Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



For current information on this topic, see 2008-09 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team Kentucky Wildcats University University of Kentucky Conference SEC East Division Location Lexington, KY Head coach Billy Gillispie (1st year) Arena Rupp Arena (Capacity: 23,500) Nickname Wildcats Colors Blue and White Uniforms Home Away NCAA pre-tournament era champions 1933 NCAA Tournament champions 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998 NCAA Tournament runner up 1966, 1975, 1997 NCAA Tournament Final Four 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005 NCAA Tournament appearances 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Conference tournament champions 1933, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004 Conference regular season champions 1933, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest team in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage.[1] Kentucky also leads the NCAA in NCAA tournament appearances, NCAA tournament wins, NCAA tournament games, and ranks second to UCLA in NCAA championships with 7.[2] In addition to these titles, Kentucky also has won the National Invitational Tournament in both 1946 and 1976.[3][4] The Wildcats play their home games in Rupp Arena, a facility named for their former coach, Adolph Rupp. The arena's official capacity is 23,500, and the team consistently ranks first in the nation in home game attendance. The team's huge fan base is often referred to as the "Big Blue Nation". Likewise, the team itself is often referred to as the "Big Blue". The team is currently coached by Billy Gillispie. Contents [hide] 1 National championships 2 Facilities 3 Coaching eras 3.1 Pre-Rupp (1903–1930) 3.1.1 George Bucheit and the "Wonder Team" 3.1.2 The team falters 3.1.3 The Mauermen 3.2 Adolph Rupp (1930–1972) 3.3 Joe B. Hall (1972–1985) 3.4 Eddie Sutton (1985–1989) 3.5 Rick Pitino (1989–1997) 3.6 Orlando "Tubby" Smith (1997–2007) 3.7 Billy Gillispie (2007–present) 3.8 All-time coaching records 4 Awards and Honors 5 Retired Jerseys 6 Current Players in the NBA 7 Memorable teams 8 Traditions 8.1 Nickname 8.2 Big Blue Madness 8.3 My Old Kentucky Home 8.4 "The Y" 8.5 Three Point Streak 9 References 10 See also [edit] National championships The following is a list of Kentucky's 7 National Championships: Year Coach Opponent Score Record 1948 Adolph Rupp Baylor 58-42 36-3 1949 Adolph Rupp Oklahoma State 46-36 32-2 1951 Adolph Rupp Kansas State 68-58 32-2 1958 Adolph Rupp Seattle 84-72 23-6 1978 Joe B. Hall Duke 94-88 30-2 1996 Rick Pitino Syracuse 76-67 34-2 1998 Tubby Smith Utah 78-69 35-4 National Championships 7 [edit] Facilities The Kentucky Wildcats presently play their home games in 23,500-seat Rupp ArenaThe first home court for the Wildcats was simply called "the Gymnasium," and was located in the north wing of Barker Hall on the university campus. Constructed in 1902, it also housed the university's physical education classes until 1909. The facility had a capacity of 650 people, and with no bleachers or seats, fans had to stand to watch the games that were played there.[5] By the 1920s, it had become clear that the Gymnasium (by then renamed the "Ladies' Gym") was inadequate to house the university's basketball team. In 1924, Alumni Gym was completed. The new facility included seating for 2,800 people and cost $92,000 to construct.[5] Coming off back-to-back national championships, the team moved to Memorial Coliseum in 1950. Nicknamed "The House That Rupp Built," the multipurpose facility cost $4 million and seated 12,000 people. It also housed a swimming pool, physical education equipment, and offices for the athletics staff. The team occupied Memorial Coliseum for twenty-six seasons, and sold out every home game during that period.[6] The Wildcats' present home court, Rupp Arena, was opened in 1976. Located off-campus, in downtown Lexington, the facility's official capacity is 23,500.[6] The Wildcats have consistently led the country in





