is not unthinkable.

7. 11 point minimum MOV - see #6 - if a double digit minimum MOV undefeated season is not unthinkable, doing it by 12 points or more is also not unthinkable or unachievable.

8. 40.6 full year MOV - achieved in a one loss season! Considering that Uconn holds the top five full year MOV spots in the record book, and 12 of the top 20 positions! and the only teams to break into Uconn's dominance accomplished their MOVs in the previous century, this may actually be a harder record to reach than it might appear. Really good teams in WCBB can blow out a lot of their competition by ridiculous margins, but sustaining those margins through the NCAAs and against the stronger parts of their schedule is pretty difficult. Uconn's focus on detail even in blow-outs, their distancing themselves from their strongest competition and ability to blow-out even highly ranked teams is unprecedented and may be unreachable by other teams. The combination of explosive offense and relentless defense is unique and has never been seen before - and may never be matched by another team. This record was achieved with a one loss season, and with the 5 starters on the team averaging only 27.2 minutes per game. A lot of the credit therefore belongs to a bench that maintained or increased the MOV in games.

On edit:
9. Two consecutive undefeated season - given that only one active coach other than Geno has achieved a single undefeated season, this one seems to be a pretty safe record.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Alex - fun stuff.

9. Two consecutive undefeated season - given that only one active coach other than Geno has achieved a single undefeated season, this one seems to be a pretty safe record.

Unless someone can travel back in time and keep Amber Orrange from making that damned 3 pointer! In which case THREE in a row would be in the offing ....

 

[Gus Mahler]

And then UConn 2015-16 only beat Notre Dame by 10, even after being up 22. Damn them.

As I said in another thread, that travel by Lou at the end was the killer. She really needs to be more careful.

 

[alexrgct]

And if UConn wins the next 12 in a row, it won't be a new record, but Geno will have the top THREE winning streaks in WCBB history:

1. UConn- 90 (2008-2010)
2. UConn- 70 (2001-2003)
3. uConn- 55 (2014-2016)
4. La Tech- 54 (1980-1982)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Being a live in the moment guy - or at least a year or two either way of it, I am in awe of you stats guys and gals! Are their any stat gals you know about? I was just being PC, or feigning to be. Uh, Kib, when was the last time feigning was used in a post here?

PS. I'll enjoy the entire season, but only have one goal. Stewie and I and I suspect a few more share it. Stats be damned.

 

[alexrgct]

Well, my research was in error insomuch as usc had a four- point win over gonzaga from 11/24. Meanwhile, Missouri has helped Uconn! Only beat Colorado by four last night.

In other words, looks to me like Uconn's record established in 2014 stands for at least one more season. That's what happens when you let ND get back within 10...

 

[pacific 44]

Also,how long has it been since uconn has lost 2 in a row? I think it has been 22 years.There can't be any other teams even close to that.

 

[Kaizen]

As I said in another thread, that travel by Lou at the end was the killer. She really needs to be more careful.

Yes, I am sure Lou will be more careful next time. But she also scored 13 pts in that game including three 3 pts. Wish to see KLS to repeat this in next game.

 

[alexrgct]

Also,how long has it been since uconn has lost 2 in a row? I think it has been 22 years.There can't be any other teams even close to that.

Not since the first round of the 1993 NCAA tourney.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not since the first round of the 1993 NCAA tourney.

Yep, March 1993. Approaching 23 seasons. Unfathomable.

 

[alexrgct]

Yep, March 1993. Approaching 23 seasons. Unfathomable.

The victor in this game? Louisville, and Uconn hasn't lost to Louisville since then. A hard-fought overtime win against USF in late 2004 prevented Uconn from losing two in a row, a scenario that's been in no danger of happening since.