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Kentucky Basketball to Host Reunion for 1996-98 Teams

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via IMAGN/USA Today (Photo by Jim Mone)

On February 18th, 2023, the UK Athletic Department will honor three of the most memorable teams in Kentucky men’s basketball history. The 1996, ’97, and ’98 seasons are considered the pinnacle of Kentucky basketball by some fans.

This three-year stretch may arguably be the greatest in all of college basketball, since the addition of the 3-point line. Three seasons, and three consecutive NCAA National Championship game appearances to bring home two national titles.

The celebration will start Friday, Feb. 17th, for players, coaches, and managers of these teams and will extend into Saturday’s game. Members of the historic teams will be recognized during the game as Kentucky takes on Tennessee at 1:00 pm ET.

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“The Untouchables”

The 1996 team earned the title as “the Untouchables” following 25 straight wins, including a 16-0 record in SEC play. The team was led by coach Rick Pitino and Kentucky basketball legends Tony Delk and Antoine Walker.

Delk averaged 17.8 points per game while Walker brought 15.2 ppg himself. The duo led the ’96 team to the national championship game where they defeated Syracuse, 76-67 to bring home Kentucky basketball’s sixth national title. Tony Delk drained seven 3-pointers to tie the record for most 3-pointers in a national championship game.

1997

The 1997 team was led by legends Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson. Mercer and Anderson averaged 18.1 and 17.7 points per game, respectively, for the reigning national champs. Pitino coached his team to a 35-5 record and a second straight appearance in the title game. Despite a dominate season, the Cats fell to Arizona 84-75 in overtime of the final game.

“Comeback Cats”

In his first season as head coach, Tubby Smith led the ’98 Wildcats to a 35-4 overall record, an SEC championship, and a third straight appearance in the national championship game.

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Senior guard Jeff Sheppard served as the team’s leading scorer at 13.7 points per game. All other starters averaged at least nine points a game to serve their opponents a balanced scoring attack.

The team earned the name “Comeback Cats” by overcoming a 10 point halftime deficit to defeat Utah, 78-69 to secure Kentucky’s seventh national title. Their second championship in three years.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Receiving High Praise in Power Rankings, High as No. 2 According to One Analyst

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The Kentucky Wildcats are the early surprise of the college basketball season, receiving high praise after a big win over Duke.
Chet White | UK Athletics

It was different to see Kentucky ranked 23rd in the preseason AP Poll, their lowest since the 2008 season. However, a week and a half into the season, they are already climbing the rankings.

Jumping to No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches poll this week, the Wildcats will take another good jump when the updated polls are released Monday, after defeating sixth-ranked Duke in the Champion’s Classic 77-72. They will likely fall in the 11-14 range.

That said, some analysts believe Kentucky is a top 10 team, including one from CBS that has them ranked as the SECOND best team in the country.

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Let’s take a look.

CBS

2. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)

It took all of three games for Mark Pope to capture a signature victory at Kentucky. UK outlasted No. 6 Duke on Tuesday in the Champions Classic, nailing 10 3s in the win and downing Duke despite a huge game from Blue Devils freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

ESPN

8. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
Preseason ranking: 23

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At halftime during the Champions Classic, it was fair to question whether Kentucky could consistently get points in a half-court setting against a strong opponent. Duke was keeping the Wildcats out of transition, and after an early barrage of 3s, the team’s attack had dried up. Then Mark Pope made some smart tweaks offensively, using Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison as playmakers in the middle of the floor, and Andrew Carr created matchup problems. The Wildcats answered a lot of questions with their second-half showing.


If the Wildcats are able to maintain this momentum and keep themselves high in the rankings, they will truly be one of the best stories of this college basketball season. A storied program, with a new coach and an entirely new roster.

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Men's Basketball

ESPN Anchor Discredits Kentucky After Win Over Duke, “They’ve Already Peaked”

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An ESPN anchor is discrediting Kentucky after their big win against Duke. "Where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked."
Chet White | UK Athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off of a statement win against Duke. However, many of the national stories shortly after the game were about Duke and Cooper Flagg. Now one SportsCenter Host, Shae Peppler, is even discrediting the Wildcats, suggesting they’ve already peaked.

“It’s only their third game of the season,” Peppler said. “You talk about how he [Pope] totally rebuilt this roster from scratch and did it in such a short time. Now where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked, it feels like.”

To his credit, former Duke guard Jay Williams took up for the Cats quickly after they defeated his alma mater the night before. “No, no, they’re not peaking. You have a team full of veterans that know how to play.”

Mark Pope said postgame that he will be keeping the team off of social media, to prevent them from getting too high or low. This is a perfect example of why.

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In just a few weeks, the Wildcats will have another big test as they take on the fourth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in Seattle. They will look to prove themselves right, and prove the doubters wrong, again.

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Mark Pope Showed Team Past Kentucky-Duke Games Before Champion’s Classic Win, Help Them Understand the Rivalry

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Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope showed his players past Kentucky-Duke games to help them understand the rivalry and prepare for the Champion's Classic.
Dale Zanine | Imagn

The days of most college basketball players spending three to four seasons with one school are long gone. For years elite freshmen have entered the draft after one season, and now the most talented experienced players are jumping into the portal to spend a season or two at bigger schools.

It’s hard to fault players for these moves, looking to better themselves and their careers. However, it does make it difficult for them to understand what a program means to its fanbase, and the history behind them, such as long-standing rivalries.

Despite assembling a team of 13 new players, including nine transfers, Mark Pope is doing his best to make sure his players understand the deep traditions and storied history of Kentucky Basketball.

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Prior to the Wildcats’ game against Duke in the Champions Classic, he had a video made to not only help them understand, but to feel the Kentucky-Duke rivalry.

“We started with a little bit of a hype video and just gave our guys context,” Pope said in a postgame radio interview with Matt Jones. “The beginning of the video is a bunch of Jack Givens highlights about his National Championship against Duke. Then, of course, in the Spectrum with Christian Laettner. Then the Comeback Cats national championship in ’98. It just gave our guys a sense of the context they were walking into in this game. Our guys were very, very aware of what this means.”

From the reactions and celebration after the game, you can tell the players got the message and felt the accomplishment of giving Big Blue Nation that win.

“It’s special. This is special for Kentucky.”

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