Most impressive single game coaching performance in UK modern history

[FurdTerguson]

What game would you choose?

Hall beating Indiana in 74-75
Hall beating Michigan State in 77-78
Sutton beating Louisville by 34 in 86-87
Pitino beating LSU in 89-90
Pitino losing to Duke in 91-92
Pitino beating Tennessee in 92-93
Pitino beating LSU in 93-94
Pitino beating Arkansas in 94-95
Pitino beating LSU in 95-96
Smith beating Duke in 97-98
Smith beating Utah in 97-98
Smith beating Vandy in 02-03
Calipari beating Ohio St in 10-11
Calipari beating Louisville in 11-12
Calipari beating Wich St in 13-14
Calipari beating Wisconsin in 13-14
Calipari beating UCLA in 14-15
Calipari beating W. VA in 14-15
Other

 

[yoshukai]

I believe Tubbys game against Utah for the championship should be in there.

 

[Myth Buster51]

Reasonable minds can differ, but anyone who suggests Calipari for inclusion on this list needs to put the bong down. Calipari couldn’t spell X or O during his time in Lexington.

 

[FurdTerguson]

Reasonable minds can differ, but anyone who suggests Calipari for inclusion on this list needs to put the bong down. Calipari couldn’t spell X or O during his time in Lexington.

As a whole, yes. But he had some games where you have to give him props (see above). This is about best coached GAMES.

 

[bluefaithful]

My favorite is Tubby in 98 vs Duke. Rat face out of Time Outs. We steam rolled back. Classic.

 

[Cleatortoises]

My favorite is Tubby in 98 vs Duke. Rat face out of Time Outs. We steam rolled back. Classic.

This.
Suck it rat face.

 

[clevenger32]

Pitino vs Wake Forest and Tim Duncan

 

[catfan220]

As a whole, yes. But he had some games where you have to give him props (see above). This is about best coached GAMES.

I have a hard time remembering games where Cal made critical in-game moves to get us back in it. Maybe WVU in 2017-18, or did Knox just catch fire? But I think where Cal really was a great coach, at least for the first 10 seasons here, was pulling the right strings to get his team playing to their potential as the season went on. One extreme example being “the tweak” in 2014.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I dont even know what is considered modern at this point. Is something 50 years ago modern?

For Pitino, 92 Duke despite the loss. For Tubby, 98 Duke. For Cal, 2011 OSU.

 

[baseball is life]

Hall against Florida St. 1978. Huge balls to do what he did to start the second half

 

[BlueBomb]

Pitino's entire first season. Tubby's '98 FF.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Can only speak to what I saw, but to me Tubby's strategy in '98 against Duke was the single best in game adjustment I've ever seen by a UK coach.

 

[JonathanW]

I've got to go vs LSU 89-90 (coincidentally my first UK game in Rupp).
We had no business being even close in that game vs Shaq, Chris Jackson, & Stanley Roberts.

For you young fans, our front line went 6'7-6'7-6'7 (Hanson, Feldhaus, Pelphrey). Add in Miller shooting 15 3's a game by himself, and then Woods, Farmer and Brassow. Feldhaus & Pelphrey and Farmer didn't play much the year before (on a 13-19 team) and Woods had sat out that year (Prop 48), and Brassow was a FR.
Meanwhile Chris Jackson still is the best scorer in college that I have seen in my life (I never saw Maravich). And Shaq was well Shaq, giving LSU 2 good 7-footers (him and Roberts).

 

[TopCatCal]

What game would you choose?

Hall beating Indiana in 74-75
Hall beating Michigan State in 77-78
Sutton beating Louisville by 34 in 86-87
Pitino beating LSU in 89-90
Pitino losing to Duke in 91-92
Pitino beating Tennessee in 92-93
Pitino beating LSU in 93-94
Pitino beating Arkansas in 94-95
Pitino beating LSU in 95-96
Smith beating Duke in 97-98
Smith beating Utah in 97-98
Smith beating Vandy in 02-03
Calipari beating Ohio St in 10-11
Calipari beating Louisville in 11-12
Calipari beating Wich St in 13-14
Calipari beating Wisconsin in 13-14
Calipari beating UCLA in 14-15
Calipari beating W. VA in 14-15
Other

The Calipari games you listed. Every one of these games Calipari had as much, probably more talent than the other team.

To answer your question. The 2 that comes to mind are

1 - When Joe B Hall & his 74-75 team beat #1 ranked & undefeated Indiana in the Elite-8 by a 92-90 score.
2 - Also when Tubby & his 97-98 team beat #1 seed Duke in the Elite-8.

