Happiest UK NCAA Tourney win

[Kentucky fan 1989]

To past the time, what was your happiest UK win? A win so happy that it was one of the greatest moment in your UK fanhood? Mine was the win over UNC in 2011 because 1. It broke the Final Four drought. 2. It was on the anniversary on my Papaw's death which was ironically against the team he hated the most. He died two days after UK lost to North Carolina in 1995.

 

[Hopmix]

96 98 2012.
But if I'm just gonna pick a random win game.
I would say Ohio state 2011. Because we were heavy under dogs and NO ONE gave is a hope in hell against sully and gang. And Harrison shot against badgers was an epic moment for me.

 

[mdlUK.1]

78 NC game. It had been 20 years and it was so wonderful. I left work early the next morning to be one of the 1st with a NC tee shirt. And it was so good to be in Louisville and know how sad the turd fans were.

That was the first time I remember the guys selling tee shirts on every other corner.

 

[KingOfBBN]

Not counting titles, it would go like this...

1. 1998 Duke
2. 2011 Ohio State
3. 2014 Louisville (This one is sweet and more fun than the 2012 final four game)

 

[Mojocat]

Ohio State and UNC '11
Louisville '12 and '14
Really, all the games in '14, it was gravy

All the big "happy" NCAA wins are recent. Have to go back to IU in '75 before Cal to find a comparable.....

Edit: yep, post before mentions Duke in '98, that's a good one. Wonder if I missed others between '75 and Cal......

 

[mdlUK.1]

Not counting titles, it would go like this...

1. 1998 Duke
2. 2011 Ohio State
3. 2014 Louisville (This one is sweet and more fun than the 2012 final four game)

Playing ul in the tournament is no fun for me. It's just a relief when it's over.

I agree about that Ohio state game. Add in the Unc game too.

 

[EvilMD]

We are truly blessed because every time I think of one another one pops in my head. 98 Duke, 11 UNC and all the wins over U of L are certainly at or near the top.

 

[WeWant9]

11vs OSU and UNC. I transferred into UK that year. It was an amazing atmosphere. Campus was a blast when we beat UNC.

12 IU, UL, KU We beat three rivals to win number 8. The rematch against IU was awesome.

 

[goforitcats]

The big win against Duke in 98. That game was so exciting,and those players just refused to lose that game. It was great stuff to me.

 

[rick64]

'98 Duke game in St Petersburg. Coming back from double digit 2nd half deficit. Outstanding!!!

 

[wildcatwelder]

78 NC game. It had been 20 years and it was so wonderful. I left work early the next morning to be one of the 1st with a NC tee shirt. And it was so good to be in Louisville and know how sad the turd fans were.

That was the first time I remember the guys selling tee shirts on every other corner.

Same here, I was on cloud nine!

 

[JDHoss]

UK 92
IU 90

March of 1975, Mideast finals in Dayton. Just a helluva game. IU was ranked #1 and had thumped us in Bloomington by 24 earlier that year.

 

[catfan in loserville]

Besides the title games.

Beating UL in Indy in 2014 sweet sixteen was my favorite. I was at that game and the atmosphere was nuts, half red half blue, UL lead most of the game, we lost WCS, still managed to come back from 7 down with less then 2 to play and pulled it off. Awesome game.

Now if we are going with games on TV being included then I say the 2011 Ohio St tourney game. Overall 1 seed going down, Jorts, Brandon Knight nailing the game winning shot. The place that I watched the game at went completely bonkers, owner even bought a round on the house.

That game was the first time that I really felt like we were back, even though 90-10 was a better team, I was kinda shell shocked and the season was a blur. After beating OSU, I knew that we could get UNC, and we did, a first final four since 1998. I told myself, now we are back to being UK basketball. Won title next year.

 

[JFCats22]

Excluding title games it would have to be 2011 over Ohio St and 1998 over Duke.

 

[kennywalker34]

Besides 78 96 98 12 games. I will go Puke 98 Ohio st 11 and I think a underrated game is 98 Stanford game.

 

[SaguaroCat]

1985 game against Washington. We weren't even supposed to be in the tourney. One of the biggest upsets looking at seeds. We were 12 seed beating 5 seed after being shipped out to play in their region. Game started late and I got to stay up past bedtime alone on a school night. Kenny walker destroyed them and detlef Shrempf.

(Smdh at cowards who jump off bandwagon just because we're not guaranteed #1 seed and final fours)

 

[kennywalker34]

1985 game against Washington. We weren't even supposed to be in the tourney. One of the biggest upsets looking at seeds. We were 12 seed beating 5 seed after being shipped out to play in their region. Game started late and I got to stay up past bedtime alone on a school night. Kenny walker destroyed them and detlef Shrempf.

(Smdh at cowards who jump off bandwagon just because we're not guaranteed #1 seed and final fours)

Good one, Kenny swatted one to about the 10th row of seats against Shrempf..

 

[CastleRubric]

don't recall IU 1990 for some reason

also - I do remember that tourney in 1985 where we barely made it in -- forgot about beating that Husky team though -- only remember beating I THINK UNLV or Villanova,,,,,,? I think that's right….I remember thinking we'd beaten a team that was considered better than us and we made it to the Sweet 16 as I recall

then losing to a very VERY good St Johns team where we played pretty good up to a point then Walker got his eye scratched up

 

[kennywalker34]

don't recall IU 1990 for some reason

also - I do remember that tourney in 1985 where we barely made it in -- forgot about beating that Husky team though -- only remember beating I THINK UNLV or Villanova,,,,,,? I think that's right….I remember thinking we'd beaten a team that was considered better than us and we made it to the Sweet 16 as I recall

then losing to a very VERY good St Johns team where we played pretty good up to a point then Walker got his eye scratched up

Chris Mullen poked him in the eye. All but ending any chance UK had. It was UNLV and Wash the Cats beat.

