What's your favorite UK championship season?

[cat tat2]

‘96 - ‘78 - ‘98 - ‘12

All these teams were great in different ways, that said. I believe the ‘96 team is the best college team I’ve ever seen.

 

[CB3UK]

1996 season unquestionably. Greatest UK season ever.

 

[DraftCat]

That was me lol. I figured the one that started it all was pretty cool

Fair enough makes sense

 

[Easternkybb]

98 was a special one for me. It’s when I started understanding why everyone around me was going crazy in the living room. Special days!
I also remember the dumbest luckiest shot in the world and my dads reaction.

 

[berniecarbo]

I grew up hearing about Beard and Groza, then Cliff Hagan. however the Fiddling Five was the first group where I had a firm understanding of what was going on.

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

2012 because I went to 4 game that year. 5 if you count that Morehouse game. I remember they scored 12 points. I remember thinking this is the year. And I was right.

 

[KY Long Rifle]

In 96 we were a force from day one. 2012 was close, but I would give the edge to 96.

 

[clevenger32]

Of those that won, 1978 because of the 20-year drought, i had interaction with that team through the coaching staff with that team. But my three favorite were teams that didn’t win it. 1966, 1970, 1975.

 

[MrHotDice]

‘96 - ‘78 - ‘98 - ‘12

All these teams were great in different ways, that said. I believe the ‘96 team is the best college team I’ve ever seen.

The 96 team with its press destroyed teams. It was perfectionism by Pitino in his use of players. I remember DA saying you could see defeat in players eyes and scoring was not the main objective for teams, it was just getting the ball past mid court.

 

[DreadLox]

98. UK trailed by double digits in each of its last 3 games. By 17 in the 2nd half vs. Duke. I figure that tournament shortened my life by at least 6 months due to the stress, but it was sweet when it happened. My favorite championship.

96 was fun because it was the only athletic event that I can remember watching with my daughter. She even wanted to go out to the airport later. So, it was very strange. Now, 27 years later, I can't remember if we actually went or only joked around about it.

66 was the saddest loss, but I was young enough where I forgot about it 5 minutes after the game was over.

 

[true blue1]

95-96 team was probably the greatest college basketball team to have ever played.

 

[bthaunert]

This poll has a lot to do with age and potentially the first championship you can remember. I was born in 76, so 1996 for me.

I was 20 years old and had only seen us play in 2 final fours and really only remember 1 of them as I was still pretty young in 1984.

 

[TCurtis75]

For me it was close between 96 and 98. I was a student at UK during that period and had the opportunity to go to the 96 Final Four in East Rutherford. It was an awesome time for a college kid. I went to Indy in 97 as well but stayed in Lexington in 98 instead of going to San Antonio. I wanted to experience a championship on campus that year as I thought we had a great chance at winning after we beat Duke. It was great but being in NY in 96 was definitely an awesome time that I won't ever forget so 96 is definitely my favorite.

 

[ukfan1622]

For me it was 1998 because it was so unexpected. Nobody expected a championship before the season, at any point in the season, not going into the tourney and not at halftime of any of the last few games.

 

[ORCAT]

Love them all, of course, but have to go with '98 (wasn't around for all those early ones in the 40's). 98 was special though. Change in coaches, the unknown and then the magic of the Comeback Cats! We seemed to be way down in every game only to find a way to come back to win. The unbelievable comeback against Duke was what really made it very special. So, '98 gets my vote.

 

[FurdTerguson]

It's like asking which is your favorite child. I said 96 because it had been 18 years since 78 and our rivals had all won multiple titles in that time. The first half at LSU was the signature moment. But the moment that still gives me chills was the players singing "Tell me who's in the house tonight? Yoo Kay!" after the title game. We were the top program at that moment.

 

[JesusCal92]

I figure most of us are too young to remember the championship seasons before 1977-1978. I was less than a year old during the '78 championship game, but I grew up hearing all about it (especially about Goose's performance) from my dad and his dad, both lifelong UK fans.

I love the 2011-2012 team (smashing Indiana, Louisville, and finally Kansas in the tournament is great), but The Untouchables will always be my favorite. That team made my dad and his dad ecstatic that UK was finally back on top after suffering through the Sutton era.

Favorite season was 2015 so they didn’t win that’s life it was still the best team

 

[swflakat]

1978 simply because I was on campus and celebrated wildly!!!

 

[littlecreek]

2015 was the only team that could come close to the 78 team during the regular season but they didn't get the job done in tournament. Like I said, most are probably too young to remember 78 but I would take them over 96 because they could play any style well and the multiple defenses too. People are influenced by the number of NBA players 96 had but 78 was just as deep. We are talking college, not what those guys did in the pros.

 

[2Dope15]

98 because I got to go to the elite eight in St Pete and watch Turner abuse Wojo in the comeback.!! And ofcourse Sheppard being MVP of final four.

 

[OneBadCat]

‘78 I was only 9 years old, but I was a wildcat to to core!
I remember a game that season that the power had went off(snow storm maybe) and I had to set right in front of a window, holding the antenna on a battery operated radio so I could listen to Cawood call the game…..good times!

