No. 4 Virginia’s 22-point win over No. 9 Virginia Tech on Tuesday night avenged the Cavaliers’ only ACC loss since the start of last season, propelled them to sole possession of first place in the conference standings and paved the way for the ‘Hoos to likely take over the No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 Poll if they win at No. 1 Duke on Saturday.

The Cavaliers are 16-0 this season, which makes for convenient math for the following statistical achievement: Virginia is 47-3 in its last 50 games after going 31-3 last season and starting this season undefeated.

When compared to the rest of the 352 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs, it’s the best record by at least three wins compared to every other school in the country in its last 50 games (through Tuesday night).

When looking for a recent historical comparison for a school with an equal – or better – record over the course of 50 consecutive games, Kentucky won 48 of 50 games spanning parts of three seasons from the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the entirety of the Wildcats’ 38-1 2015 season and through the start of non-conference play during the 2016 season.

Gonzaga matched Virginia’s 47-3 record, dating from the end of the 2016 regular season through the first four games of non-conference play last season with the Bulldogs’ 37-2 2017 campaign sandwiched in between. Wichita State has also recently gone 47-3 over a 50-game stretch, spanning from the Shockers’ Final Four run in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, through their 35-1 season in 2014 and the start of the 2015 season.

But Virginia has done so against a more difficult schedule than Gonzaga and Wichita State.

One of the most impressive parts of Virginia’s success in the last season and a half is that the ACC ranked as the second best conference in the country last season and the third-best so far this season, according to kenpom.com. Even strong programs that play in a lower-ranked conference, like Gonzaga, Nevada, Buffalo and Murray State, can’t match Virginia’s record in their last 50 games.

Here’s a look at how Virginia compares to some other schools that have won at least 40 of their last 50 games. The opponent rankings listed below are from kenpom.com and the recruiting class rankings are from the 247Sports Composite rankings.

You’ll notice that many of the winningest programs in the last season and a half don’t rely on one-and-done talent, but often three and four-year players. Virginia’s 2016 recruiting class that featured former four-star recruits Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter now make up the Cavaliers’ top three scorers.

School	Record in Last 50 Games	Wins Over Top-10 Opponents	Wins Over Top-25 Opponents	Wins Over Top-50 Opponents	Wins Over Top-100 Opponents	2018 Recruiting Class Ranking	2017 Recruiting Class Ranking
Virginia	47-3	4	9	21	29	No. 63	No. 98
Gonzaga	44-6	1	2	9	15	No. 69	No. 120
Michigan	44-6	4	9	14	29	No. 12	No. 43
Michigan State	44-6	2	5	11	24	No. 17	No. 49
Cincinnati	42-8	0	3	4	14	No. 66	No. 58
Houston	42-8	1	3	8	17	No. 114	No. 67
Villanova	42-8	3	10	15	31	No. 9	No. 28
Buffalo	41-9	0	0	3	5	No. 77	No. 89
Murray State	41-9	0	0	0	1	No. 145	No. 94
Nevada	41-9	1	1	4	14	No. 51	No. 101
Duke	40-10	2	7	18	25	No. 1	No. 1
Kansas	40-10	3	12	26	32	No. 5	No. 9
New Mexico State	40-10	0	0	2	3	N/A	No. 132
Tennessee	40-10	2	7	10	24	No. 115	No. 54

 

Virginia is currently No. 1 on kenpom.com with the country’s best adjusted efficiency margin by nearly three points per 100 possessions. The Cavaliers are also No. 1 in the NET rankings.

Don’t let the historic nature of Virginia’s most recent loss against UMBC in last year’s NCAA Tournament overshadow the Cavaliers’ ridiculous run.