clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Going The Distance

It doesn’t happen often in the ACC and Virginia won't be doing it this year either.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

NCAA Basketball: Virginia Tech at Virginia
Feb 10, 2018; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Kyle Guy (5) and Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (11) battle for a loose ball with Virginia Tech Hokies guard Justin Bibbs (10) and Hokies forward Chris Clarke (15) during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. 
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

The media herd already had concluded that Virginia, which won its first dozen ACC games, would win six more and finish undefeated in league play.

In-state rival Virginia Tech made sure that didn’t happen, even if it took surviving a blown late lead in regulation and a two-basket deficit late in overtime to beat the Cavaliers on their home court.

The Hokies’ victory over the Cavs at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville means that 19 seasons have now passed since a team cruised through the ACC without a loss. The 1999 Duke squad coached by Mike Krzyzewski was 16-0, most wins ever en route to a perfect league record.

Three coaches -- Frank McGuire, Norman Sloan, and Dean Smith -- each had two undefeated teams in ACC play. McGuire had one at UNC and another at USC. Sloan posted both at NC State, and Smith had two at Chapel Hill, most recently in 1987.

South Carolina’s unbeaten record came in 1970, a year prior to exiting the conference to pursue a grandiose vision that never bore fruit.

Of the eight squads unbeaten in ACC regular-season competition, two went on to win an NCAA championship -- UNC in 1957 and NC State in 1974. Both Duke teams, one under Vic Bubas and the other under Krzyzewski, reached a Final Four.

MAYBE NEXT YEAR
Undefeated Teams in ACC Play, All Time
School Season ACC Record 1st ACC Loss NCAA
North Carolina 1957 14-0 None Champion
Duke 1963 14-0 None Title Game
South Carolina 1970 14-0 Tourn. Final None
NC State 1973 12-0 None Probation
NC State 1974 12-0 None Champion
North Carolina 1984 14-0 Tourn. Semis 2nd Round
North Carolina 1987 14-0 Tourn. Final Elite 8
Duke 1999 16-0 None Title Game

If you're going to shop Amazon, please start here and help DBR and while you're there check out Barry’s book Across The Line
Check out our October '17 t-shirt! | Drop us a line