Historical significance of Kentucky’s undefeated home record

The Kentucky Wildcats improved to 18-0 inside Rupp Arena this season with a 83-72 win over Ole Miss on Senior Night. After celebrating two seniors who have helped take the program into the top 10 this season, the team made some historically significant progress toward success.

The undefeated home schedule, which included visits from Alabama, LSU and Tennessee, is Kentucky’s first since 2016 and the most home wins since 2015. While the Wildcats have achieved the feat many times before in the past 100-plus years of basketball, the historic context makes it impressive.

In 13 seasons under John Calipari, Kentucky has gone undefeated at home six times, the best percentage of achievement for any coach with more than two seasons in program history. However, Calipari still trails Adolph Rupp’s 18 undefeated home slates over his career. To provide further context on the school’s history, Joe B. Hall

To have the 2021-22 roster mentioned in the same conversation as some of the school’s most legendary players and coaches, the attention can now turn toward winning elsewhere in the regular season’s final game and the postseason slate. There are also some key numbers relating what Kentucky did at home under Calipari to what they accomplished at Rupp Arena.

More on Kentucky’s success

An undefeated home slate is impressive on its own, but what John Calipari has been able to do with those teams in the past could set high standards for this group in the postseason. In his five previous times achieving the feat, the Hall of Fame coach has led his team to at least the Elite Eight four times.

Included in those four trips to the Elite Eight, Kentucky made three Final Four appearances and two National Championship game appearances with one win in 2012.

Dating further back than the current coach, Kentucky has won six of its eight NCAA Tournament championships in seasons where it won all of its home games during the regular season. Calipari, Hall and Rupp all won national championships in seasons where they were able to accomplish a perfect home record.

The 2021-22 teams still has plenty more work to do before thinking about a national championship, but with a star-studded group of veterans clicking with talented young players there is no limit on their postseason potential. While winning games at home often does not translate to neutral court success, the way Big Blue Nation travels makes many NCAA Tournament games feels like Kentucky games in an alternate location.