home attendance since the mid 1970's, and in 2008 again led the nation. In 2007, the university unveiled the Joe Craft Center, a $30 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for both the men's and women's teams designed by Anna Frate and John Elliott. [edit] Coaching eras [edit] Pre-Rupp (1903–1930) Records indicate that the first head coach of the Wildcats was W.W.H. Mustaine, who in 1903 called together some students, took up a collection totaling $3 for a ball and told them to start playing.[7] The first recorded intercollegiate game at the college was a 15–6 defeat to nearby Georgetown College. The team went 1–2 for their first "season," also losing to Kentucky University (later Transylvania University) but defeating the Lexington YMCA.[8] Through 1908, the team did not manage a winning season, and had an all-time record of 15–29. In the fall of 1909 the faculty athletic senate voted to abolish the men’s basketball at Kentucky due to poor record and an overcrowded gym. As a reaction to this, the University of Kentucky students presented the board of trustees with a solution to the overcrowding. The plan was for a wooden floor and new lighting to be installed in the Armory. To address the poor record of the past teams, the university's head football coach, E.R. Sweetland was named head coach . This made him first paid coach in Kentucky’s basketball history.[9] That year, the team went 5–4, and only three years later, boasted their first undefeated season with nine victories and no losses.[10] [edit] George Bucheit and the "Wonder Team" The 1921 "Wonder Team"In 1919, George Buchheit became the new head coach of the Wildcats. An alumnus of the University of Illinois, he brought with him a new system of basketball. The "Buchheit system" or "Illinois system," focused on defense and featured one player standing under each basket, while three roamed the court. Buckheit varied the system he learned in Illinois in one important way. While the Illini employed a zone defense, Buchheit's system used an aggressive man-to-man scheme. On offense, he used a complicated system of passing called the "zig-zag" or "figure eight" offense.[11] Although the team had a losing season in Buchheit's first year, they won the first-ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament the next year, defeating the heavily favored Georgia Bulldogs. Both of these teams were composed entirely of native Kentuckians, anchored by All-American Basil Hayden. The tournament victory was considered Kentucky's first major success, and the 1921 team became known as the "Wonder Team."[12] In 1922, the team was unable to build on the success of the "Wonder Team." Although every player was eligible in 1922, two key players, Hayden and Sam Ridgeway, were injured before the start of the season. Hayden returned from his knee injury during the season, but was never able to play at the level he had the previous year. Ridgeway fought a year-long battle with diphtheria, and although he recovered, never played for the Wildcats again. The remaining three members of the "Wonder Team" went 9–5 for the season, and bowed out of the SIAA tournament in the second round.[13] [edit] The team falters Buchheit remained as coach through the 1924 season before moving on to coach Trinity College (later Duke University.) A different coach would guide the team for each of the next four years. C.O. Applegran immediately followed Buchheit, and his 1925 team posted a respectable 13–8 record. The next year, Ray Eklund led the team to a 15–3 record, and produced UK's second All-American, Burgess Carey.[14] Seeing the cupboard largely bare for the upcoming year, Eklund resigned shortly before the start of the 1927 season. The team scrambled to find a new coach, and former player Basil Hayden left his coaching job at Kentucky Wesleyan College to answer the call. An unexperienced coach and a roster largely depleted of talent left the Wildcats with a 3–13 record that year. The disappointment convinced Hayden that he wasn't the "coaching type," and he resigned after the season. Fortunately for the Wildcats, 1927 would be their last losing season for six decades.[15] [edit] The Mauermen The Wildcats' new coach for the 1928 season was John Mauer. Although he had a talented group of players moving up from the junior varsity team, Mauer quickly discovered that his players didn't know the