 

[CastleRubric]

thank you -- yeah -- I thought they beat UNLV that year

they beat Villanova and had the win stripped later I think
Maybe 1988?
I could check w/JS's site but am about to heat up some pizza and the lack of food is making my brain fuzzy…...

 

[CastleRubric]

I tell you what WOULD be a nice tourney win…..I've been waiting on the matchup since I was 12

GEORGETOWN

those who remember the 1984 final four meltdown know what I'm talking about

beating Michigan a couple of years ago was nice too ……
that was another one of those catharsis payback games

 

[kennywalker34]

thank you -- yeah -- I thought they beat UNLV that year

they beat Villanova and had the win stripped later I think
Maybe 1988?
I could check w/JS's site but am about to heat up some pizza and the lack of food is making my brain fuzzy…...

Yeah 88 was Villanova. I will never forget Kenny coming back out with his eye swelled nearly shut and going to war against St.Johns. I still haven't forgiven Mullen. I just had a huge bowl Vegtable soup myself,but you can never go wrong with pizza. Yep Georgetown needs some major payback.

 

[CharlieT71059]

Probably the Duke win in 98

 

[2Dope15]

98 Duke game in St. Pete, mainly because I was there!!! And it was an awesome comeback and Turner schooled Wojo!!

 

[jrpross]

Besides 78 96 98 12 games. I will go Puke 98 Ohio st 11 and I think a underrated game is 98 Stanford game.

That was a great game. Sheppard said afterwards that Stanford was the best team they played all year.

But my top personal 3 are

3. 2011 OSU-so good to be back in final 4
2. 2014 Wisconsin-BS foul on 3-pointer; thought refs gave Wiscy the game, Aaron had other plans
1. 1998 Duke-sweet revenge, led to a title. At 9 years old, I cried when they beat us in '92. I honestly think if I live to 100, it will remain my favorite game ever.

 

[VAWildcat15]

The real answer for me is the 2012 NCAAT Final against Kansas, but outside of that there was nothing quite like that win against Ohio State in 2011 (I've been a fan since the 08-09 season).

 

[EvilMD]

Yeah 88 was Villanova. I will never forget Kenny coming back out with his eye swelled nearly shut and going to war against St.Johns. I still haven't forgiven Mullen. I just had a huge bowl Vegtable soup myself,but you can never go wrong with pizza. Yep Georgetown needs some major payback.

We beat Maryland then lost to Villanova that year.

 

[W2R]

2014 run. I burned through some beers those two weeks.

 

[Graves51]

UK 92
IU 90

March of 1975, Mideast finals in Dayton. Just a helluva game. IU was ranked #1 and had thumped us in Bloomington by 24 earlier that year.

yes, by far my favorite. That team would have won the NCAA if Wooden had not announced his retirement before they played UCLA.

 

[catfan144]

When we beat Duke in 98

 

[4UK]

Not counting titles, it would go like this...

1. 1998 Duke
2. 2011 Ohio State
3. 2014 Louisville (This one is sweet and more fun than the 2012 final four game)

Great list. I'd probably say exactly the same thing. Though I might have Notre Dame from last year in there. It has definitely lost some luster, but at the time, I really thought that was our "scare" and we were going to finish off the 40-0 season.

 

[KentuckyWildcat4Life]

98 Duke game

 

[Roe07]

I never thought anything would top the Duke win in '98, but for some reason beating Louisville in the Sweet 16 two years ago was just as satisfying.

 

[mkasten25]

That was a great game. Sheppard said afterwards that Stanford was the best team they played all year.

But my top personal 3 are

3. 2011 OSU-so good to be back in final 4
2. 2014 Wisconsin-BS foul on 3-pointer; thought refs gave Wiscy the game, Aaron had other plans
1. 1998 Duke-sweet revenge, led to a title. At 9 years old, I cried when they beat us in '92. I honestly think if I live to 100, it will remain my favorite game ever.

OSU was a sweet 16 game.

For me the 2011 UNC elite 8 game was amazing. Breaking a 13 year FF drought, Beating UNC, I went outside and just started yelling. I wasn't the only one.

2014 Michigan was more exciting to me than Wisconsin. Was too worried that we'd lose.

Honestly, the 2015 West Virginia game was about as pumped as I've ever been. Pure domination. Thought we were a lock for the title. Already had tix for the championship. WE were 9 days away. Sad to think about.

 

[Nubb16]

Duke1998
Osu2011
Michigan2014

 

[TexKat]

1998 title game
1978 title game
2012 title game
1975 Mideast regional final over IU
1998 EE over Duke
2012 F4 semi over UL
1994 Mardi Gras Miracle
and more........

 

[TeoJ]

'98 Duke game in St Petersburg. Coming back from double digit 2nd half deficit. Outstanding!!!

I was there and will vouch for everything you said.

 

[RKulmer]

I believe it was '85. Kevin Grevey and UK beat an undefeated IU team in the regional final. Then lost a close game to UCLA in Woodens last game.

 

[littlecreek]

Besides the championship games, the '14 game against UL. I was at work & and a guy had his phone out and watching it and giving me the updates. It didn't look good for UK. When he told me the final score I felt the most relieved and happy for a UK win that wasn't a championship that I ever felt.
It was really nice too since UL was favored. The Dec. 86 game against UL was my favorite non NCAA torn game.

 

[kybassfan]

1st - Any title game.

2nd - Any game where we beat Rat Face's Pukes.

3rd - Any game over the Cards.