Arizona only school in country with unbeaten men’s and women’s basketball programs

If college basketball had its own version of Survivor, the Arizona Wildcats would be heading home as champions.

Arizona is the only remaining school in the country with unbeaten men’s and women’s basketball programs. The UA, Iowa and Iowa State were the three schools with unbeaten men’s and women’s hoops programs entering Thursday night, but Iowa and Iowa State’s women’s teams both lost.

Now the question becomes whether Arizona’s men’s and women’s basketball can outlast all other unbeaten programs in their respective sports.

The Wildcats are one of 14 unbeaten teams in men’s basketball. Arizona could face Wyoming on Dec. 8 in a matchup of two unbeatens, unless the Wildcats or Cowboys lose before then. UA faces 1-7 Oregon State in Corvallis on Sunday, while Wyoming hosts McNeese State on Saturday, so there’s a decent chance neither team will have a loss when they square up in McKale Center next week.

Meanwhile, Arizona is one of 11 unbeaten teams in women’s hoops. UA’s next game is against North Dakote State at home on Dec. 9, and its next tough test is against Texas in Las Vegas on Dec. 19.

Though it’s unlikely that both remain unbeaten into the new year, the fact that Arizona is the lone school in the country with two unbeaten hoops teams is a testament to the coaching of Adia Barnes and Tommy Lloyd and the resiliency of each teams’ rosters.