2,000 Wins - A Collection of Favorite Memories

1984 – Kenny Walker hits a 15-footer just before the buzzer to win the SEC tournament. The shot hit the rim, bounced high, and dropped through. I’ll never forget Charles Barkley sitting on the floor crying after Auburn’s defeat. I was a kid then, and there’s no telling how many times I tried to re-create that shot in my backyard.

1993 – The infamous Duke game. Wow. Every UK fan I know can remember exactly where they were when this game took place, who they watched it with, how they celebrated after Woods’ shot, and how they cried after Laettner’s. I hate it that we lost that game, but looking back I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud to be UK fan because of the way we competed and overachieved against a sensational Duke team. And just like nearly all UK fans, I have a sincere disliking for Duke basketball, but I gotta give props to coach K for coming on the air with Cawood after that game to offer some consolation to the UK fan base. It was an impromptu moment that really showed class. I know at that moment in time I did not realize the magnitude of that game — I was just upset we lost a heartbreaker that kept us from getting to the final four. But apparently it was not lost on coach K. I think to make such a gesture as to ask Cawood if he could come on air to say a few words, he must have known that the game that just finished was one of, if not the, greatest in NCAA history. I think that squad, the “Unforgettables,” will always hold a special place in the heart of any UK fan.

Perhaps it’s because I was a student (UK JR) at the time but the celebration of the 1958 title in Memorial Coliseum remains my favorite memory and though there have been many better and certainly more famous players, Ed Beck ranks near the top of my list of favorites and for several reasons: Oneand Two

I was 13 and it is one of the few games of my youth that I can remember so vividly mainly because it was against the hated Hoosiers and the evil Bobby Knight. The fact that UK kept IU and Knight from going undefeated and reaching the Final Four was almost worth not winning the National Championship. Of course losing to UCLA and Wooden was a tough pill to swallow because I hated the Bruins and their coach just about as much as IU and the little General.

3. When Patrick Sparks hit that three against MSU a few years back…even though it was a loss it was my most memorable real deal buzzer beater and I`ve never cheered louder

2. When Mr. Chuck Hayes wore his nose gaurd, not that it was fun he was hurt but I remember the cool signs that said, who is that masked man? also I wore a nose gaurd in Somerset High bball camp to be like him. He is my favorite Wildcat rivaled only by Ppat, Jeff Shepard, Pat Riley, and Dan Issel.

1. My first game at Rupp was when I was 4 or 5 somewhere around `95. Obviously I dont remember much but I do remember we played Florida, we sat in the lower arena, and my dad got on me for being happy about a hurt UF player, as well as cheering for the wrong team, lol. I made sure that never happened again.

sry for the length…too many not to give at least 3. God Bless and always and forever…GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Rex Chapman and Co. destroying UofL 85-51. I was a student at UofL at the time and I absolutely despised the Cardinals (still do to this day). Favorite part was Dave Conrad WHAS sports reporter and UofL apologist coming out with the best lead in to a sports story ever and I quote: “It was simply a matter of execution. UK took UL out on the court and executed them”. I laughed about that for days.

March 75 – UK over the best IU team of my lifetime (and Knight’s best team ever) by 92-90.

And March 98 (in person) the comeback W 86-84 over Duke in St Pete.

in the 1965-66 season. I flunked out of UK because of the Runts. How could you attend afternoon classes and be first in line for the student tickets? How could you attend morning classes after celebrating the wins into the wee hours? Lost my student deferment and ended up in a war zone, but it was worth it.