Any history buffs want to chime in on the JV system?

[H00SIER-Cat]

I was completely unaware of this fact. Please post the names of some of the players who were on a JV Team while Pitino was at U.K.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/Freshmen/juniorvarsity_1990s.html#1996

 

[rivercatinfl]

Dan issel played they had freshman teams and man was that a good one too

Remember the Kittens? I can't remember them all but I think they JimmieDan Connor and Kevin Grevey on that freshman team. 1975 maybe?

 

[Spica Orbit]

My 1st memory of a UK JV team was the 1971-72 super kittens that you posted about. Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Connor, Mike Flynn, Bob Guyette, ect.... That team destroyed every team that they played on their way to a 22-0 undefeated season & was named as the mythical National Champions by it was either Basketball Weekly or Basketball Times. That team was so good I can remember them winning some games by 45/50/55 points.

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I saw that team in Frankfort vs Furman. Furman had a 7'1" center named Fessor Leonard & if memory serves me they were supposed to be the top freshman team in the nation. The freshmen Cats beat the living daylights out of them! The cats had the players mentioned above, plus G.J. Smith, a 6'7" sharpshooter out of Hazel Green HS in KY..

 

[rivercatinfl]

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I saw that team in Frankfort vs Furman. Furman had a 7'1" center named Fessor Leonard & if memory serves me they were supposed to be the top freshman team in the nation. The freshmen Cats beat the living daylights out of them! The cats had the players mentioned above, plus G.J. Smith, a 6'7" sharpshooter out of Hazel Green HS in KY..

Loved that team. Those boys could shoot!!

 

[KYCAT78]

I assume the JV teams existed mostly because freshmen couldn’t play varsity, although, I feel like I know that JV lasted well past the freshman rule ended. Are there any JV teams left at any level of college ball? When did Kentucky’s JV team come to an end? Was there any controversy?

Did games have much attendance/viewership/radio audience? Were the games played on the same day as the varsity games? Was there a JV national tournament/championship? Were there guys who only ever played JV and never moved up to varsity? Did JV and varsity teams practice together?

I’m sure there’s plenty of other questions about this topic to be asked, so please prattle away if you know anything worth mentioning. I really know nothing about the subject.

When we played at Memorial the JV game was first and yes the attendance was great because to see Varsity game you had to get in line about 3:00 to get in student section for that evenings games.

 

[bfawns]

My 1st memory of a UK JV team was the 1971-72 super kittens that you posted about. Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Connor, Mike Flynn, Bob Guyette, ect.... That team destroyed every team that they played on their way to a 22-0 undefeated season & was named as the mythical National Champions by it was either Basketball Weekly or Basketball Times. That team was so good I can remember them winning some games by 45/50/55 points.

That may have been the team that beat the #2 JV team by 40 or 50 points. I think it was one of Joe B Hall's JV teams. They were spectacular!!
It was the Furman team.

 

[Princecal]

A number of years ago I put together a mini website giving details about UK’s freshmen and junior varsity teams. If anyone has any more details to add, let me know.

UK Freshmen and Junior Varsity teams

If you don't know an answer about UK basketball I'm pretty sure Rupp himself coming back from the grave would be our only hope at an answer. My father (RIP) and I used to love going to your site and learning things way back in the Tubby/CatsPause days.

 

[Princecal]

JP Scott
Your Jersey should be hanging in Rupp
I salute you!!

The official UK history books should at least be named after him. UK legend even if he never suited up for us. He has suited up for us many times over the years each time he has put work in gathering and organizing for the good of his fellow Cat fans.

 

[52T]

I remember when UCLA was defending national champs and ranked number one the freshman team beat then by 15. Of course that freshman team turned out to be maybe the best college team of all time