fundamentals of the game. He began a regimen of three-hour practices five days a week during the preseason. The practice began with half an hour of shooting drills and usually ended with a full-court scrimmage. Between the two, Mauer worked on skill drills and scenarios. Mauer's teams were nicknamed the "Mauermen."[16] Teamwork was the hallmark of Mauer's system. Every player worked on every aspect of the game; there were no specialists. Like Buchheit, Mauer employed a strong man-to-man defense. He utilized a slow-break offense that relied on a complicated system of short passes to get a good shot. Two elements of Mauer's system were new to basketball in the south – the offensive screen and the bounce pass. The latter was so new to most of UK's opponents that it was referred to as the "submarine attack."[17] Over his three-year tenure, Mauer led the Wildcats to an overall record of 40–14. One major prize eluded him, however. Despite having teams that were almost universally acknowledged as the "class of the South," Mauer never led a team to the Southern Conference title. Despite his innate ability for coaching, Mauer lacked the ability to heighten his team's emotions for a big game, a fault that was cited as the reason for his lack of tournament success. Mauer left the Wildcats to coach the Miami University Redskins following the 1930 season.[18] [edit] Adolph Rupp (1930–1972) In 1930, the university hired Adolph Rupp, who was a high school coach in Freeport, Illinois.[7] He would go on to become the all-time winningest coach in college basketball until his record was broken by Dean Smith. As of 2008, Rupp is third on the list of all-time winningest coaches behind Bob Knight and Smith. Rupp coached the University of Kentucky men's basketball team from 1930 to 1972. At Kentucky, he earned the titles "Baron of the Bluegrass" and "The Man in the Brown Suit" (Rupp always wore a brown suit to games). Rupp was a master of motivation and strategy, often using local talent to build his teams. In fact, throughout his career, more than 80% of Rupp's players came from the state of Kentucky. He promoted a sticky man-to-man defense, a fluid set offense, perfect individual fundamentals, and a relentless fast break that battered opponents into defeat. Rupp demanded 100% effort from his players at all times, pushing them to great levels of success. Rupp's Wildcat teams won 4 NCAA championships (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958), one NIT title in 1946 (when the NIT was a tournament equal in prestige to the NCAA tournament), appeared in 20 NCAA tournaments, had 6 NCAA Final Four appearances, won 5 Sugar Bowl tournament championships, captured 27 Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season titles, and won 13 SEC tournaments. Rupp's Kentucky teams also finished ranked #1 on 6 occasions in the final Associated Press college basketball poll and 4 times in the United Press International (Coaches) poll. In addition, Rupp's legendary 1966 Kentucky squad (nicknamed "Rupp's Runts", as no starting player on the squad was taller than 6'5") finished second in the NCAA tournament to Texas Western, and his powerful 1947 Wildcats finished second in the NIT. Also, both Rupp's 1933 and 1954 Kentucky squads were awarded the Helms National Championship. Rupp was forced into retirement in 1972 after reaching age 70, which at the time was the mandatory retirement age for all University of Kentucky employees. He was a 4-time National Coach-of-the-Year award winner. [edit] Joe B. Hall (1972–1985) Joe B. Hall was the head basketball coach at Kentucky from 1972 to 1985. Although he had been an assistant at Kentucky since 1965, Coach Hall was given a difficult task: to follow in the footsteps of his legendary predecessor, Adolph Rupp. In the 1978 NCAA Tournament, he coached the Wildcats to their fifth NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. He was named National Coach of the Year in 1978 and SEC Coach of the Year on four different





occasions. His record at UK was 297-100, and 373-156 over his career. Along with the 1978 title, Hall also guided Kentucky to a runner-up finish to UCLA in the 1975 NCAA tournament (which included an upset of heavily-favored and previously undefeated Indiana in a regional final), a Final Four appearance in the 1984 NCAA Tournament (losing to eventual champion Georgetown), and an NIT championship in 1976. He won eight SEC regular season championships and one SEC tournament championship (1984). (In this context, it must be noted that the SEC abolished its conference tournament in 1953 and did not reinstate it until 1979.) Coach Hall is one of only three men to both play on a NCAA championship team (1949- Kentucky) and coach a NCAA