U of K opens
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The University of Kentucky opens the defense of its Southeastern Conference basketball title tonight against Mississippi in Oxford.
It should prove to he an easy task. During roach Adolph Rupp’s tenure at Kentucky, his teams have defeated Ole Miss 29 consecutive times.
The Wildcats bring a 6-2 record into the game, suffering losses to powerful North Carolina and not-so-powerful but effective Wisconsin.
Kentucky also enters tonight’s game minus its top reserve player. Greg Starrick. who quit the team—and the university—Thursday. Rupp said recently he had hoped to develop Starrick for use at a starting guard position to free Mike Casey for duty at a forward slot.
Plans did not go as expected, however.
“I thought I would develop eight boys I could depend upon,” he said after the 69-55 loss to Wisconsin. ‘‘We didn't accomplish nearly as much in developing depth as I thought we would, by this time in the season.
Mississippi has a 3-4 record.
Kentucky has won 23 SEC basketball titles.
Starrick came to UK after starring in high school in Marion, Ill., where he once scored 70 points in a game. After leaving UK, he went back home and starred for the Southern Illinois Salukis--eventually even working as a radio analyst for his alma mater.
In other news, ...
And ...
I'd get the chicken, carrots and cauliflower and congealed fruit salad with the caramel pecan cake.
Here are UK's results so far in the 1968-69 season (home teams listed first):
ReplyDelete11/30/68: Kentucky 115 - 77 Xavier
12/02/68: Miami (Ohio) 77 - 86 Kentucky
12/07/68: Kentucky 77 - 87 N. Carolina
12/14/68: Pennsylvania 78 - 102 Kentucky
12/20/68: Kentucky 112 - 104 Michigan (UKIT)
12/21/68: Kentucky 80 - 65 Army (UKIT)
12/28/68: Kentucky 110 - 90 Notre Dame (Louisville)
12/31/68: Wisconsin 69 - 65 Kentucky (Chicago)
The Wisconsin game was a nightmare -- UK went 9-24 from the line, while Wisconsin went 23-33. The Cats made only 37.3 percent of their shots from the field.
Bobby Knight coached Army in the 1968 UKIT.
On January 4, 1969, the Cats went to Oxford and beat Ole Miss 69-59. UK shot only 9 free throws in the game, while the Rebels shot 20 free throws.
After the UK win this Saturday afternoon, Jan. 4, Nashville's WSM Channel 4 showed an episode of The Porter Wagoner Show. Aside from Porter's revealing that he mistakenly left his sequined suit at home before driving in to the studio, the woman in the front row of the studio audience with the baby and Dolly Parton's two solo numbers, the highlight of this episode is a super-hot Dolly/Porter duet on her (fantastic) "Better Move It On Home."
ReplyDeleteUK's win over Ole Miss was the Wildcats' 996th victory in the history of the program. UK is close to becoming the first team in NCAA basketball history to win 1000 games. UK is also tied with UCLA for the most national championships (four each), although the Bruins are almost certain to pick up their fifth title this year (which is Lew Alcindor's senior season). But you never know. The 1969 Final Four is scheduled to take place at Freedom Hall in Louisville -- wouldn't it be great if the Cats got a shot against UCLA in front of a rabid crowd of UK fans?
ReplyDeleteThat would be great. I can't wait to find out. I mean, I know who wins, but I don't remember who else makes it to the Final Four or anything like that.
ReplyDeleteLIFE, MORE LIFE!
The years from 1966 to 1973 -- just before we started paying attention -- featured a whole lot of life for college basketball fans in Kentucky.
DeleteThe 1968 NCAA Tournament featured one of the most painful losses in UK history. The Cats hosted the Mideast Regional, and were ranked number 5 in the country. In the Sweet 16, UK crushed Marquette 107-89, so they only had to beat an unranked Ohio State team to reach the Final Four. The Buckeyes surprised UK, jumping out to a 44-40 lead at the half -- at which point the Marquette band and fans (including Al McGuire) started cheering for OSU. The Cats fought back and led 81-80 with five seconds to go, but OSU scored off of an in-bounds pass to beat UK 82-81.
ReplyDeleteNow it's 1969, and the Super Sophomores on UK's 1968 team (Dan Issel, Mike Pratt, and Mike Casey) are back for their Junior year.