Undefeated: How many Wyoming basketball teams finished the job at the state tournament?

Entering the state tournament 21-0, the Douglas girls are the odds-on favorite to win the Class 3A championship.

And why shouldn’t they be? The Bearcats have been rolling all season long, and for the better part of the past four years. Douglas won 3A titles in 2018 and 2019 and were in great position to do so again in 2020 before COVID-19 wiped out the state tournament.

Historically, though, Douglas’ odds are only about 50/50.

Since 1990, the last year where full records of all state tournament participants are available, 28 girls teams and 17 boys teams have entered their respective state basketball tournaments undefeated.

Only half the girls teams (14 of 28) and only 29% of the boys teams (five of 17) finished their seasons unbeaten, completing the undefeated gauntlet with three Ws at state.

The girls teams to go undefeated were:

• 4A: Gillette 1991, 23-0
• 3A: Douglas 2018, 27-0
• 3A: Douglas 2005, 26-0
• 3A: Mountain View 1998, 25-0
• 3A: Lyman 1995, 23-0
• 2A: Tongue River 2013, 28-0
• 2A: Tongue River 2005, 23-0
• 2A: Big Horn 2001, 26-0
• 2A: Tongue River 1997, 22-0
• 2A: Lusk 1991, 22-0
• 2A: Lusk 1990, 21-0
• 1A: Snake River 2012, 28-0
• 1A: Burlington 1998, 24-0
• 1A: Cokeville 1990, 21-0

The girls teams who came up short in that quest for perfection?

• 4A: Natrona 2012, 25-1 (lost in championship)
• 4A: Green River 1996, 23-1 (lost in championship)
• 4A: Sheridan 1992, 22-1 (lost in semis)
• 3A: Douglas 2013, 28-1 (lost in championship)
• 3A: Star Valley 2001, 25-1 (lost in semis)
• 3A: Mountain View 1997, 23-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Southeast 2015, 24-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Big Horn 2010, 28-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Pine Bluffs 2004, 22-1 (lost in semis)
• 2A: Tongue River 1996, 24-1 (lost in semis)
• 2A: Wright 1999, 21-2 (lost in quarters/consolation semis)
• 2A: Tongue River 1994, 22-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Saratoga 1992, 22-1 (lost in championship)
• 1A: Guernsey 2006, 26-1 (lost in semis)

In the boys’ ranks, it’s even harder to finish off an undefeated season. In the past 32 years, only five boys teams have finished undefeated:

• 4A: Gillette 1993, 23-0
• 4A: Gillette 1991, 23-0
• 3A: Thermopolis 2004, 25-0
• 2A: Big Horn 2011, 28-0
• 1A: Snake River 2012, 28-0

And the others who have come up short?

• 4A: Gillette 2010, 26-1 (lost in championship)
• 3A: Star Valley 1993, 23-1 (lost in quarters)
• 3A: Torrington 1991, 22-2 (lost in quarters/conso final)
• 2A: Southeast 2010, 26-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Wind River 2008, 29-1 (lost in semis)
• 2A: Lusk 2001, 22-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Tongue River 1999, 22-1 (lost in semis)
• 2A: Wyoming Indian 1994, 22-1 (lost in championship)
• 2A: Upton 1994, 22-1 (lost in quarters)
• 2A: Pine Bluffs 2017, 26-2 (lost in semis/3^rd)
• 1A: Burlington 2013, 26-1 (lost in semis)
• 1A: Arvada-Clearmont 2001, 23-1 (lost in semis)

Remember, wyoming-basketball.com has a ton of research available for you to peruse, including every state tournament score since 1918 and the most complete season-by-season records for teams across the state you’ll find anywhere.

–patrick