 

[chroix]

It’s got to be the Pitino probation teams. Those teams won games they weren’t even supposed to have shot in. Masterful coaching.

Tubby had some good ones (Duke 98).

And I’ll give Cal the nod on the Jorts Ohio State game. I didn’t think we had a chance in hell in that one. Until Harrelson tattooed that Buckeye.

 

[L.O.D.]

Tubby 97 98 bellive me I hated Tubby but ....... Respeck

 

[Myotis]

Hard to choose just one - here's my top three in order by date

Joe Hall, March 22, 1975 vs Indiana - #1 in the nation and riding a 34 game winning streak and much favored over Kentucky, Indiana was thought to be too quick for the Cats. But Hall put his big men to work under the basket. They took a beating - both Robey and Phillips eventually fouled out and Bob Guyette had four by the end of the game, but it proved to be enough as the Cats won 92-90.

Rick Pitino, Feb 15, 1994 vs LSU - down 16 at the half, LSU's lead would balloon to 31 before Cat's rallied to win by four. IMHO Pitino's most masterful job of floor coaching, by means of smart, timely substitutions, as he - never mind the jaws - snatched victory from the very bowels of defeat.

Tubby Smith, March 30, 1998 vs Utah - down 10 at the half, and then quickly down 12, Smith and the Cats set the NCAA record for the largest halftime deficit overcome to win the title. The Cats absolutely wore out the Utes physically, and outscored them 47-28 in the second half to win by 9.

 

[Bluesbrother]

What game would you choose?

Hall beating Indiana in 74-75
Hall beating Michigan State in 77-78
Sutton beating Louisville by 34 in 86-87
Pitino beating LSU in 89-90
Pitino losing to Duke in 91-92
Pitino beating Tennessee in 92-93
Pitino beating LSU in 93-94
Pitino beating Arkansas in 94-95
Pitino beating LSU in 95-96
Smith beating Duke in 97-98
Smith beating Utah in 97-98
Smith beating Vandy in 02-03
Calipari beating Ohio St in 10-11
Calipari beating Louisville in 11-12
Calipari beating Wich St in 13-14
Calipari beating Wisconsin in 13-14
Calipari beating UCLA in 14-15
Calipari beating W. VA in 14-15
Other

Calipari and coaching shouldn't be used in the same sentence as a positive correlation.

 

[dlh331]

Pitino vs Coach K 1992 Elite 8. That Duke team is considered an all-time top 12 college team. Pitino had 1 NBA player (Mashburn). Coach K later said that was the best any of his teams had ever played for an entire game. Duke won by a miracle.

 

[FurdTerguson]

One I listed that no one has brought up...the SEC championship game against Arkansas in 95. Down 19 in regulation. Rhodes chokes at the end. We get down nine in overtime and STILL won the game.

Still trying to figure out how Pitino could get out coached so bad against Smith, and then Smith got out coached by Richardson, and then Richardson lost vs UCLA without Edney.

 

[d2atTech]

Can only speak to what I saw, but to me Tubby's strategy in '98 against Duke was the single best in game adjustment I've ever seen by a UK coach.

it was an amazing win indeed and i forgot about that one. i personally believe you have to give cal credit for the all of the wins in the 2014 tourney. it was cal's finest hour.

 

[dopy03]

I actually think Tyler Ulis in that South Carolina game when Calipari got ejected in like the first two mins.

 

[ManitouDan]

Pitino vs Wake Forest and Tim Duncan

Not saying favorite , but most impressive was Pitino vs Wake Forest - he had Tim Duncan and wake so stirred up the game was over at the half .. his prep was off the charts .

 

[JASUN74]

I actually think Tyler Ulis in that South Carolina game when Calipari got ejected in like the first two mins.

This is the only answer. Haha. The second half of that game was a masterpiece.

 

[clevenger32]

Not saying favorite , but most impressive was Pitino vs Wake Forest - he had Tim Duncan and wake so stirred up the game was over at the half .. his prep was off the charts .

Other than Coach Rupp, no coach UK has ever had was as basketball X’s and O’s brilliant as P.

 

[HagginHall1999]

it was an amazing win indeed and i forgot about that one. i personally believe you have to give cal credit for the all of the wins in the 2014 tourney. it was cal's finest hour.

Great run, but I think Harrison deserves some of that credit too. But the reality is that is basketball....players win games, always have.

 

[anonymous_2011]

Billy G UK vs Florida. Senior Day 2008.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

For me since I’m younger it’s 2011 vs Ohio state in the tourney. That Ohio state team was the best team in the country and everybody though Kentucky had no shot. Harrellsson let sullinger know who the best big in that game was, and knight took the buckeyes soul.

