How many games in a row did John Wooden's UCLA basketball team win from 1971 to 1974?

A well known and very notable winning streak in basketball includes the UCLA men's basketball team's 88-victory run from 1971 to 1974. This was done when John Wooden was the UCLA basketball head coach from 1948 to 1975. Prior to Wooden's arrival, UCLA had only won two conference championships in the previous 18 years.

Coach Wooden gained lasting fame at UCLA by winning 620 games in 27 seasons and 10 NCAA titles during his last 12 seasons, which included seven in a row from 1967 to 1973. His UCLA teams also had a then-record winning streak of 88 games and four perfect 30–0 seasons. They also won 38 straight games in NCAA Tournaments and 98 straight home game wins at Pauley Pavilion.

Wooden was named NCAA College Basketball's "Coach of the Year" in 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973. In 1967, he was named the Henry Iba Award USBWA College Basketball Coach of the Year. In 1972, he shared Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award with Billie Jean King. He was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 1973, becoming the first to be honored as both a player and a coach.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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19 Comments

Johnny Rock

A decade long era of greatness on display. I remember those unbeaten streak games. Having the second greatest basketball player of all time (Jordan is the first) Kareem Abdul Jabbar 1966-68) on the team didn't hurt either.

Charles Pruitt

In those days, the players couldn't leave school early for the NBA. Many of Coach Wooden's athletes were good enough for the pros.

Pat Wells

John Wooden was the best men's basketball coach ever.

Andre White

Donald Lewis, negative they lost to Notre Dame with John Shumate and Adrian Dantley! I lost a bet with my brother watching that gameand had to give him 20 push-ups everyday for a week!

Howard Groopman

Jeff Hughes, In 1975 I was working at the Social Security office in Van Nuys. I went up front to call the next person waiting, and I saw Wooden in the waiting room, alone. His name was 2nd to be called. I could have skipped the first person and taken him and been a hero, but instead I took the first guy. I ran and told my co-worker to grab the next interview quickly, so he did and had the privilege of taking Wooden's application. He had just retired that spring during the Final Four.

Howard Groopman

I was a big UCLA fan, and the day after I moved from NY to LA, they lost to Notre Dame to end the 88-win streak.

earlepg

Remembered that it had to be really high.

ninakamwene

Lucky guess since I like 88 for abundance and power.

Lisa Curran

University of Connecticut Women have the record now with 126 wins.

docluci

Went to UCLA and still guessed wrong!!!!!

jack patti go

Got it! I always care about answering correctly!

dsneed

Didn't know - don't care.

Jeff Hughes

I was a student at UCLA during this streak. It was an experience that will never be duplicated. Not sure what the greatest record was, the streak, the fact they won the NCAA championship every year I was there, or that in a ten year stretch from 1964 to 1973 they won every year except one. Funny thing is that Texas Western (now UTEP) was the trivia answer for who won that one year, and they made a movie, Glory Road, about that team. Met Wooden a few times. You would never guess he was such a soft spoken, humble man.