championship team (1978- Kentucky). The only others to achieve this feat are: Bob Knight – Player for Ohio State in 1960 and coach at Indiana in 1976, 1981, and 1987. Dean Smith – Player for Kansas in 1952 and coach at North Carolina in 1982 and 1993. [edit] Eddie Sutton (1985–1989) In 1985, Eddie Sutton succeeded Joe B. Hall. He coached the Wildcats for four years, leading them to the Elite Eight of the 1986 NCAA Tournament and the Sweet 16 in 1988. Sutton's tenure at Kentucky ended with a scandal that badly damaged the school's basketball program. It broke out when an Emery Worldwide package sent to high school prospect Chris Mills from a Kentucky booster popped open and several large-denomination bills popped out. Another player, Eric Manuel, was found to have received improper assistance on his college entrance exams and was ultimately banned from NCAA competition. Kentucky was already on probation stemming from an extensive scheme of payments to recruits, and the NCAA seriously considered hitting the Wildcats with the "death penalty", which would have shut down the entire basketball program (as opposed to simply being banned from postseason play) for up to two years. However, school president David Roselle forced Sutton and athletic director Cliff Hagan to resign. The Wildcats were slapped with three years' probation, a two-year ban from postseason play and a ban from live television in 1989-90. Sutton later admitted that he'd failed to properly control the program, although he personally admitted no wrongdoing. [edit] Rick Pitino (1989–1997) In 1989, Rick Pitino left the NBA's New York Knicks and became the coach at a Kentucky program reeling from the aforementioned scandal. Pitino quickly restored Kentucky's reputation and performance, leading his second school to the Final Four in the 1993 NCAA Tournament, and winning a national title in the 1996 NCAA Tournament, Kentucky's first NCAA championship in 18 years. The following year, Pitino's Kentucky team made it back to the national title game, losing to Arizona in overtime in the finals of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Pitino's fast-paced teams at Kentucky were favorites of the school's fans. It was primarily at Kentucky where he implemented his signature style of full-court pressure defense. Pitino left Kentucky in 1997 to coach the NBA's Boston Celtics. [edit] Orlando "Tubby" Smith (1997–2007) Orlando "Tubby" Smith was introduced as the Wildcats' 20th head coach on May 12, 1997, charged with the unenviable task of replacing popular coach Rick Pitino. The Wildcats were at the top of the basketball world at the time, having won a national title in 1996 and, according to many, missing a second straight title in 1997 by the torn ACL of shooting guard Derek Anderson.[19] (Anderson tore his ACL in January against SEC foe Auburn; Kentucky lost the 1997 title game in overtime to the Arizona Wildcats.) The team Smith inherited sported seven players from the Arizona loss, and five from the 1996 championship team. However, since most of the players who had left after the 1996 and 1997 seasons were high NBA draft





picks, his team had the lowest pre-season ranking since Kentucky came off probation in 1991. [20] In his first season at UK, he coached the Wildcats to their seventh NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, including a come-from-behind victory against Duke in the Elite Eight. His 1998 National Championship is unique in modern times, as being the only team in over twenty years to win without a First Team All American or future NBA Lottery Pick. (see 1998 NCAA Tournament). Smith's teams, known primarily for a defense-oriented slower style of play coined "Tubbyball", received mixed reviews among Kentucky fans who have historically enjoyed a faster, higher-scoring style of play under previous coaches. Smith was also under pressure from Kentucky fans to recruit better players. Smith led Kentucky to one National Championship in 1998, a perfect 16-0 regular season conference record in 2003, five SEC regular season championships (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005) and five SEC Tournament titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004), with six Sweet Sixteen finishes and four Elite Eight finishes (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005) in his ten seasons. He totaled 100 wins quicker than any