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A About 9,500 Big Blue fanatics packed Memorial Coliseum 2  - Q 
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i By Simon Wong f i', I
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F I ope. Epps. Sheppard. Delk. McCarty. "Anytime you play in front of a large crowd   _
1 Prickett. Rhodes. Harrison. Riddick. like that, you’re going to be a little anxious,"   .
  Brassow. Dent. Ford. Martinez. One said Fran Ralston-Flory, the volleyball coach. · 
Y after another came down the steps to the floor A montage of video clips from the memorable gi
p ` of the Memorial Coliseum, through a sea of 1992-93 Final Four season followed, wetting  
A frenzied, screaming Wildcat faithfuls. the crowd’s collective appetite. The pom squad,  
{ And those Big Blue fans had to be faithful to maj orettes and cheerleaders all subsequently  
_ t endure half a day’s wait in forty-degree took their turn on the floor as midnight drew j 
    weather. There were even some who went be- closer. In between the performances were vari-  Q, A
l f yond the realm of faithfulness, camping eighty ous crowd-pleasing contests conducted by Sam  f
p p   hours before the event to secure their seats. Dick and Barbara Bailey, news personalities at »   
;   "I love me some UK basketball, and what WKYT Channel 27, and the introduction of the l `  B
. better way to see it than to be here for the very Lady Kats basketball squad. _  t
first game of the season," said Terry Willis, a But the growing sense of anticipation finally  
, person who began waiting for the Big Blue was fulfilled. When the lights went out, the g  .
Madness four days before it occurred. screaming began in earnest. For the next hour   °° ‘
  n The theme for the annual event was "Rockin’ the Memorial Coliseum occupants were treated   g (
` After Midnight." The rockin’, however, began to a fascinating preview of the season to come. f  ;
‘ ’ at 7:30 when the gates opened and 12,000 en- Treys, slam-dunks and a scrimmage had an 1 E
- l thusiasts attempted to make their way into the awestruck crowd eagerly awaiting the first "
 ` arena. Once again, the fire marshal incurred pilgrimage to Rupp Arena for the 1993-94 cam-   ’ `
_ I the wrath of about 2,600 fans who had to be paign. _
_   turned away thirty-five minutes later. The 9,500 in attendance and additional mil-  
n The women’s volleyball team took the stage lions watching on WKYT and ESPN witnessed
  first, performing before their largest crowd. an intense display of raw talent and infectious
A   Experiencing a momentary bout of stage fright, enthusiasm that seemed to personify the begin-
  the volleyball thumped LSU in four games. ning the college basketball season.  
L   "" itiii or    
l Design by Kim Cullen  
s   Photography by James Crisp  Ji »
I p HS the hoopsters QHVB them hope for 3 SUCCESSTUI SBZSOII . 
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