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Miami Hurricanes Long Winning Streak Safe After UConn WBB Loss

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 31, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs guard Morgan William (2) shoots the game winning shot in overtime against Connecticut Huskies guard Gabby Williams (15) in the semifinals of the women's Final Four at American Airlines Center. The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs defeated the Connecticut Huskies 66-64. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs guard Morgan William (2) shoots the game winning shot in overtime against Connecticut Huskies guard Gabby Williams (15) in the semifinals of the women's Final Four at American Airlines Center. The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs defeated the Connecticut Huskies 66-64. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Connecticut women’s basketball team had their 111 game winning streak and four-year hold on the National Championship end in a shocking loss to Mississippi State in the National Semifinal on Friday night. The Miami Hurricanes Men’s Tennis 137 dual match winning streak is safe for many more years.

From 1957 to 1964 the Miami Hurricanes men’s’ tennis won 137 consecutive dual matches under William Lufler and Dale Lewis. Lufler would retire following the 1957 season after the Hurricanes streak began with 20 wins to conclude the season.

Lufler finished his career with an all-time duel meet record of 138-2-1. During his tenure, the Hurricanes also had win streaks that reached 59 and 72 in his eight seasons in Coral Gables.

Almost as amazing as their 137 match winning streak was that it was preceded by a 72 match streak. From 1952-64 the Hurricanes had a stretch of winning 209 out of 210 duel meet matches.

Lewis took over in 1958 and stayed through the 1979 season. He managed the win streak to an NCAA Record 137 dual meet matches. Lufler and Lewis are in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men’s tennis Hall of Fame.

The ITA has a permanent display honoring the Hurricanes streak. Former Hurricane Dave Harum who was on the 1957 team is quoted in the Hurricanes Tennis Media Guide discussing the streak.

"Bill Lufler kept us in a highly competitive state…”He was always ‘sicking’ us on one another during practice and that competitiveness would carry over to the matches.”"

Harum is now an architect is based in Key Largo. He has designed several tennis facilities including the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on UM’s campus.

Hurricanes All-American John Skogstad played a few seasons after Harum in 1960-61. He credited playing in South Florida keeping the Hurricanes competitive.

"“One of the keys to our success was being in South Florida…There was an abundance of organized tournaments throughout the year with great competition for us against college and pro players.”"

The most amazing fact about the Hurricanes during the streak is that they failed to win a National Championship. Unlike now when there are separate duel match tournaments and single and doubles tournaments, the titles back then were determined solely based on how teams performed in the singles and doubles tournaments.

Teams would be awarded points with how far their singles players and doubles teams advanced in their respective tournaments. The Hurricanes highest finish was second in 1965.

The change to the dual match format to determine the team championship in 1977 virtually makes Miami’s streak almost unbeatable. Teams now play between 35 and 40 dual matches in a season. USC won four straight National Championships between 2009-’12.

They would have had to go undefeated in all four of those seasons to approach the Miami record. In the 40 years since the advent of the 16 team dual meet NCAA Tournament, only four teams have finished a season undefeated.

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The UConn Women began their streak with a 105-37 win over Idaho in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. They continued it through the 2016 season with three straight undefeated National Championship seasons.

The UConn Women defeated Mississippi State 98-38 last season in the Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. UConn dominated the first three-quarters before taking their foot off the gas.

The Huskies led 32-4 after the first quarter, 61-12 at halftime and 84-20 after three-quarters. The Bulldogs reversed the tide a year later. They led 22-13 after one-quarter and began the second with a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 29-13.

UConn fought back and took the lead less than three minutes into the third quarter. The game remained back and forth the rest of the way with neither team holding more than a three-point lead.

Mississippi State finally pulled the upset on Morgan William’s shot at the buzzer. The win advanced the Bulldogs to their first ever National Championship game.

A National Championship this season for UConn would have put them within 26 wins of the Hurricanes’ streak. Their 26th win of the season this year came on February 18th over South Florida.

The win over the Bulls was the fourth to last game of the regular season for the Huskies. This year marked their fourth consecutive undefeated regular season. If they had held on and defeated Mississippi State and then South Carolina UConn would have had a chance to break Miami’s record next season.

UConn had three Seniors on this year’s team, only two of which made major contributions. Their four leading scorers and five of their top six are underclassmen. If they had closed out this season with a championship. The countdown would have been on to the longest winning streak in collegiate history.

Next: Can Oregon Follow Miami’s Example to Beat North Carolina?

If they had closed out this season with a championship. The countdown would have been on to the longest winning streak in collegiate history. For now the Miami Hurricanes Men’s Tennis streak of 137, the longest streak in collegiate sports history is safe for many years.

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