other Wildcat coach except Hall of Famer Adolph Rupp, reaching the plateau in 130 games. In 2005 he was also named AP Coach of the Year. Although Smith compiled an impressive resume during his UK career, he came under considerable pressure from many UK fans, who believed that his failure to achieve even a single Final Four appearance in his last nine seasons was inadequate by UK standards. This drought is the longest of any coach in UK history[21], although Tubby did come just a double-overtime loss short of another Final Four appearance in 2005. On March 22, 2007, Smith resigned his position of UK Head Coach to accept the head coach position at the University of Minnesota.[22] [edit] Billy Gillispie (2007–present) On April 6, 2007, Billy Gillispie was formally announced as the new head coach of the University of Kentucky by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart. He fielded questions from the media during the press conference held at UK's new practice facility, the Joe Craft Center. He expressed his excitement and joy to be not only considered for the position but to have been given the honor and the opportunity to coach what former UK coach Rick Pitino referred to as the "Roman Empire" of college basketball. "I'm very, very grateful and honored to be here, but we have a lot of work to do."[23] Gillispie becomes only the sixth head coach in the last 76 years at the school.[24] In Gillispie's first season as coach, the Wildcats recovered from a sluggish start to the season and finished with a 12-4 record in the SEC, qualifying for the NCAA tournament for the 17th consecutive year. Their overall record for the season was 18-13. [edit] All-time coaching records Tenure Coach Years Record Pct. 1903-09 W.W.H. Mustaine, others 7 21–35 .375 1910 E.R. Sweetland/R.E. Spahr 1 4-8 .333 1911 H.J. Iddings 1 5-6 .454 1912 E.R. Sweetland 1 9-0 1.000 1813 J.J. Tiggert 1 5-3 .625 1914-15 Alpha Brummage 2 19-7 .731 1916 James Park 1 8-6 .571 1917 W.P. Tuttle 1 4-6 ..792 1918 S.A. Boles 1 9-2-1 .792 1919 Andrew Gill 1 6-8 .428 1920-24 George Buchheith 5 44–27 .619 1925 C.O. Applegran 1 13-8 .619 1926 Ray Eklund 1 15–13 .833 1927 Basil Hayden 1 3–13 .187 1928-30 John Mauer 3 40-14 .740 1931-72 Adolph Rupp 41 876-190 .822 1973-85 Joe B. Hall 13 297-100 .748 1986-89 Eddie Sutton 4 88–39 .693 1990-97 Rick Pitino 8 219-50 .814 1998-2007 Orlando "Tubby" Smith 10 263–83 .760 2007-present Billy Gillispie 1 18-13 .581 Totals 21 coaches 105 seasons 1966–621–1 .760 [edit] Awards and Honors National Coach of the Year: Eddie Sutton - 1986 Rick Pitino - 1992 Tubby Smith - 2003 All-Americans: Basil Hayden - 1921 Burgress Carey - 1925 Carey Spicer - 1929, 1931 Paul McBrayer - 1930 Louis McGinnis - 1930 Forest Sale - 1932, 1933 Ellis Johnson - 1933 John DeMoisey - 1934 Bill Davis - 1934 LeRoy Edwards - 1935 Bernard Opper - 1939 Lee Huber - 1941 Bob Brannum - 1944 Wilbur Schu - 1945 Jack Parkinson - 1946 Jack Tingle - 1946, 1947





Ralph Beard - 1947, 1948, 1949 Alex Groza - 1947, 1948, 1949 Wallace Jones - 1947, 1948, 1949 Jim Line - 1950 Bill Spivey - 1950, 1951 Cliff Hagan - 1952, 1954 Frank Ramsey - 1951, 1952, 1954 Bobby Watson - 1952 Bob Burrow - 1955, 1956 Vernon Hatton - 1958 Johnny Cox - 1957, 1959 Cotton Nash - 1962, 1963, 1964 Pat Riley - 1966 Louie Dampier - 1966, 1967 Thad Jaracz - 1966 Dan Issel - 1969, 1970 Mike Pratt - 1970 Kevin Grevey - 1974, 1975 Jack Givens - 1976, 1977, 1978 Rick Robey - 1977, 1978 Kyle Macy - 1978, 1979, 1980 Sam Bowie - 1981, 1984 Melvin Turpin - 1983, 1984 Kenny Walker - 1985, 1986 Jamal Mashburn - 1992, 1993 Tony Delk - 1996 Ron Mercer - 1997 Scott Padgett - 1998 Tayshaun Prince - 2001, 2002 Keith Bogans - 2003 Olympians: Cliff Barker - 1948 Ralph Beard - 1948 Alex Groza - 1948 Wah Wah Jones - 1948 Ken Rollins - 1948 Billy Evans - 1956 Adrian Smith - 1960 Sam Bowie - 1980 Tayshaun Prince - 2008 SEC Coach of the Year (AP, Coaches, Rivals.com): Joe B. Hall - 1981, 1984 Eddie Sutton - 1986 Rick Pitino - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996 Tubby Smith - 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005 Billy Gillispie - 2008 (Co) SEC Player of the Year (AP, UPI, Coaches): Pat Riley - 1966 Tom Parker - 1972 Kevin Grevey - 1973, 1975 Kyle Macy - 1980 Kenny "Sky" Walker - 1985, 1986 Jamal Mashburn - 1993 Tony Delk - 1996 Ron Mercer - 1997 Tayshaun Prince - 2001 Keith Bogans - 2003 SEC Rookie