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Missouri Girls Basketball Team Ties All-Time Record for Most Consecutive Wins

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•12/29/24•

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Incarnate Word Academy Red Knights - Missouri Girls Basketball
Incarnate Word's Abbie Sextro (35) holds the championship trophy following a Class 6 state championship girls basketball game between Kickapoo and Incarnate Word, Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. (© Michael Gulledge Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Incarnate Word Academy, a Missouri girls basketball powerhouse, won its 138th consecutive game by defeating Lift for Life Academy 65-47. In addition to winning the Visitation Christmas Tournament, the Red Knights tied the record for most consecutive girls’ basketball victories.

Peyton Hill led the way against the Hawks with 24 points. Incarnate Word can break the record on Jan. 7 against the St. Dominic Crusaders. Until they earn that victory, the Red Knights will share the record with Central Plains, which established their 138 wins from 2015 to 2020. The Oilers’ streak ended with a 49-44 loss to Phillipsburg on Dec. 11.

Incarnate Word’s last defeat occurred on Feb. 8, 2020, via a 46-44 nailbiter against Rock Bridge. Since then, they haven’t dropped a match despite close calls. The Red Knights closed the 2019-20 season with a 27-4 record, capped off with a 57-54 victory over Ladue Horton Watkins.

Then there were the undefeated seasons. Incarnate Word finished the 2020-21 Missouri girls basketball season at 29-0. The Red Knights went 29-0 again in 2021-22 and 32-0 in 2022-23. Last season, they went 31-0, including an 11-0 home record.

However, their journey to the record had a massive obstacle when head coach Dan Rolfes suffered a near-fatal heart attack. Coincidentally, that incident came after their state tournament semifinal victory against the last team that defeated them.

With heavy hearts, the Red Knights played in the Missouri girls basketball Class 6 state championship game against Kickapoo. Assistant coach Tanner Wilkenson took over, and Incarnate Word won, 53-43, with Hill leading the way with 17 points. Though Rolfes wasn’t in attendance, the Red Knights won their fourth consecutive state championship and 13th overall.

With Rolfes back at the helm, the Red Knights started the 2024-25 season with seven straight victories. Meanwhile, Incarnate Word is the nation’s 19th-best team in the On3 Composite Team Rankings as of Dec. 5.