BTI's Trends in National Title Teams

by:Matt Jones03/02/10
THIS POST IS BY BRYAN THE PROVERBIAL INTERN: I will find any and all stats that will allow me to rationalize that this team will win the national title. So, here are some important stats to consider when sizing this team up coming into March: 1948 Overall Record: 36-2 (.947 win%) Conference Record: 9-0 SEC Tournament Champs: YES Home record: 11-0 All-SEC Players: 5 AP All-Americans: 2 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: NO RANKINGS 1949 Overall Record: 32-2 (.941 win%) Conference Record: 13-0 SEC Tournament Champs: YES Home record: 10-0 All-SEC Players: 5 AP All-Americans: 3 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 2 1951 Overall Record: 32-2 (.941 win%) Conference Record: 14-0 SEC Tournament Champs: NO Home record: 14-0 All-SEC Players: 4 AP All-Americans: 2 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 1 1958 Overall Record: 23-6 (.793 win%) Conference Record: 12-2 SEC Tournament Champs: NOT HELD Home record: 12-1 All-SEC Players: 3 AP All-Americans: 0 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 4 1978 Overall Record: 30-2 (.937 win%) Conference Record: 16-2 SEC Tournament Champs: NOT HELD Home Record: 16-0 All-SEC Players: 4 AP All-Americans: 2 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 2 1996 Overall Record: 34-2 (.944 win%) Conference Record: 16-0 SEC Tournament Champs: NO Home Record: 14-0 All-SEC Players: 3 AP All-Americans: 1 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 4 1998 Overall Record: 35-4 (.900 win%) Conference Record: 14-2 SEC Tournament Champs: YES Home Record: 9-3 AP All-SEC Players: 3 AP All-Americans: 0 Wins vs Ranked Opponents: 8 So, judging by these stats, and then bending them however I want so I can say this team will win the national title, all of the national title teams completed at least 5 of 7 criteria: 1) Overall win % over .900 (2010 win % is .931) 2) No more than 2 conference losses (2010 has 2 losses currently) 3) An SEC Tournament Championship (2010 TBD) 4) No more than 1 home loss (2010 has Zero home losses) 5) At least 3 All-SEC players (2010: Wall, Cousins, Patterson likely) 6) At least 2 AP All-Americans (2010: Wall and Cousins likely) 7) At least 4 wins against ranked opponents (2010: 6 victories over ranked opponents) So, considering UK has 5 of the criteria already locked down, I would say they are pretty much a LOCK to win the national title. Wouldn't you?

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