Kentucky basketball was founded in 1903 and has grown into the sport's most passionate fan base, known as 'Big Blue Nation.' The 'Wildcats' nickname stuck after a 1909 football upset of Illinois. Under Adolph Rupp, the 'Baron of the Bluegrass,' Kentucky won four NCAA championships and 27 SEC titles. The program has won eight national championships overall, second only to UCLA. Rupp Arena, which opened in 1976 as the largest basketball-specific arena in the country, has won nearly 90 percent of its home games all-time.
The 'Wildcats' nickname became associated with Kentucky after a 6-2 football victory over Illinois on October 9, 1909
The 1996 NCAA Championship team, known as 'The Untouchables,' which brought Kentucky back to glory after years of NCAA sanctions
Kentucky has won the national attendance title 29 times since Rupp Arena opened in 1976, more than any other program; Memorial Coliseum sold out all 345 home games during its 26-year tenure
The Kentucky Wildcats compete in the SEC and hold an all-time record of 2447–784 (.757 winning percentage) across 122 recorded seasons dating back to 1902-03. The program has won 8 NCAA national championships (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012) and reached 17 Final Fours.
1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 21-13 | 10-8 (SEC) | Mark Pope | AP #9 |
| 2024-25 | 24-12 | 10-8 (SEC) | Mark Pope | AP #4 |
| 2023-24 | 23-10 | 13-5 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #6 |
| 2022-23 | 22-12 | 12-6 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #4 |
| 2021-22 | 26-8 | 14-4 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #4 |
| 2020-21 | 9-16 | 8-9 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #10 |
| 2019-20 | 25-6 | 15-3 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2018-19 | 30-7 | 15-3 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #2 |
| 2017-18 | 26-11 | 10-8 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #5 |
| 2016-17 | 32-6 | 16-2 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2015-16 | 27-9 | 13-5 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2014-15 | 38-1 | 18-0 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2013-14 | 29-11 | 12-6 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2012-13 | 21-12 | 12-6 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #3 |
| 2011-12 | 38-2 | 16-0 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2010-11 | 29-9 | 10-6 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #8 |
| 2009-10 | 35-3 | 14-2 (SEC) | John Calipari | AP #1 |
| 2008-09 | 22-14 | 8-8 (SEC) | Billy Gillispie | AP #24 |
| 2007-08 | 18-13 | 12-4 (SEC) | Billy Gillispie | AP #20 |
| 2006-07 | 22-12 | 9-7 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #20 |
| 2005-06 | 22-13 | 9-7 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #7 |
| 2004-05 | 28-6 | 14-2 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #3 |
| 2003-04 | 27-5 | 13-3 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #2 |
| 2002-03 | 32-4 | 16-0 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #1 |
| 2001-02 | 22-10 | 10-6 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #4 |
| 2000-01 | 24-10 | 12-4 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #9 |
| 1999-00 | 23-10 | 12-4 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #11 |
| 1998-99 | 28-9 | 11-5 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #3 |
| 1997-98 | 35-4 | 14-2 (SEC) | Tubby Smith | AP #4 |
| 1996-97 | 35-5 | 13-3 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #3 |
| 1995-96 | 34-2 | 16-0 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #1 |
| 1994-95 | 28-5 | 14-2 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #2 |
| 1993-94 | 27-7 | 12-4 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #1 |
| 1992-93 | 30-4 | 13-3 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #1 |
| 1991-92 | 29-7 | 12-4 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #4 |
| 1990-91 | 22-6 | 14-4 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | AP #8 |
| 1989-90 | 14-14 | 10-8 (SEC) | Rick Pitino | |
| 1988-89 | 13-19 | 8-10 (SEC) | Eddie Sutton | |
| 1986-87 | 18-11 | 10-8 (SEC) | Eddie Sutton | AP #9 |
| 1985-86 | 32-4 | 17-1 (SEC) | Eddie Sutton | AP #3 |
| 1984-85 | 18-13 | 11-7 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #18 |
| 1983-84 | 29-5 | 14-4 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #1 |
| 1982-83 | 23-8 | 13-5 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #2 |
| 1981-82 | 22-8 | 13-5 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #2 |
| 1980-81 | 22-6 | 15-3 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #1 |
| 1979-80 | 29-6 | 15-3 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #2 |
| 1978-79 | 19-12 | 10-8 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #6 |
