Back Thru The Wildcat Years
Four Years Ago
The Kentucky zone defense, plus the hot hands of Jim Master and Kenny Walker, led the Cats to a 73-61 victory over the Florida Gators in the O'Conncll Center on the Florida campus. UK's aggressive /.one forced the Gators to shoot 20-foot jumpers and did not allow them the inside game which they are strong at. Kentucky held a 33-28 halftime lead and slowly built on it the rest of the game. Four UK players were in double figures, led by Walker and Master with 18 points each. Walker also grabbed eight rebounds to lead UK in that category.
?Kentucky won its fifth game in a row, handing Vanderbilt an 82-63 white-washing in Rupp Arena before 23,782 fans. Again it was Jim Master and Kenny Walker leading the way as Master hit eight of 10 shots for 22 points and Walker scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds. Walker
became the first Wildcat to haul in more than 13 rebounds in a game this season. UK started fast and with the score at 15-8 in the 'Cats favor, Kentucky outscored the Commodores 25-7 and took a 44-21 halftime lead. Vandy shot only 19.4 percent in the first half. Vandy got as close as 53-39, but then Master hit from the top of the key and Walker had a stuff and sank two free throws. The win made the Wildcats 10-4 in conference play and 18-5 overall.
*The Lady Kats bid farewell to seniors Valerie Still, Lea Wise, Patty Jo Hedges and Terri Naiser with a 77-55 blowout of Auburn in front of 8,223 fans at Memorial Coliseum. Still led all scorers with 21 points and had 10 rebounds. Wise had 10 points and nine assists while Hedges added 12 points and dished out seven assists.
Five Years Ago
*Kentucky rallied back from a 10-point
1. True or False? LSU's 76-41 rout of Kentucky set a record for largest margin of defeat in UK history.
2. In that 35-point loss, UK trailed by how many points at halftime?
a) two
b) four
c) eight
d) nine
3. Who was Kentucky's leading scorer in that game?
a) Ed Davender
b) Rex Chapman
c) Richard Madison
d) James Blackmon
4. In Kentucky's thrilling 54-52 victory in Assembly Center last season, who hit the game-winner for the 'Cats?
a) Kenny Walker
b) Roger Harden
c) Ed Davender
d) Winston Bennett
5. In that game last season in Baton Rouge, what Tiger player knotted the score at 52-52 with :06 left in the game?
a) Don Redden
b) Anthony Wilson
c) Derrick Taylor
d) John Williams
6. True or False? Prior to last season, LSU had not won an NCAA tournament game in the decade of the 80's.
7. What LSU player was an academic all-SEC selection a year ago?
a) Ricky Blanton
b) Don Redden
c) Zoran Jovanovich
d) Neboisha Bukumirovich
8. In 1974. a panel for the Knoxxille News Sentinel picked the all-time SEC team. LSU placed two members on the first team. Pete Maravich was one. name the other?'
9. Who was named the SEC's Player of the Year in 1970?
a) Dan Issel
b) Pete Maravich
c) Mike Pratt
d) Johnny Neumann
10. In the all-time SEC standings, Kentucky is No. 1 and Tennessee is No. 2. Which school has the third-best all-time record?
a) Alabama
b) Vanderbilt
c) LSU
d) Sewannee
Answers
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deficit to defeat the Vanderbilt Commodores 73-69 in Nashville. From the early moments of the second half, Vanderbilt's lead over Kentucky swayed from between three and seven points. Kentucky needed a basket almost every time downcourt, and mostly because of Derrick Hord, they usually got one. The 'Cats fell behind 40-30 at halftime and things looked dim for the visitors. They kept fighting back but it seemed Vandy scored every time down the floor. Finally UK pulled within four points but the Commodores countered with a stall offense. From there it was Dirk Minniefield to the rescue as he made steals on the next two possessions and became the hero of the Kentucky victory. Hord led Kentucky in scoring with 26 points. Phil Cox, the former Kentucky Mr. Basketball from Dayhoit, Ky., led Vandy with 18 points.
?Kentucky jumped out in front by 22 points only 18 minutes into the game and that was just too much for the visiting Florida Gators to overcome as UK coasted to an easy 84-68 win. The 'Cats were never really in serious trouble, but a sloppy second half did take some of the polish off the win. Four Kentucky starters scored in double digits with Derrick Hord once again pacing the UK attack.
Seven Years Ago
*The Kentucky Wildcats traveled to Las Vegas, Nev., and turned the tables on the Running Rebels of UNLV with a 74-69 win, UK's seventh in a row and the 24th of the year. Sam Bowie, recruited heavily by Vegas. ' niton a variety of dunks and outside shots to lead the 'Cats with 23 points. Kyle Macy added 14 points and Fred Cowan pitched in with 11 as Kentucky hit 14 of 19 second-half shots from the field, after leading by 42-40 at the break. Sidney Green led UNLV with 17 points.
