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The 1998 championship team

What I'll always remember about that game is my dad letting me stay up late to finish watching the title game because he knew we'd come back and didn't want me to miss it.

At the time, I was 8 and this was the third title game appearance I had watched in three years. I sort of thought that's just what we *did,* but he taught me these are rare and to enjoy them. Also taught me you never give up on the Cats.

To this day, neither of us turn a game off, and we still watch nearly all of them together.

Related note: I used to draw Heshimu Evans doing the Michael Jordan Space Jam dunk where his arm stretches from halfcourt while the Monstars are hanging onto his legs.
 
Experience playing in the final four is really under estimated. Players on that team had played in the championship in the prior two years. Lacking the experience to handle the bright lights and pressure of the final four has been an issue lately.
 
I remember Wayne abusing Wojo and that Jeff Shepard curl and shoot from the top of the key was deadly. Evans was a huge contributor as well. That was a team that was smart and always had fuel in their tank.
Jeff Sheppard was the best shooter off the curl I have ever seen at UK. Hands down, actually.
 
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Crazy how things have changed in terms of what gets you a one seed.

In 1998, these were the records of the one and two seeds going into the tourney
#1 UNC-30-3
#1 Kansas 34-3
#1 Duke 29-3
#1 Arizona 27-4
#2 Kentucky 29-4
#2 UConn 29-4
#2 Cinci 26-5
#2 Purdue 26-7

In 2018, a 27-7 Kansas gets a one seed.
Don't forget 2018 UNCheat losing 10 games and still receiving a 2 seed. Got thumped by a 7 seed. What a joke.
 
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That 1998 team just makes me appreciate our depth in 1996 even more. None of the starters in 1998 even got a whiff at starting in 1996. Hell, Nazr and Mills were on the JV team in 1996. That's insane to me.
 
Lots of myths surrounding that team. First of all they were an early favorite behind a handful of teams. In hindsight, that team was one of the best of the season. NBA players, upperclassmen, great guard play, great bigs. Just a complete team, and the only reason we call them the comeback cats was because Tubby was coaching them. Of course he had them trailing all the time.

The players won that title, Tubby gets way too much credit when it comes down to it. The players made the big plays, they had to overcome him in some respects.

It was a great team and I wish the idea that they weren't would die. It's used as a way to bolster Smith and it's simply not true.
Truth.
 
Crazy how things have changed in terms of what gets you a one seed.

In 1998, these were the records of the one and two seeds going into the tourney
#1 UNC-30-3
#1 Kansas 34-3
#1 Duke 29-3
#1 Arizona 27-4
#2 Kentucky 29-4
#2 UConn 29-4
#2 Cinci 26-5
#2 Purdue 26-7

In 2018, a 27-7 Kansas gets a one seed.
Considering there were only 5 schools (Virginia, Xavier, Villanova, Purdue, Michigan State) from the Power 5 & Big East that had less than 7 losses this past season, it's about the state of quality teams more than the number of losses. It just shows you how much college basketball has changed through the years.
 
Good point. The sample size was much larger with Shep, though.
Not really.

Murray took 277 threes at UK. Sheppard took 330.

Sheppard was not the shooter that Murray was, but he had the benefit of playing 4 years. And Murray, unfortunately, shot poorly in his final game at UK, while Sheppard closed his career as Final Four MOP.
 
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Loved that group.

Was lucky enough to watch them win the SEC-T in Atlanta and cut down the nets in San Antonio in person. Memories I'll always cherish and never forget.
 
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my favorite
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Love maglores “who me” look.
 
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