UK Classics

[CastleRubric]

http://ukbasketballlive.com/kentucky-basketball-1982-1983-full-game-replays/

I like going back through some of the archived videos of UK teams from my kid-hood.

The 82-83 team was a REALLY strong group that was coming off of back to back to back seasons of tournament disappointment. This was the team that made it to the elite 8 and played the original "Dream Game" against Louisville in Knoxville in 1983.

Earlier in the season they squared off against Villanova in a matchup of top 5 teams (UK #4 / 'Nova #3)

The UK team started:
Dirk Minefield
Jim Master
Derick Hord
Charles Hurt (replaced previous starter - Bret Bearup)
& Melvin Turpin

Sam Bowie was on the bench in street clothes of course and the first players off the bench were:
Dickie Beal
Bret Bearup
& Tom Heitz

Here are some nice excerpts and notes from the game:

(Gary Bender & Billy Packer handled the Telecast and the game was in front of a sold out, LOUD Rupp Arena crowd)

• Packer noted that the Final 4 was going to be played in Rupp "in a couple of years" -- interestingly it would be Villanova who won the National Title on that floor in 1985
• Commentators raved about how the game felt like a "final 4 atmosphere"
• Accolades to Minefield about how he could be an All-American type player...
• Both announcers bragged on UK for being able to lose one All-American in the front court (Sam Bowie) and replace him with a talented big man (who was an All American the following year I believe) like Mel Turpin

Notes on the game:

Turpin almost jumped too early on the tip off - both announcers start to comment on that but are cut off by the AMAZING lob from mid-court that Minnifield makes to Turpin -- Big Mel slams it down with AUTHORITY and the crowd goes ballistic!!

It all happens in about 3 seconds - forgot how Turpin could MOVE when he wanted to....
That was surely a designed play -- there's an early 80's road game where UK travels to Kansas and does the exact same thing to them --- but it's Sam Bowie throwing it down

After the opening dunk one of the mascots trips a ref somehow and Packer mentions that can now be called as a "technical foul"........WTF!??!?!?

Charles Hurt is ALL OVER THE BOARDS and Villanova can't do a *&^#!!! thing with him.....he quickly gets something like 8 points and 4 boards -- dude was a monster -- REALLY one of my all time fave's and a seriously under-rated player

He probably could have been an all SEC Defensive End as well --- dude was scary

UK's defense is nasty -- not quite as good as Calipari's better teams of course --- but they were TOUGH

Announcers mention UK's "Famous" strength / conditioning program -- which, as I recall, was Hall's job under Rupp?

This one's worth a rewind when you get a chance....if for no other reason - you should see that opening alley oop!

Final Score:
Kentucky 93
Villanova 79

 

[78Gooses]

Thanks!

 

[jr40831]

I like the game against Arkansas in the SEC tournament when Arkansas had Corey Peters and company, Rodrick Rhodes missed 2 free throws late that would have won the game, Kentucky was 9 points down in OT, came back and won.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

I like the game against Arkansas in the SEC tournament when Arkansas had Corey Peters and company, Rodrick Rhodes missed 2 free throws late that would have won the game, Kentucky was 9 points down in OT, came back and won.

Thank you, Anthony Epps

 

[BillionthUKFan]

Cool write up. I still have a handful of 1980s game replays to work on adding to the site--I'll get around to doing those soon. Hopefully I'll have some more over the summer as well!

 

[nyron]

I like the game against Arkansas in the SEC tournament when Arkansas had Corey Peters and company, Rodrick Rhodes missed 2 free throws late that would have won the game, Kentucky was 9 points down in OT, came back and won.

Corey Beck.

 

[musrat59]

Sadly, I know a couple of those guys are no longer with us as Hurt passed away last year and Turpin several years ago.

 

[sambowieshin]

Loved watching Booby Knight's blow by handshake to Coach Hall after UK sent the Hoosier scum packing.

 

[JHannibalSmith]

These are the teams I grew up with, as well. The teams from '78-'84 are the ones that made me fall in love with UK basketball during my grade school years. When I practiced alone in my backyard I imagined I was Jim Master or Dirk Minnifield hitting the game winner at the buzzer. Hard to believe none of those early 80s teams won a title. Granted, a healthy Sam Bowie likely would've changed that. I still remember the Dream Game & the days leading up to it like it was yesterday. That game was my first true heartbreak as a UK fan.

The following season also ended in devastating fashion to a team I despised. We totally controlled the first half against Georgetown in the 84 National Semi-Finals but shot 3-33 in the 2nd half & the season was over. I still think that might be the best UK team to not win a title. VERY solid backcourt with Dicky Beal at PG & one of the best shooters in our history, Jim Master at the 2. But, as everyone remembers, the real strength of that team was its DOMINANT frontcourt comprised of 3 All-Americans in Kenny Walker, MelvinTurpin & Sam Bowie. Still the best UK frontcourt of my lifetime, IMO, of course. That's a game I'll never get over. It still stings everytime I think about it.

But, I'll always be partial toward those teams from the 80s because I was a kid & those guys were my first real sports heroes. They were the players & teams that reeled me in & laid the foundation for my lifelong devotion to the Big Blue.

 

[Robcatt24]

 

[CastleRubric]

LOVED that Houston game!

I think we played Navy with David Robinson the following season? Or maybe the 84-85 season -- but certainly as 80's classic (not a close game in particular though)

I'll have to go bak and dig up a few more and do some quick summaries again -- it's fun and kinda cool to just remember certain moments like that......will be focusing on the 80-90's as "UK Classics"

THANK YOU for your work in archiving these games and getting them out to the fanbase etc
I mean seriously - that's a wonderful thing to do for such a dedicated / rabid fanbase

No comment on that Georgetown debacle --- to this day it's the greatest sports let down I've ever experienced........

The first round loss to MTSU on THEIR COURT 2 years (?) earlier was probably my first real 'sports heartbreak' -- but that was more like stunned incredulity....the game wasn't televised where I lived in Claiborne Co TN

That Georgetown game WAS - to this day I DREAM of a UK-Georgetown series and/or NCAA tourney match up.........Georgetown fans would probably have little to no idea how many of us feel that way I bet.....

......thats all I wanna say about that.....

 

[CastleRubric]

HAHAHAHaaaaa

Packer:
"AKHEEM IS ASKING TO COME OUTTA THE GAME !!!
HES EXHAUSTED AND CANT GET DOWN THE COURT!!!!!!!"

"Look at him over there on the bench!!!"

 

[CastleRubric]

Packer screaming and furious THATS A TECHNICAL FOUL!!!!!!!!

because Bowie missed a lob/dunk and hung onto the rim (IN TRAFFIC) for like 2 seconds....

somehow I picture him NOT watching basketball today with the "advances" that have occurred in RIM HANGING

 

[CastleRubric]

there's a sequence in that Houston game that you should all go watch

It ENDS at the 1:12.54 mark with UK taking a 10 pt lead --- Roger Harden came in to spell James Blackmon and is pushing the tempo every time he touches the ball -- he throws an alley-ooo dunk to Kenny Walker to take the 10 pt lead

Back it up about --- 4-5 min's from the mark shown above and ENJOY

Akeem and the Houston players are GASSED about 1/2 way through the 2nd half --- all the way to the end......I'm mean they're just DYING --- but still fighting.

the crowd may be one of the loudest I've ever heard (via TV originally and 'Net now admittedly) at Rupp........it sounds earsplitting in there!


LOVE this one --- thanks for linking!!

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

Cool write up. I still have a handful of 1980s game replays to work on adding to the site--I'll get around to doing those soon. Hopefully I'll have some more over the summer as well!

Where is half of the 2009-10 games?

 

[JHannibalSmith]

LOVED that Houston game!

I think we played Navy with David Robinson the following season? Or maybe the 84-85 season -- but certainly as 80's classic (not a close game in particular though)

I'll have to go bak and dig up a few more and do some quick summaries again -- it's fun and kinda cool to just remember certain moments like that......will be focusing on the 80-90's as "UK Classics"

THANK YOU for your work in archiving these games and getting them out to the fanbase etc
I mean seriously - that's a wonderful thing to do for such a dedicated / rabid fanbase

No comment on that Georgetown debacle --- to this day it's the greatest sports let down I've ever experienced........

The first round loss to MTSU on THEIR COURT 2 years (?) earlier was probably my first real 'sports heartbreak' -- but that was more like stunned incredulity....the game wasn't televised where I lived in Claiborne Co TN

That Georgetown game WAS - to this day I DREAM of a UK-Georgetown series and/or NCAA tourney match up.........Georgetown fans would probably have little to no idea how many of us feel that way I bet.....

......thats all I wanna say about that.....

Lol, me too, buddy. I've wanted another shot at Georgetown ever since that day. What really kills me is that it wasn't so much their defense that shut us down. We got good, open looks the entire half. But, it's like there was a lid on the rim. Georgetown was a damn good defensive team & intimidating as hell. But, we were just missing open shots. NOTHING would fall...even missed several putbacks & uncontested shots in the paint. It was kinda weird, really. I've still not seen anything like it since. That team unfortunately gets overlooked a lot when discussing UK's best teams. But, going into that season & tournament I had the same confidence & feel that I had in '96 & just KNEW they were gonna win it all. We FINALLY had Bowie back & could plug him into a loaded roster that was on the cusp the season prior. 33 years later & it's still surreal to me that they lost.

 

[UpstateNYCat]

Loved watching Booby Knight's blow by handshake to Coach Hall after UK sent the Hoosier scum packing.

Watched that earlier today, he sure hated losing to UK. JBH with a smile on his face afterwards.

Billion does a phenomenal job with that site.

 

[BillionthUKFan]

Where is half of the 2009-10 games?

Good question. It looks like one of the YouTube accounts that some of those 2009-2010 games were on got deleted (ugh). I'll have to go and see if anything else was deleted too and start reuploading things. Keep an eye out over the next few days for them to be put back up on the site.

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

http://ukbasketballlive.com/kentucky-basketball-1982-1983-full-game-replays/

I like going back through some of the archived videos of UK teams from my kid-hood.

The 82-83 team was a REALLY strong group that was coming off of back to back to back seasons of tournament disappointment. This was the team that made it to the elite 8 and played the original "Dream Game" against Louisville in Knoxville in 1983.

Earlier in the season they squared off against Villanova in a matchup of top 5 teams (UK #4 / 'Nova #3)

The UK team started:
Dirk Minefield
Jim Master
Derick Hord
Charles Hurt (replaced previous starter - Bret Bearup)
& Melvin Turpin

Sam Bowie was on the bench in street clothes of course and the first players off the bench were:
Dickie Beal
Bret Bearup
& Tom Heitz

Here are some nice excerpts and notes from the game:

(Gary Bender & Billy Packer handled the Telecast and the game was in front of a sold out, LOUD Rupp Arena crowd)

• Packer noted that the Final 4 was going to be played in Rupp "in a couple of years" -- interestingly it would be Villanova who won the National Title on that floor in 1985
• Commentators raved about how the game felt like a "final 4 atmosphere"
• Accolades to Minefield about how he could be an All-American type player...
• Both announcers bragged on UK for being able to lose one All-American in the front court (Sam Bowie) and replace him with a talented big man (who was an All American the following year I believe) like Mel Turpin

Notes on the game:

Turpin almost jumped too early on the tip off - both announcers start to comment on that but are cut off by the AMAZING lob from mid-court that Minnifield makes to Turpin -- Big Mel slams it down with AUTHORITY and the crowd goes ballistic!!

It all happens in about 3 seconds - forgot how Turpin could MOVE when he wanted to....
That was surely a designed play -- there's an early 80's road game where UK travels to Kansas and does the exact same thing to them --- but it's Sam Bowie throwing it down

After the opening dunk one of the mascots trips a ref somehow and Packer mentions that can now be called as a "technical foul"........WTF!??!?!?

Charles Hurt is ALL OVER THE BOARDS and Villanova can't do a *&^#!!! thing with him.....he quickly gets something like 8 points and 4 boards -- dude was a monster -- REALLY one of my all time fave's and a seriously under-rated player

He probably could have been an all SEC Defensive End as well --- dude was scary

UK's defense is nasty -- not quite as good as Calipari's better teams of course --- but they were TOUGH

Announcers mention UK's "Famous" strength / conditioning program -- which, as I recall, was Hall's job under Rupp?

This one's worth a rewind when you get a chance....if for no other reason - you should see that opening alley oop!

Final Score:
Kentucky 93
Villanova 79

I was there that game and remember it well. Villanova had John Pinone among others and they were really good.

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

These are the teams I grew up with, as well. The teams from '78-'84 are the ones that made me fall in love with UK basketball during my grade school years. When I practiced alone in my backyard I imagined I was Jim Master or Dirk Minnifield hitting the game winner at the buzzer. Hard to believe none of those early 80s teams won a title. Granted, a healthy Sam Bowie likely would've changed that. I still remember the Dream Game & the days leading up to it like it was yesterday. That game was my first true heartbreak as a UK fan.

The following season also ended in devastating fashion to a team I despised. We totally controlled the first half against Georgetown in the 84 National Semi-Finals but shot 3-33 in the 2nd half & the season was over. I still think that might be the best UK team to not win a title. VERY solid backcourt with Dicky Beal at PG & one of the best shooters in our history, Jim Master at the 2. But, as everyone remembers, the real strength of that team was its DOMINANT frontcourt comprised of 3 All-Americans in Kenny Walker, MelvinTurpin & Sam Bowie. Still the best UK frontcourt of my lifetime, IMO, of course. That's a game I'll never get over. It still stings everytime I think about it.

But, I'll always be partial toward those teams from the 80s because I was a kid & those guys were my first real sports heroes. They were the players & teams that reeled me in & laid the foundation for my lifelong devotion to the Big Blue.

I agree about the dominant front court and to this day I don't know what happened in the second half against Georgetown. Could very well have been the best UK team to never win a title. I recall that Michael Graham for Georgetown killed us in the second half and after the National Title game I think he never showed up again on campus.

 

[Zakk Wyldcat]

Navy game was '86-'87. Robinson had 45, UK won 80-69. Midshipmen were ranked 18.

Cats also played Oklahoma at Rupp in the last game of regular season that year. Another UK win, of course, 75-74. OU was ranked 12. Cats were unranked in both games.

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

Navy game was '86-'87. Robinson had 45, UK won 80-69. Midshipmen were ranked 18.

Cats also played Oklahoma at Rupp in the last game of regular season that year. Another UK win, of course, 75-74. OU was ranked 12. Cats were unranked in both games.

I believe Richard Madison made the game winner against Oklahoma on an in-bounds play with about a couple of seconds left. OU did make a shot but just after the buzzer.

 

[BlueWorldOrder]

Good question. It looks like one of the YouTube accounts that some of those 2009-2010 games were on got deleted (ugh). I'll have to go and see if anything else was deleted too and start reuploading things. Keep an eye out over the next few days for them to be put back up on the site.

Let me know if you need help reuploading any of those games. I'll give you a hand