 

[yoshukai]

Hard to pick. But 97-98 for me because we were still strong from that 95-96 title. And bouncing back after Rick left. And we beat Duke to move on to the final rounds, avenging that 92 loss. Was my last year of middle school going into high school. Lots of good memories.

But I love all three titles I've been around to witness.

If someone had told me wouldn’t get to another final 4 until 2011 I would have lmao.

 

[yes_takeaside]

‘78 because I was there

 

[bbncal02]

If someone had told me wouldn’t get to another final 4 until 2011 I would have lmao.

No joke. Tubby had some good teams in that time frame too, just had some bad bounces of the ball and just a couple of fluky losses.

 

[DreadLox]

95-96 team was probably the greatest college basketball team to have ever played

Unfortunately, the greatest 3 teams are the UCLA teams led by Lew Alcindoor.

 

[true blue1]

Unfortunately, the greatest 3 teams are the UCLA teams led by Lew Alcindoor.

I beg the differ.

 

[DreadLox]

I beg the differ.

You beg the drifter?

 

[rivercatinfl]

I expected to win it in 96. 98 was a total surprise.

We'd have won it in 97 if DA didn't get hurt.

 

[Deli owl]

Always the next

 

[true blue1]

You beg the drifter?

🤦‍♂️

 

[JC CATS]

78! Who would have guessed? I was almost 14.

Me too , 78 was my first. Your first is always special 😂

 

[chroix]

We'd have won it in 97 if DA didn't get hurt.

We’d have won it in 97 if they’d called the charge that Epps drew in the final moments of regulation. It’s a missed bad call that has stuck with me.

 

[jeffky]

I picked the 78 team because it was 20 years since the last title and there was so much anticipation leading into that season with king and Kong in the middle and the goose on the wing and not to forget the blond bomber and wipe your socks Kyle macy at the point and free throw line and James Lee thunderous dunks man that was a hell of a team Kentucky had

 

[JimBR]

Of those that won, 1978 because of the 20-year drought, i had interaction with that team through the coaching staff with that team. But my three favorite were teams that didn’t win it. 1966, 1970, 1975.

The '75 team would be my favorite if they had won it. It was almost a Kentucky - louisville final.

 

[sportspm]

It’s a tough call between 96 & 98. I loved both of them. The 96 team was clearly the most talented and expected to win. The 98 team was unexpected and they overcame a lot. The comeback against Duke was awesome and like some retribution from 92. Jeff Sheppard hit some amazing shots down the stretch in the final four

 

[HeismaNole]

1998

That was the most fun I’ve had as a fan. 1996 was great obviously- the stars, the press, the denim jerseys, blowing teams out. So much fun. There was only one team that year that was going to challenge us and that was UMass.

The 98 squad gave us the Duke win, my all-time favorite game. The last three games of that season were on the edge of your seat type games. No superstars, just clutch guys who stepped up and all contributed.

 

[CELTICAT]

98 for me. Got to go to the final four with my dad, who has since passed.

When the game against Duke ended, my parents and I were all locked in a three way hug jumping up and down in the living room, shouting for joy on the verge of tears. That’s probably my favorite UK related memory of my life.

 

[HeismaNole]

98 for me. Got to go to the final four with my dad, who has since passed.

When the game against Duke ended, my parents and I were all locked in a three way hug jumping up and down in the living room, shouting for joy on the verge of tears. That’s probably my favorite UK related memory of my life.

That's awesome.

I was a teen in our living room and I scraped my knuckles on the ceiling by jumping and fist pumping after the Padgett shot (these weren't heigh ceilings just fyi 🤣 ).

The Duke game will never be surpassed for me. It's the greatest 10 mintues ever as a fan. That comeback was unbelievable and it took really little time to do it. Went down 71-54 with 9:37 to go. It was 71-63 by 8:14.

72-66 at 7:17
72-68 6:55
72-70 6:39

A 17 point lead was erased in less than three minutes. INSANE!

The Stanford game was just a nailbiter. We were fortunate to survive that one. I never thought we would be playing Utah. I was convinced it would be UNC like everyone else.

 

[BlueSince92]

Results are as they should be. A scant few can make reasonable arguments, but no other school can make a decisive claim that they ever had or ever will have a team as good as that one. Definitely something to celebrate for the ages.

 

[Wonky]

Favorite championship SEASON? 1996 and it isn’t close. There will never be another team or season like that.

But favorite championship RUN? 1998 and it also isn’t close. I was 13 when Pitino left and I’m not ashamed to say I cried. His time at UK was glorious and was all I knew as a fan. Then ‘98 started out kind of rocky (losing at home to a horrid UL team, getting cooked by white chocolate, etc.) and when Shep sprained his ankle I thought we were done. Then we roared through the SEC tourney, demolished UCLA, got sweet comeback revenge on Duke with Tubby completely out-coaching K, then watched as Arizona and UNC and Kansas all fizzled out, survived Stanford in OT, and finally capped off the title with another double-digit comeback. A team full of seasoned vets who poured their heart and soul into the program, and Tubby getting a title in his first year. That run is hard to beat. My family’s celebration after the Duke game was very much like Celticat posted — just pure, unadulterated joy.