of the Year (AP, Coaches, Rivals.com): Patrick Patterson - 2008 SEC All-Freshman Team: Rex Chapman - 1987 Eric Manuel - 1988 Chris Mills - 1989 Jamal Mashburn - 1991 Rodrick Rhodes - 1993 Ron Mercer - 1996 Jamaal Magloire - 1997 Keith Bogans - 2000 Gerald Fitch - 2001 Jason Parker - 2001 Chuck Hayes - 2002 Rajon Rondo - 2005 Patrick Patterson - 2008 NBA Champions: Paul Noel - 1951 Rochester Royals Lou Tsioropoulos - 1957 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1957 Boston Celtics Cliff Hagan - 1958 St. Louis Hawks Lou Tsioropoulos - 1959 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1959 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1960 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1961 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1962 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1963 Boston Celtics Frank Ramsey - 1964 Boston Celtics Pat Riley - 1972 Los Angeles Lakers Larry Steele - 1977 Portland Trailblazers Kevin Grevey - 1978 Washington Bullets Rick Robey - 1981 Boston Celtics Tayshaun Prince - 2004 Detroit Pistons Nazr Mohammed - 2005 San Antonio Spurs Derek Anderson - 2006 Miami Heat Antoine Walker - 2006 Miami Heat Rajon Rondo - 2008 Boston Celtics [edit] Retired Jerseys Players: Basil Hayden Carey Spicer Forest Sale John DeMoisey #00 Layton Rouse #26 Ken Rollins #10 Alex Groza #15 Ralph Beard #12 Wallace Jones #27 Cliff Barker #23 Bill Spivey #77 Cliff Hagan #6 Frank Ramsey #30 Lou Tsioropoulos #16 Billy Evans #42 Gayle Rose #20 Jerry Bird #22 Phil Grawemeyer #44 Bob Burrow #52 Vernon Hatton #50 Johnny Cox #24 Cotton Nash #44 Louie Dampier #10 Pat Riley #42 Dan Issel #44 Kevin Grevey #35 Jack "Goose" Givens #21 Rick Robey #53 Kyle Macy #4 Sam Bowie #31 Kenny "Sky" Walker #34 Deron Feldhaus #12 John Pelphrey #34 Richie Farmer #32 Sean Woods #11 Jamal Mashburn #24 Coaches: Adolph Rupp Joe B. Hall Rick Pitino Contributors: Cawood Ledford (radio commentator) Bill "Mr. Wildcat" Keightley (equipment manager) [edit] Current Players in the NBA The following is a list of Kentucky's alumni in the NBA: Player Position Years played at UK NBA Team NBA Success Derek Anderson SG





1995-1997 Charlotte Kelenna Azubuike SF 2002-2005 Golden State Keith Bogans SG 2000-2003 Orlando Joe Crawford SG 2004-2008 Los Angeles Chuck Hayes PF 2002-2005 Houston Jamal Magloire PF 1997-2000 Dallas 2003 NBA All-Star Nazr Mohammed C 1996-1998 Charlotte 2005 NBA Champion Randolph Morris C 2004-2007 Atlanta Tayshaun Prince PF 1999-2002 Detroit 2004 NBA Champion, 2008 Olympian Rajon Rondo PG 2004-2006 Boston 2008 NBA Champion Antoine Walker PF 1994-1996 Memphis 2006 NBA Champion 11 NBA Players 4 NBA Champions 1 Olympian [edit] Memorable teams The Fabulous Five: The 1948 team not only won the NCAA title, but provided the core of the United States 1948 Olympic team that won the gold medal in the London Games. The 1954 Undefeated Team, which went 25-0 in the regular season and defeated LSU in a playoff to earn the Southeastern Conference bid to the NCAA tournament. However, several of the team's players had technically graduated during the 1954 season and were prohibited from tournament play. Despite the wishes of the players, Rupp refused to allow the team to play in the tournament, thus leading to the team's reputation as one of the best teams ever to fail to win an NCAA title.[25] The Fiddlin' Five: The 1958 team was given its nickname by Rupp due to his perception that they tended to "fiddle" early in games. However, they would right their ship in time to give Rupp his fourth and last national title. Rupp's Runts: The 1966 team, with no starter taller than 6'5" (1.96 m), was arguably the most beloved in UK history. Despite its lack of size, it used devastating defensive pressure and a fast-paced offense to take a 27-1 record and top national ranking into the NCAA final against Texas Western. However, the Miners would deny Rupp another title. For more details on the game, see the articles for Rupp and the Miners' coach, Don Haskins. Future NBA coach Pat Riley was a starter on this team. "The Season Without Celebration": Going into the 1978 season, the Wildcats faced perhaps the most suffocating expectations of any UK team. As freshmen, that year's senior class lost in the 1975 final to UCLA in John Wooden's final game as the Bruins' head coach. The seniors had an outstanding supporting cast, and most Kentucky