?Kentucky raced out to a 20-2 lead and then went on to ease by Vanderbilt 91-73 in a game played in Nashville. Kentucky freshman Sam Bowie was awesome in what was perhaps his best performance of the year. Bowie finished with 20 points and nine rebounds and was intimidating from the outset, blocking six shots in the first half alone. Kyle Macy led UK in scoring with 22 points, converting nine of 19 field goals. Fred Cowan had 20 points and Dirk Minniefield 11. Mike Rhodes scored 18 points to lead Vandy.
*In a game in which UK coach Joe Hall could find few faults, the Wildcats blasted Florida 95-70 after jumping out to an early 43-25 lead at intermission. Nine Wildcats played over 10 minutes and seven played 20 minutes or more as several players contributed coming off the bench. While Sam Bowie led all scorers with 19 points, Derrick Hord came off the bench to put in 18. Fred Cowan, Kyle Macy and Jay Shidler all finished in double figures for Kentucky.
Eight Years Ago
?Kentucky survived a late scare from Ole Miss to win 82-77 in the first round of the SEC tournament. Ole Miss cut a 16-point UK lead to 80-77 with under a minute to go before Kyle Macy sank a pair of foul shots with five seconds left. Macy was brilliant, scoring a career-high 32 points.
*In one of the all-time classic games ever held in the South, Kentucky outraced Alabama in a 101-100 shootout in the second round of the SEC tournament. It was racehorse basketball at its best. UK hit a sizzling 68.3 percent on 43 of 63 from the field while Alabama hit 41 of 71 shots for 57.7 percent. Truman Claytor scored 25 points for Kentucky and backcourt partner Kyle Macy added 22. Reggie King scored 38 points for the Tide and grabbed 11 rebounds.
*UK dumped highly-ranked and heavily-favored LSU 80-67 behind the guard tandem of Truman Claytor and Kyle Macy. The game was actually not as close as the final score would indicate. UK jumped out in front 15-14 in the opening minutes of the contest and led the rest of the way. With 18 minutes left in the game, Kentucky had stunned everyone by marching to a 51-30 advantage. Macy was outstanding again, hitting 10 of 15 shots and scoring 29 points. Claytor ended the night with 20 points. UK managed the win without the services of freshman sensation Dwight Anderson, who broke his wrist in the game's opening minutes.
Nine Years Ago
?Kentucky ended a five-game losing streak to Tennessee with a 90-77 win over the Volunteers. Kentucky coach Joe Hall told reporters that the 'Cats had one of their best practices before the UT game and it showed against the Vols. Rick Robey and James Lee led the 'Cats with 18 and 17 points respectively. UK now is preparing for two big games with Mississippi State and Alabama that will decide the SEC championship.
?Wildcat fans everywhere could rest a little easier after the 'Cats won the first of two crucial SEC games. UK disposed of pesky Mississippi State 58-56 in an exciting game at Rupp Arena. Kentucky did use that big word, "poise," in this one to secure the win. Trailing by four points and with State in the stall, Kentucky waited until the right moment and took the lead on a three-point play by Jack Givens.
?Coach Joe Hall got off the players' backs and praised them after their 97-84 win over Alabama. The 'Cats avenged one of their losses with this win and Hall was happy.
"It was a super game tonight. They played great and we got a good game out of everybody that played, and that's contagious."
Fourteen Years Ago
?UK sophomore Kevin Grevey exploded for 40 points and the Wildcats stayed alive in the SEC chase with a 99-86 win over Georgia in Athens. Mike Flynn, another sophomore, covered for injured Ronnie Lyons and responded with 22 points. Kentucky trailed the Dawgs 49^4 early in the second half, but six straight points by Grevey pulled the 'Cats to within 51-50. UK finally took the lead 75-74 on a Grevey bucket.
?Kentucky out-talented a visiting LSU Tiger team in Memorial Coliseum 94-76. Kevin Grevey hit 11 of 13 shots from the floor and scored 26 points. Jim Andrews also scored 26 and grabbed 14 boards. The win, coupled with an Alabama loss to Tennessee, moved the 'Cats into sole possession of second place in the conference, two games back of the Vols. The win improved UK to 16-7 overall and 11-4 in the league.
Thirty-Two Years Ago
?The UK reserves got a good workout as UK plastered Auburn 93-59 for UK's 20th win. Billy Evans scored 22 and sophomore John Brewer scored 21. UK fans sighed a relief when it was learned a hand injury to Ail-American candidate Bob Burrow was a minor one.
Kentucky pulled away in the second half to trounce Vanderbilt 77-59 for its 19th win of the season. Big Bob Burrow scored 31 points and hauled down 27 rebounds.
?Kentucky, 20-2 on the year, remained in the No. 2 spot in the UPI poll. San Francisco, 21-1, is still No. 1 but the Dons' lead over the Wildcats is slipping.