Since ESPN is going to soon lose the rights to the Big 10, it is revamping the college basketball schedule. Instead of the traditional ACC/Big 10 Challenge, starting in the 2023-24 season we will have an SEC/ACC challenge. From the perspective of Kentucky fans, this will mean that UK and Duke may play each other on home courts. Kentucky hasn't played at Cameron Indoor Stadium since December 8, 1958, when the Cats won 78-64. Duke hasn't played UK in a regular season game in Lexington since December 2, 1957, when the Cats won 78-74 on their way to the 1958 National Championship. On the other hand, Duke did play UK at Rupp Arena on March 13, 1980 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. UK was ranked number 4; Duke was ranked number 14. The Blue Devils beat the Cats 55-54 in one of the most heartbreaking tournament losses I can remember.
It would also be interesting to see UK play a regular season game against UVA. UVA hasn't played UK in Lexington since December 3, 1966, when the Cats won 104-84. UK hasn't played at Virginia since December 4, 1965 -- the dedication for Virginia's University Hall -- when the Cats won 99-73.
I remember KY playing Ralph Sampson, was that in the tourney?
ReplyDeleteMy gosh, Sam Bowie got only nine minutes in that 1980 Duke game. Brutal.
ReplyDeleteOne of the worst days of my life as a UK fan. They were down 37-23 at the half and almost pulled it out. Almost the same thing happened in the 2001 Sweet 16. The Cats were playing Southern Cal and fell behind 43-24 in the first half. They scored 52 points in the second half, but still lost 80-76. I never really trusted Hall after that loss to Duke in 1980, and I never really trusted Tubby after that loss to USC.
ReplyDeleteI really liked that 2001 team. If we'd beaten USC, we'd have played Duke in Philadelphia for a trip to the Final Four. I thought UK was the only team who could beat Duke that year, and I may have been right, because Duke rolled to the title.
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