 

[ganner918]

For me since I’m younger it’s 2011 vs Ohio state in the tourney. That Ohio state team was the best team in the country and everybody though Kentucky had no shot. Harrellsson let sullinger know who the best big in that game was, and knight took the buckeyes soul.

We won that game with defense. That's why it's so hard to believe how hard we fell off defensively over Cal's last several years.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

My favorite is Tubby in 98 vs Duke. Rat face out of Time Outs. We steam rolled back. Classic.

Best UK game of all-time.

 

[true blue1]

Tubby vs Coach K in the 1998 Elite 8 game it was amazing. Tubby out coached the hell of the Goat in that game.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

Tubby vs Coach K in the 1998 Elite 8 game it was amazing. Tubby out coached the hell of the Goat in that game.

And K laid a complete egg as Wojo was getting abused by Turner and he kept his little pet in the game instead of putting in Avery.

 

[ORCAT]

Tubby's win against Duke was my favorite. Not only a great comeback with adjustments and intense 2nd half coaching but ahainst the Dookies and Coach K to boot. I'll always remember the Padgett shot and his reaction. Still gives me goose bumps today when I see it.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Pitino in 1st half v LSU in 96
UK scored 86 points

In Baton Rouge

Held LSU to 42 in the 1st half

44 pt halftime lead-not bad.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Pitino versus Wake in 1993.

 

[katwest]

I would have to say there is at least three that stand out to me, Halls team that beat Indiana, Ricks team that come back on LSU and Tubby beating duke. It's hard to just pick one.

 

[MrHotDice]

Pitino vs Wake Forest and Tim Duncan

That game should of made believers that Pitino is the best defensive coach alive. I watch that game over and over to get into basketball

 

[FurdTerguson]

Calipari beating Ohio St in 10-11
Calipari beating Louisville in 11-12
Calipari beating Wich St in 13-14
Calipari beating Wisconsin in 13-14
Calipari beating UCLA in 14-15
Calipari beating W. VA in 14-15
Other

You could list 100 games where Cal got out coached, but you can't take any of these away from him.

Ohio State: His masterpiece
Louisville: Had the better team, but think of the pressure in that game. Louisville tied it with like five minutes to go. Many coaches fold in that situation.
Wichita State: Another great team we went toe to toe with, without blinking
Wisconsin: No one remembers this game because of what happened the next year. Wisconsin was a 2 seed that probably destroys UConn in title game.
UCLA: Which is more impressive....86-42 at halftime or 41-7?
WVU: Complete dismantling of a team most people expected to give us fits

 

[Myotis]

That game should have made believers that Pitino is the best defensive coach alive. I watch that game over and over to get into basketball

That was the single greatest display of defensive basketball I’ve ever witnessed - greater even than the earlier-that-season dismembering of LSU when the Tigers often couldn’t even get the ball across half court, or the 2003 Suffocats annihilation of #1 Florida.

Pitino had the Cats triple team Tim Duncan. Despite this, Duncan still managed to score 14 points (his season average was 19.1) - quite an achievement considering he was being triple teamed by arguably the greatest college basketball team of all time.

But what made this such an incredible defensive statement by the Cats was what happened away from Duncan where Wake Forest was essentially playing Kentucky 4 on 2 and was unable to generate open shots. Wherever Wake passed the ball, whatever screens were set, every shot was contested. Kentucky seamlessly switched off players from the triple team of Duncan to cover whoever had the ball while simultaneously one of the two players covering the rest of the Demon Deacons would slide over to maintain the triple team.

It was an audacious strategy that maybe only the 1996 Cats could have ever pulled off, but pull it off they did.

 

[BlueSince92]

I've got to go vs LSU 89-90 (coincidentally my first UK game in Rupp).
We had no business being even close in that game vs Shaq, Chris Jackson, & Stanley Roberts.

For you young fans, our front line went 6'7-6'7-6'7 (Hanson, Feldhaus, Pelphrey). Add in Miller shooting 15 3's a game by himself, and then Woods, Farmer and Brassow. Feldhaus & Pelphrey and Farmer didn't play much the year before (on a 13-19 team) and Woods had sat out that year (Prop 48), and Brassow was a FR.
Meanwhile Chris Jackson still is the best scorer in college that I have seen in my life (I never saw Maravich). And Shaq was well Shaq, giving LSU 2 good 7-footers (him and Roberts).

Dude this was also my first UK game in Rupp. My first gf took me, transformed me from an out of state kid who didn’t know much about cbb to a lifelong die-hard Cat come what may. We should grab a beer sometime and reminisce about those days.