Kansas takes all-time NCAA wins record from Kentucky

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In the process of advancing to the Elite 8, Kansas also overtook the Kentucky Wildcats in all-time wins.

On Friday night, the Jayhawks surpassed UK for the most all-time wins in Divison I history with a victory over Providence in the Sweet 16. Kansas now has 2,354 total wins compared to Kentucky’s 2,353, a title Kentucky held since 1996. UK was the first team to breach the 2,000-win mark, which came back in Dec. 2009. Kansas began the 2021-22 season four games behind Kentucky on the all-time list.

The all-time records for both programs stand at 2,354-877 for Kansas and 2,353-720 for Kentucky. Kansas started playing men’s basketball five years prior to Kentucky.

“I’ll be real candid with you, all that means to me is that we beat Providence,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said earlier this week about the record. “That’s all that means to me. I think those types of things are great. They can be used for recruiting potentially, if you are ever in that position.

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“I’m sure that Kentucky has used that over the years which they should. Maybe if we ever get there we can use it as well. But I don’t really think that what happens now really has a lot to do with what happened in 1950 and 1935 and other years like that. So we hope we become that. But for me and for our players it’s only because it means we won one more game.”

For the first time since 1996, Kentucky is no longer the NCAA’s all-time wins leader. That title now belongs to Kansas with 2,354. The Jayhawks do, however, have 157 more losses all-time than the Wildcats.
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) March 26, 2022

Additionally, North Carolina tied the ‘Cats in all-time NCAA Tournament wins after taking down UCLA on Saturday night in the Sweet 16.

North Carolina and Kentucky now both have 129 all-time postseason victories. UNC came into the tournament with 126 wins but took down Marquette, Baylor, and UCLA en route to tying the record. The Tar Heels will have a chance to overtake the ‘Cats with a matchup against 15-seed Saint Peter’s on Sunday.