2K Race

With all of the off-season hype surrounding Coach Cal and the incoming freshmen class, along with North Carolina's 5th National Champioship, the national and local media seemed to have lost sight of a huge milestone in front of both programs. That is the 2,000th all-time win as a basketball team. I can remember when UK passed UNC on this list and we didn't only pass them, but left them in the rearview. Well now we need to look past the rearview into our side mirror because as they read, "objects may be closer than they appear."

Thanks to a certain Texan, UK has slipped up in the last two years and UNC has creeped ever so close to our wins total. UK currently sits on 1,988 total wins while UNC started the season with 1,984. The problem is, UNC has already won a game and plays again tonight at 9:00 versus NC Central. I feel it is safe to say the Carolina will be only 2 wins behind UK after tonight.

That's OK though, right? I mean, we play Friday and will get the ball rolliing our direction again. That led me to study each teams schedule a little closer than I might normally at this time of year to see who I feel will reach that milestone first.

Starting with UK, we should start the season to an easy 6-0 start when UNC will roll into Rupp Arena. That game is followed by UCONN at MSG in NYC. Let's be honest, both are possible losses, but we should win one if not both of those games. Those games are followed by IU and then 4 more easy wins. Let's just say we win all them. UK will reach the 2,000th all-time win on 12/23 versus Long Beach State. On the other hand, let's say just for argument sake we lose to both UNC and UCONN. Well then that would put our possible 2,000th win versus Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. Wouldn't that a sweet way to ring in the 2,000th all-time victory?

Moving on to UNC. As stated above, they should reach their 1,985th victory tonight. Assuming they win the next 14 games straight (which would include a victory over UK at Rupp) they would hit 2,000 all-time wins on 1/13 versus Clemson. Long story short, UNC's road to 2,000 is much bumpier than UK. They have non-conference games versus Ohio State, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Texas. Although they are really good, I do not forsee the winning all four of those games and really would be surprised if they didn't just split the 4 games somehow (my guess is losses to UK and Texas and wins over Ohio State and Michigan State).

As it stands, if UK and UNC both enter the game in Rupp Arena undefeated on the season, UK will be going for win # 1,995 and UNC will be going for win # 1,992. Since Billy Gillespie is not the coach at UK, I do not see an early season slip-up as we have seen for the last two years in UK's future and will boldly predict that there is nothing to worry about. The University of Kentucky will be the first NCAA team to reach 2,000 all-time wins and will not relinquish the title of NCAA All-Time wins leader anytime in the near, or distant future for that matter.

Go Cats!!!