fans would have accepted nothing less than a national title. Despite its successful run to the title, the team was widely criticized, especially by its own fans, for being too serious and focused, giving rise to the "season without celebration" moniker. Much of the criticism was directed at Head Coach Joe B. Hall, who felt under tremendous pressure from fans and boosters to win the championship, and didn't let up in his quest. The Unforgettables: This refers to the 1992 team—more specifically, to the team's four seniors, Richie Farmer, Deron Feldhaus, John Pelphrey, and Sean Woods. During their senior year, after a two-year absence from postseason play due to NCAA probation, they led the Cats to a deep run in the NCAA tournament, losing 104-103 in the East Regional final to Duke in an overtime game often called the greatest game in NCAA basketball history.[1][2] Adding to the team's popularity was the fact that three (Farmer, Feldhaus, Pelphrey) of the four seniors were from small towns in the eastern half of Kentucky. The quartet's jerseys (not their numbers) were retired by UK immediately after the Duke loss; it is very unusual for any team to retire a jersey so quickly after a player's career is finished. Miracle in Mardi Gras: Although the 1994 season would be quite a disappointment in terms of the NCAA Tournament (only non-probation year Pitino failed to take the Cats to at least the Elite Eight), this season is best known for the Wildcats' 31-point comeback at LSU. Down 68-37 with less than sixteen minutes left in the game, Kentucky outscored LSU 62-27 to win 99-95 in one of the greatest comebacks in NCAA basketball history.[3] The Untouchables: The 1996 team was arguably the most talented team in college basketball history, with nine players who would eventually play in the NBA: Derek Anderson Tony Delk Walter McCarty Ron Mercer Nazr Mohammed Mark Pope Jeff Sheppard Wayne Turner Antoine Walker This team became the first SEC team in 40 years to go through the conference regular season undefeated (the Cats would repeat this feat in 2003). After stumbling in the SEC tournament final against Mississippi State, they would make a dominating run to the Final Four. They avenged an early-





season loss to UMass in the national semifinals, and defeated Syracuse in the final. Many of these players, including Scott Padgett, another future NBA player who was ineligible in 1996, returned the following season: The Unbelievables: The 1997 team just missed repeating as national champions when they lost to Arizona in overtime in the NCAA championship game. The nickname comes from the fact that early on in the season, few Wildcats fans gave Kentucky much of a chance of repeating their magical 1996 season. It also gained in importance as the team only had nine total players for the 1997 NCAA Tournament due to injury and transfers. Mohammed, Padgett, Sheppard, and Turner would be back the following season: The Comeback Cats: The 1998 national champions, in Head Coach Tubby Smith's first year at Kentucky, earned this nickname in their last three games. In the South Regional final against Duke, they gained a measure of payback against Duke for the 1992 defeat, coming back from a 17-point deficit with 9:38 remaining. In the national semifinal, they came back from a double-digit halftime deficit again, this time against Stanford. In the final against Utah, they became the first team to come back from a double-digit halftime deficit in the final game. [edit] Traditions [edit] Nickname The first nickname for University of Kentucky athletics teams was the Cadets, an acknowledgment of the school's strong ROTC program. The name changed in 1909 when, following a victory over the University of Illinois in football, UK faculty member 1Lt Philip Corbusier commented that the team "fought like wildcats." The press latched onto the quote, and the university's teams have sported the name Wildcats ever since.