| 1977-78 | 30-2 | 16-2 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #1 |
| 1976-77 | 26-4 | 16-2 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #2 |
| 1975-76 | 20-10 | 11-7 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #6 |
| 1974-75 | 26-5 | 15-3 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #2 |
| 1973-74 | 13-13 | 9-9 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #10 |
| 1972-73 | 20-8 | 14-4 (SEC) | Joe B. Hall | AP #8 |
| 1971-72 | 21-7 | 14-4 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #7 |
| 1970-71 | 22-6 | 16-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1969-70 | 26-2 | 17-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1968-69 | 23-5 | 16-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1967-68 | 22-5 | 15-3 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #4 |
| 1966-67 | 13-13 | 8-10 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1965-66 | 27-2 | 15-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1964-65 | 15-10 | 10-6 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #8 |
| 1963-64 | 21-6 | 11-3 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1962-63 | 16-9 | 8-6 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1961-62 | 23-3 | 13-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #2 |
| 1960-61 | 19-9 | 10-4 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #19 |
| 1959-60 | 18-7 | 10-4 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #13 |
| 1958-59 | 24-3 | 12-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1957-58 | 23-6 | 12-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1956-57 | 23-5 | 12-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #3 |
| 1955-56 | 20-6 | 12-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #2 |
| 1954-55 | 23-3 | 12-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1953-54 | 25-0 | 14-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1951-52 | 29-3 | 14-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1950-51 | 32-2 | 14-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1949-50 | 25-5 | 11-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #2 |
| 1948-49 | 32-2 | 13-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | AP #1 |
| 1947-48 | 36-3 | 9-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1946-47 | 34-3 | 11-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1945-46 | 28-2 | 6-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1944-45 | 22-4 | 4-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1943-44 | 19-2 | SEC | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1942-43 | 17-6 | 8-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1941-42 | 19-6 | 6-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1940-41 | 17-8 | 8-1 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1939-40 | 15-6 | 4-4 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1938-39 | 16-4 | 5-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1937-38 | 13-5 | 6-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1936-37 | 17-5 | 5-3 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1935-36 | 15-6 | 6-2 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1934-35 | 19-2 | 11-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1933-34 | 16-1 | 11-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1932-33 | 21-3 | 8-0 (SEC) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1931-32 | 15-2 | 9-1 (Southern) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1930-31 | 15-3 | 8-2 (Southern) | Adolph Rupp | |
| 1929-30 | 16-3 | 9-1 (Southern) | John Mauer | |
| 1928-29 | 12-5 | 7-4 (Southern) | John Mauer | |
| 1927-28 | 12-6 | 8-1 (Southern) | John Mauer | |
| 1926-27 | 3-13 | 1-6 (Southern) | Basil Hayden | |
| 1925-26 | 15-3 | 8-0 (Southern) | Ray Eklund | |
| 1924-25 | 13-8 | 6-2 (Southern) | Clarence Applegran | |
| 1923-24 | 13-3 | 6-2 (Southern) | George Buchheit | |
| 1922-23 | 3-10 | 0-5 (Southern) | George Buchheit | |
| 1921-22 | 10-6 | 3-1 (Southern) | George Buchheit | |
| 1920-21 | 13-1 | Southern | George Buchheit | |
| 1919-20 | 5-7 | Ind | George Buchheit | |
| 1918-19 | 6-8 | Ind | Andrew Gill | |
| 1917-18 | 9-2 | Ind | Daddy Boles | |
| 1916-17 | 4-6 | Ind | J.J. Tigert | |
| 1915-16 | 8-6 | Ind | Jim Park | |
| 1914-15 | 7-5 | Ind | Alpha Brummage | |
| 1913-14 | 12-2 | Ind | Alpha Brummage | |
| 1912-13 | 5-3 | Ind | J.J. Tigert | |
| 1911-12 | 9-0 | Ind | Edwin Sweetland | |
| 1910-11 | 5-6 | Ind | Hal Iddings | |
| 1909-10 | 4-8 | Ind | Edwin Sweetland | |
| 1908-09 | 5-4 | Ind | J.S. Chambers | |
| 1907-08 | 5-6 | Ind | J.S. Chambers | |
| 1906-07 | 3-6 | Ind | Unknown | |
| 1905-06 | 5-9 | Ind | Unknown | |
| 1904-05 | 1-4 | Ind | F.E. Schacht | |
| 1903-04 | 1-4 | Ind | Unknown | |
| 1902-03 | 1-2 | Ind | Unknown |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|