Higgins-Officiated Games and UK’s Path the Final Four
The Path:
Something to consider is that historically speaking under Cal, UK has been in the Final Four if Higgins does not cross paths with Kentucky along the way, with the only exception being the 2016 matchup with IU. {He refereed in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen win and 2017 Elite Eight loss in addition to our 2011 and 2015 Final Four losses}.
UK's Final Games of the NCAA Tournament from 2010-2017 are listed below, with Higgins-officiated games in bold:
2010: Elite Eight Loss to WVU (previous game vs Cornell officiated by Higgins)
2011: Final Four
2012: National Champions
2014: Championship Game
2015: Final Four
2016: 2nd Round Loss to Indiana
2017: Elite Eight Loss to UNC
Seen from another angle, when UK has played in the NCAA Tournament during the Cal era, we have made it to the Final Four every year except one (2016) when Higgins has not been an official in any of our previous games.
In the Final Four:
If UK is in the Final Four, we have lost when he was on the whistle, but advanced when he was not (see 2011, 2015 Final Four losses + 2012, 2014 Championship Games).
The chances of UK making and winning a Final Four are exceptionally high if Higgins in not a factor (again, there’s only ONE exception and that was in a rival game).
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Here's to a fair NCAA Tournament. Go 'Cats!
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UPDATE: The post above was written prior to UK’s 2018 Sweet Sixteen loss to Kansas State, officiated by Jamie Luckie, Chris Rassatter and Earl Walton. Luckie also officiated our Elite Eight heartbreaker to WVU in 2010. A separate Thread is devoted to “Jamie Luckie and Kentucky” at https://kentucky.forums.rivals.com/threads/jamie-luckie-and-kentucky.263353/ . There were 51 fouls in that game, with brutal calls on both teams. It wasn’t a lopsided affair like Higgins or Sirmons-officiated games. It’s the way Luckie calls games and when compared one with another, can be similarly described as a brutal, rough foul fest. They are not fun to watch. We’ll add him to the list of officials that make UK’s path the Final Four more difficult.
The Path:
Something to consider is that historically speaking under Cal, UK has been in the Final Four if Higgins does not cross paths with Kentucky along the way, with the only exception being the 2016 matchup with IU. {He refereed in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen win and 2017 Elite Eight loss in addition to our 2011 and 2015 Final Four losses}.
UK's Final Games of the NCAA Tournament from 2010-2017 are listed below, with Higgins-officiated games in bold:
2010: Elite Eight Loss to WVU (previous game vs Cornell officiated by Higgins)
2011: Final Four
2012: National Champions
2014: Championship Game
2015: Final Four
2016: 2nd Round Loss to Indiana
2017: Elite Eight Loss to UNC
Seen from another angle, when UK has played in the NCAA Tournament during the Cal era, we have made it to the Final Four every year except one (2016) when Higgins has not been an official in any of our previous games.
In the Final Four:
If UK is in the Final Four, we have lost when he was on the whistle, but advanced when he was not (see 2011, 2015 Final Four losses + 2012, 2014 Championship Games).
The chances of UK making and winning a Final Four are exceptionally high if Higgins in not a factor (again, there’s only ONE exception and that was in a rival game).
--
Here's to a fair NCAA Tournament. Go 'Cats!
--
UPDATE: The post above was written prior to UK’s 2018 Sweet Sixteen loss to Kansas State, officiated by Jamie Luckie, Chris Rassatter and Earl Walton. Luckie also officiated our Elite Eight heartbreaker to WVU in 2010. A separate Thread is devoted to “Jamie Luckie and Kentucky” at https://kentucky.forums.rivals.com/threads/jamie-luckie-and-kentucky.263353/ . There were 51 fouls in that game, with brutal calls on both teams. It wasn’t a lopsided affair like Higgins or Sirmons-officiated games. It’s the way Luckie calls games and when compared one with another, can be similarly described as a brutal, rough foul fest. They are not fun to watch. We’ll add him to the list of officials that make UK’s path the Final Four more difficult.
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