[10] [edit] Big Blue Madness Big Blue Madness, formerly known as "Midnight Madness", is a highly anticipated event that marks the first NCAA-allowed basketball practice of the year. Formerly held in Memorial Coliseum, since moving to Rupp Arena, the event has sold out each year. [edit] My Old Kentucky Home Kentucky's state anthem, "My Old Kentucky Home", is traditionally played after home games or after Senior Night Introductions. This song is typically sung by a special guest; arguably the most famous of which was the late Happy Chandler. [edit] "The Y" During the second half of some home games, the cheerleading squad spells out "KENTUCKY." Usually, a special guest performs what is simply called "the Y", an action of making a "Y" with their arms, finishing the spelling of "KENTUCKY." [edit] Three Point Streak The Wildcats have gone 675 consecutive games with at least one three point field goal made as of March 20, 2008, one of the longest such streaks in the nation. [edit] References ^ 2007 NCAA Record Book, p. 47 ^ All-Time Championship Tournament Records ^ "Tournament Results (1940's)". NIT.org. Retrieved on 2007-09-15. ^ "Tournament Results (1970's)". NIT.org. Retrieved on 2007-09-15. ^ a b Nelli, p. 6 ^ a b Nelli, p. 7 ^ a b "All-Time UK Coaches". UK Athletics. Retrieved on 2007-09-15. ^ Nelli, p. 14 ^ Stanly, Gregory Kent, "Before Big Blue – Sports at the University of Kentucky 1880-1940," (The University Press of Kentucky, 1996), p. 115-116, ISBN 0-8131-1991-X. ^ a b Nelli, p. 15 ^ Nelli, pp. 15–17 ^ Nelli, pp. 17–20 ^ Nelli, p. 21 ^ Nelli, pp. 22–23 ^ Nelli, p. 23 ^ Nelli, pp. 24–25 ^ Nelli, pp. 27–28 ^ Nelli, pp. 29–30 ^ "Kentucky". ESPN.com (2000-11-02). Retrieved on 2007-01-12. ^ Shannon, Kelley. "Final Four coaches savor first-time experience". South Coast Today. Retrieved on 2007-01-12. ^ Davis, Ken. "Tubby should keep job, despite spoiled fans". MSNBC. Retrieved on 2007-09-11. ^ ESPN - Smith leaving Kentucky to coach Minnesota - Men's College Basketball ^ The Associated Press (2007-04-06). "Gillispie "Honored" To Be New UK Coach", WLEX-TV. Retrieved on 2007-04-06. ^ McMurray, Jeffrey (2007-04-06). "UK Names Billy Gillispie New Head Basketball Coach", WKYT-TV. Retrieved on 2007-04-06. ^ Wallace, Tom (15 October 2002). "UK in the NCAA", Kentucky



Basketball Encyclopedia. Sports Publishing LLC, pg. 353. ISBN 1582615691. (2006) All-Time Championship Tournament Records and Results. NCAA.org. Retrieved on 2007-09-15. Nelli, Bert (1984). The Winning Tradition: A History of Kentucky Wildcat Basketball. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813115191. (November 2006) Official 2007 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book. NCAA.org. Retrieved on 2007-09-15. (March 2008) {{{title}}}. The Kentucky Basketball Statistics Project. Retrieved on 2008-03-10. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/statistics.html [edit] See also Kentucky-Louisville rivalry Basketbowl [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1947-1948 NCAA Champions 12 Ralph Beard | 14 Joe Holland | 15 Alex Groza | 18 Dale Barnstable | 19 Jack Parkinson | 23 Cliff Barker | 25 Jim Line | 26 Ken Rollins | 27 Wallace Jones Coach Adolph Rupp [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1948-1949 NCAA Champions 12 Ralph Beard | 15 Alex Groza | 18 Dale Barnstable | 19 Walter Hirsch | 23 Cliff Barker | 25 Jim Line | 27 Wallace Jones Coach Adolph Rupp [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1950-1951 NCAA Champions 6 Cliff Hagan | 11 Shelby Linville | 16 Lou Tsioropoulos | 19 Walter Hirsch | 30 Frank Ramsey | 32 Lucian Whitaker | 38 Bobby Watson | 77 Bill Spivey Coach Adolph Rupp [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1957-1958 NCAA Champions 14 Phil Johnson | 24 Johnny Cox | 32 John Crigler | 34 Ed Beck | 40 Earl Adkins | 50 Adrian Smith | 52 Vernon Hatton | 54 Don Mills Coach Adolph Rupp [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1977-1978 NCAA Champions Chuck Aleksinas | Truman Claytor | Jack Givens | James Lee | Kyle Macy | Mike Phillips | Rick Robey | Jay Shidler | LaVon Williams Coach Joe B. Hall [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1995-1996 NCAA Champions 00 Tony Delk | 3 Allen Edwards | 5 Wayne Turner | 13 Nazr Mohammed | 15 Jeff Sheppard | 23 Derek Anderson | 24 Antoine Walker | 25 Anthony Epps | 32 Jared Prickett | 33 Ron Mercer | 40 Walter McCarty | 41 Mark Pope Coach Rick Pitino [show]v • d • eKentucky Wildcats Basketball 1997-1998 NCAA Champions 3 Allen Edwards | 5 Wayne Turner | 11 Saul Smith | 13 Nazr Mohammed | 14 Heshimu Evans | 15 Jeff Sheppard | 21 Cameron Mills | 34 Scott Padgett | 42 Jamaal Magloire Coach Tubby Smith Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Wildcats_men%27s_basketball" Categories: College men's basketball | Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball