What were the greatest upsets in UK history (both giving and receiving)?

[Estil]

Special note: Contrary to popular belief, the 1966 title game was not an upset...both UK and TexWes had only one late season loss, and they went into the tournament ranked first and second in the AP poll respectively. Wanna make 1966 TexWes civil rights heroes? Fine. Then don't do them a disservice by wrongfully making what they did seem like some lucky fluke

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled program, what would you guys consider the most notable upsets in UK history...both on the good side (where we did the upsetting) and the bad side (where we were upset). I'll start you off with one of each:

GOOD SIDE OF AN UPSET:
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19750322Indiana.html
Okay, so it was a #5 over a #1 match up and we only had four losses to Clown U's zero losses so it's not like we didn't have a semi-reasonable shot. But still, not only was it the first of two times (we're the only school to do this more than once) that we crashed an undefeated team's party, but apparently ringmaster Bobby Knight was indeed so shocked/upset that he would not shake Joe B Hall's hand after the game and for many years afterward insisted that his 1975 squad should've run the table also. Yes, it sucked balls we didn't finish the undefeated job in 2015...but shouldn't we take great pride in the fact that we are the only team to twice beat an undefeated team in the NCAA tournament?

NOT-SO-GOOD SIDE OF AN UPSET:
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19550108GeorgiaTech.html
A #1 ranked team upset on their home court by an unranked team is plenty bad enough. But our fans reacted to this one like they were just told there was no Santa Claus, or perhaps on the ultra rare occasions that the Harlem Globetrotters actually lose a game. So what made this upset so uniquely heartbreaking? It just so happened that for the past twelve years we had a grand total of zero losses on our home court. A 129 game home winning streak that had started on January 4, 1943 (Ohio State beat us at home two days prior) to be exact. Only two other men's D1 schools even made it to 90+; St. Bonaventure (99, 1948-61) and UCLA (98, 1970-76).

HONORABLE MENTION OF BOTH:
Being on the bad side of an 8/9 seed over one seed upset in 2004...only to be on the good side of that kind of upset exactly ten years later!

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

The greatest upset I've seen by us was against Ohio State in 2011.

 

[Ripcord65]

For me, the most humiliating loss in U.K. basketball history -- but I've only been watching since 1954 -- was the first-round loss to Robert Morris in the 2013 NIT.

 

[TexKat]

For me, the most humiliating loss in U.K. basketball history -- but I've only been watching since 1954 -- was the first-round loss to Robert Morris in the 2013 NIT.

another not quite so old timer agrees.

 

[Estil]

Not nearly as humilating as the 2008 loss to Garden-Webb in BCG's second game. That had to be the shortest coaching honeymoon ever.

 

[drainthatub]

Didn't think uab stood a chance in '04

 

[Dablueman]

UK vs LSU 1990. Inside for UK 6ft7 red shirt fresh Feldhouse 6ft8 rail thin Reggie Hanson. Took on 7ft1 280 shaq 7ft 290 Stanley Roberts and lottery pick Chris Jackson

 

[Ulis2Towns]

Beating Wisconsin in 2014 after Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky had beaten Arizona and were looking like the best team in the field.

My favorite beatdown was UK beating WVU in 2015 after hearing that one dude from WVU talk smack about UK the night before.

 

[lawrencekash]

Hopefully there will never be another Gardner Webb? Also I was there when Georgia Tech ended the 129 game streak but I also think that we lost to GT twice that year? The best upset was when we beat Jerry Lucas and Ohio State in December before they won the NCAA. (man I am getting old!)

 

[dezyDeco]

One of the best "upsets we gave" that I can think of... would be the Cats knocking off Tark and his UNLV team to go to the Sweet 16 in 1985.

Joe B's last season was definitely an ups-and-downs one. UK was 16-12, having lost 4 of their last 6 including the first game of the SECT, and I wasn't sure if they would even be selected for the NCAAT. UNLV was a Top 10 team and the game was in Salt Lake City. Kenny "Sky" Walker had just carried the Cats to victory over a talented Washington team in the opening round, and he came up big again vs. the Rebels.

All in all, especially after the way it looked like things were going to turn out, it was a decent ending for Coach Hall.




As for a game that went against us... I don't even want to think about it.

 

[FtWorthCat]

1975 win over Indiana was the greatest, imo.

 

[mgrody]

Loss: NCAA first round loss to Middle Tennessee State. 1982 I think.

 

[mgrody]

Win over #5 Kansas in 1978 after being down 6 points with 31 seconds to go in OT.

 

[mgrody]

Loss: #3 UK vs #2 Georgetown in 1984 NCAA final. UK up 7 at the half but only made 3 baskets in the second half and lost by 13.

 

[Estil]

A #3 beating a #2 isn't much of an upset though.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

For me, the most humiliating loss in U.K. basketball history -- but I've only been watching since 1954 -- was the first-round loss to Robert Morris in the 2013 NIT.

Dont even remember that game. No one gave a shit about that game except a few fans (You caring is not a surprise as we know how you feel about Coach Cal).

 

[mj2k10]

A #3 beating a #2 isn't much of an upset though.

Especially not when Georgetown was favored.

People act like that Georgetown game was somehow shocking. The only shocking thing was shooting 3/33 in the 2nd half. That same basic Georgetown squad went 69-6 over 2 years, and came 2 points away from repeating as champs. Honestly, they had a better team than UK that year.

Middle Tennessee State in 82 was probably the most stunning loss. UAB in 04 was bad, but by then, the idea of a monumental loss of that type was a common part of the tournament. 82 was early in the expanded field era, so losing to someone like MTSU was inconceivable (even with the loss to UAB the year before, MTSU seemed like a full step down).

UK's rarely the underdog, so most surprising win is difficult. Even the really big ones as underdog- IU 75, Duke 98, Ohio State 2011, it's not like people felt that UK had no chance. Picking one of those, it's IU in 75 (which I'm too young for, but I know the history). They were undefeated, had smacked UK around in the regular season, and UK hadn't been to a FF in 9 years.

But the real answer might actually be a loss, the one to Duke in 92. They were the defending champ juggernaut, and they had that UK team physically over-matched. I think most people were thrilled just to get that far, and the general thought was that UK might scrap and keep it respectable, but had no real chance of winning.

 

[mj2k10]

Didn't realize the OP meant any games, thought it was just tournament.

That being the case, a good candidate for upset win would be when UK beat Ohio State in Dec of 59. That was not a particularly good UK team, and that was the Jerry Lucas/John Havlicek OSU team that would romp to the title that year, lose in the title game the 2 years after that, and only lost 6 games in 3 years.

 

[kyboy1998]

Not nearly as humilating as the 2008 loss to Garden-Webb in BCG's second game. That had to be the shortest coaching honeymoon ever.

The GWebb game his laughable and will forever be remembered.

The VMI loss is a very underrated laughable loss on his part. Seems like GWebb gets all the BCG ridiculous loss mentions, let's give the VMI boys some credit too for exposing his coaching inadequacy too haha!

 

[wyomingcat]

The Robert Morris loss to me was the biggest upset, 1st round of NIT and out. I lived just south of Pittsburg at that time and went to the game. Biggest upset IMHO was IU in 75

 

[KopiKat]

Garner Webb was most humiliating. On our home floor. We had a chance to win at the end of the Robert Morris game and most of us have gotten over it. The Garner Webb BEAT-DOWN game has been humiliating ever since about, I don't know, 3-1/2 minutes after tip-off? That sound about right to you guys?

The loss to UAB in the 2nd round of the '04 tourney deserves a painful mention. Pretty sure we were the 2nd ranked team going into the tourney that season. UAB had us down pretty good at the half. Lots could be said about that game. Always hated the rumor that Tubby had invited Nolan Richardson to our closed practice prior to the game, as if he wouldn't share everything he saw with buddy Anderson. If that was true Tubby should have been straight up fired.

 

[MegaBlue05]

For me, the most humiliating loss in U.K. basketball history -- but I've only been watching since 1954 -- was the first-round loss to Robert Morris in the 2013 NIT.

Why?

We lost in a meaningless tournament on the road in a high school gym in a game only Robert Morris gave a damn about. I was happy that season ended swiftly.



Losing to UAB in 2004 as the No. 1 overall seed was the worst for me.
Beating Wichita, Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin as a 8 seed in 2014 were the best for me.

 

[MegaBlue05]

The GWebb game his laughable and will forever be remembered.

The VMI loss is a very underrated laughable loss on his part. Seems like GWebb gets all the BCG ridiculous loss mentions, let's give the VMI boys some credit too for exposing his coaching inadequacy too haha!

VMI loss was when I knew the BCG era would be short-lived. That was my final clue this job was over his head. I tried to support him still, but by mid-February I knew he was done. I still think he got fired on purpose because he couldn't handle the scope of the job.

I was dumb enough to believe the GW loss with Billy's way of getting their attention because he was gonna "change the country club culture and get TUUUUUUUUUFFFFFFFFFFFF."


I went to that game with my dad who is the "never say die" eternal optimist even if UK is down 15 with 2 minutes to go. At the 8 min mark of the second half he turned to me and calmly said, "F this shit. I've seen enough," and we left. Only time in 3 decades I've ever seen dad leave early in anger.

 

[aikenite4uk]

The first round loss to Middle Tenn State in the early 80's...I think we had to play them in Nashville. We choked the entire game in that one.
I'll take the IU upset in 1975....

 

[UKcatXXXL]

The greatest upset I've seen by us was against Ohio State in 2011.

Winner winner chicken dinner

Ohio State was STACKED and the best team in the nation that year, no argument.

 

[CUJO_1970]

MTSU
UAB

Those are our worst as they occurred in the NCAA tourney.

Robert Morris doesn't even bother me because, NIT. When we lost Nerlens for the season it was over for that team.

 

[Estil]

MTSU
UAB

Those are our worst as they occurred in the NCAA tourney.

Robert Morris doesn't even bother me because, NIT. When we lost Nerlens for the season it was over for that team.

That's no excuse, there were 11(ish) other guys on the team too that could've stepped up. We did in 1997 when we lost Derek Anderson...but instead of just pouting and feeling sorry for ourselves we stepped up to the plate and just barely missed another championship.

 

[Estil]

I thought I'd bring this back up as it kinda goes well with the other topic I just posted.

 

[Kats meow]

Why?

We lost in a meaningless tournament on the road in a high school gym in a game only Robert Morris gave a damn about. I was happy that season ended swiftly.



Losing to UAB in 2004 as the No. 1 overall seed was the worst for me.
Beating Wichita, Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin as a 8 seed in 2014 were the best for me.

We started that season ranked #1 and proceeded to flame out in the NIT. That was bad.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

We started that season ranked #1 and proceeded to flame out in the NIT. That was bad.

Our best player got hurt and I am pretty sure we started out pre-season 3 if memory serves me.

Also, not to split hairs but it was BS that we had to play there as the game should have been in KY. I still do not understand why UK did not just move it to another gym somewhere near Lexington...but I digress. It was a meaningless game that no one on the team and most of the fans didn't care about.

As far as worse loss, I would say probably that MTSU game in the early 80s is up there. I am sure someone can give us the worst loss by how much UK was favored by in the NCAA Tournament game.

I would agree with some other posters that the 2011 OSU win was the biggest upset in the NCAA for UK that I have ever seen.

 

[MegaBlue05]

We started that season ranked #1 and proceeded to flame out in the NIT. That was bad.

We were ranked third preseason and lost our best player in early February.

That team was severely flawed and was only ranked so high in the preseason because UK was defending champions and had the no. 1 class is what turned out to be one of the weakest high school classes of all time. (No. 1 overall pick = Anthony Bennett) We didn’t have a PG and our starting PF might’ve been the worst defender in college that year.

 

[ukfan041]

Losing to UAB, as the #1 overall seed, was brutal! So much promise with that team, but the first round game foreshadowed what was to come in the round of 32.

Best upset was probably 2011 vs OSU. No one gave us a shot and then Knight with the dagger!

 

[ruppcat]

Loss: #3 UK vs #2 Georgetown in 1984 NCAA final. UK up 7 at the half but only made 3 baskets in the second half and lost by 13.

Consider if UK had hit 45% of its shots in the second half. That's about 14 shots x2 -28 points....UK wins by four presuming all plays out like it did.

 

[zannmann]

Loss. Ranked #1 and losing to Evansville at home.

 

[LowCountryCat]

For me, the most humiliating loss in U.K. basketball history -- but I've only been watching since 1954 -- was the first-round loss to Robert Morris in the 2013 NIT.

Evansville says hi.

 

[RSUK5022]

The sharps were on Kentucky in 2011 vs. OSU. Started as a six point dog and went almost down to three before tip. Both us and OSU had no real depth. We both only played six players.

 

[Estil]

Loss. Ranked #1 and losing to Evansville at home.

I guess their coach at the time learned from the best!

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Loss: NCAA first round loss to Middle Tennessee State. 1982 I think.

Yeah this one. And it ain't close. Maybe 81 UAB.

I don't think I've ever felt worse after a game than the MTSU game.

 

[UKUGA]

That Wichita game in ‘14 was absolutely, heart-racing awesome.

 

[fatguy87]

It is MTSU by far in terms of disparate team strength. That year, UK wasn't stellar, but they were still 21st in SRS. MTSU was 150th, worse than the average team that season.

The 04 team had legit championship machinations and lost to UAB despite being a 10 point favorite. One could argue in terms of impact that one was bigger given odds to win the championship.

Our biggest upset victory is likely Ohio State in 2011. It gets bonus points as it added to the lore of our turnaround.