great UK teams that didn't win it all? Just how good were they and what kind of style did they play? I ask because I was born in 1983 and realized I know nothing about them other than a horrendous 2nd half. Any answers would be appreciated.
Where would you rank the 1984 team among other
- Thread starter michaeluk26
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The FIRST part of the season they were tremendous. Through the first 12 games they looked like they might be an all time great UK team.
But, unfortunately, they began to increasingly struggle as the season progressed. In part, because our offense was SO predictable with Joe B's relentless focus on trying to dump it inside to the bigs on nearly every possession, it started getting bogged down as teams figured out how to defend us by squeezing our bigs with ultra-tight zones.
Even our biggest end of season wins were kinda lucky escapes. We were lucky to escape Auburn in the SECT title game, real lucky to escape Illinois on our own Rupp home court in the Elite 8 (right before the ugly Georgetown debacle). Still, most of that season was pretty awesome (especially the opening game UL massacre and the Super Bowl Sunday win over Hakeem).
But, unfortunately, they began to increasingly struggle as the season progressed. In part, because our offense was SO predictable with Joe B's relentless focus on trying to dump it inside to the bigs on nearly every possession, it started getting bogged down as teams figured out how to defend us by squeezing our bigs with ultra-tight zones.
Even our biggest end of season wins were kinda lucky escapes. We were lucky to escape Auburn in the SECT title game, real lucky to escape Illinois on our own Rupp home court in the Elite 8 (right before the ugly Georgetown debacle). Still, most of that season was pretty awesome (especially the opening game UL massacre and the Super Bowl Sunday win over Hakeem).
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You had the Twin Towers at full peak. Bowie and Turpin were a great combo. Think Turpin scored 40 some points against UT in Knoxville that year.
Dicky Beal could be electric on the fast break. Kenny Walker was starting to become a star. Winston Bennett was very powerful down low.
Roger Harden was a good back up to Beal. Jim Masters was a good outside shot. He was similar to Macy in his free throw shooting. Would have much higher numbers if the 3 point shot was around back then.
Dicky Beal could be electric on the fast break. Kenny Walker was starting to become a star. Winston Bennett was very powerful down low.
Roger Harden was a good back up to Beal. Jim Masters was a good outside shot. He was similar to Macy in his free throw shooting. Would have much higher numbers if the 3 point shot was around back then.
Probably a top 10 or 15 team (in my lifetime)
I can remember Bennett having a beautiful spin move while driving to the bucket. He also had an accurate mid-range jumper, which included using the backboard when he shot it from the wing...Was also a tough rebounder.
James Blackmon as a freshman oozed talent, but as mentioned earlier, Hall wouldn't allow outside shooting. His game didn't thrive until Sutton arrived and the 3 pt shot was implemented; he was a decent shooter but not "lights-out"
Georgetown completely got in their heads the 2 nd half and we only scored 11 pts. To say it was frustrating was an understatement
That game, the UNCheat loss in the tourney in '95, and the Wisconsin loss in '15 are probably my three most frustrating losses as a fan. (Honorable mention goes to the '77 loss to UNCheat when Dean put it in the deep freeze with the 4-corners)
I can remember Bennett having a beautiful spin move while driving to the bucket. He also had an accurate mid-range jumper, which included using the backboard when he shot it from the wing...Was also a tough rebounder.
James Blackmon as a freshman oozed talent, but as mentioned earlier, Hall wouldn't allow outside shooting. His game didn't thrive until Sutton arrived and the 3 pt shot was implemented; he was a decent shooter but not "lights-out"
Georgetown completely got in their heads the 2 nd half and we only scored 11 pts. To say it was frustrating was an understatement
That game, the UNCheat loss in the tourney in '95, and the Wisconsin loss in '15 are probably my three most frustrating losses as a fan. (Honorable mention goes to the '77 loss to UNCheat when Dean put it in the deep freeze with the 4-corners)
Lacked shooters. Made them easier to guard. 78 had Givens. Similar minus Givens. 78 was hard to guard. I would say they were possibly the second best Bowie Team. 1980 somehow got beat in the S16.
I’ve never seen a team go that cold that fast. I remember Winston Bennet and Georgetown’s Michael Graham getting into a tussle.
Excellent synopsis. I just looked at the average FGA per game, and the top 5 were Turpin, Bowie, Walker, Master and Bennett. All were inside players except Master.
I do remember beating Auburn and Charles Barkley on a last second shot in the SECT final and Barkley fell to the floor crying and sat there for several minutes.
Another rule that I believe arose from that year was that a team couldn’t be placed in an NCAA tournament Region that had it playing on its home floor in the round of 16 and 8. There was such bitching that ILL had to play in Rupp against UK in the Elite 8 that NCAA changed the seeding rules the following year.
Kentucky vs. Georgetown (March 31, 1984)
www.bigbluehistory.net
I can only compare the UK teams I’ve seen, and the first I remember seeing was 83, so past 41 years.
I would put 84 behind 96, 12, 15. After those 3 you can make a case for 84, 93, 97, 98, 03, 10. But I may put them 4th.
I would put 84 behind 96, 12, 15. After those 3 you can make a case for 84, 93, 97, 98, 03, 10. But I may put them 4th.
Despite that horrible loss the 84 team is one of my favorites. We had a quick little point guard, a good shooting guard, Kenny Walker (one of my all time favorites) and the Twin Towers. Add in Winston Bennett, James Blackmon and Roger Harden and you have a great team.
I mention Harden because 2 years later he and Walker made the game look so easy. Harden dribbles the ball down court, tosses it over his defenders head to a leaping Walker at the free throw line and an immediate turnaround jumper. Money!!
I mention Harden because 2 years later he and Walker made the game look so easy. Harden dribbles the ball down court, tosses it over his defenders head to a leaping Walker at the free throw line and an immediate turnaround jumper. Money!!
Yep, Master was the only serious outside shooting threat on that team. And, on top of that, they essentially started three centers together, when you consider that Walker also played best when he was in the low post (and, as we saw in 86, played best at the center spot).
Even though all three were All American caliber players, you're inevitably gonna have problems with things getting too clogged up when you play that many low post players at the same time (especially with only one true shooter to offset things). Which is exactly what began to derail that team as the season went on.
If it were the NBA, you'd say that was a team that needed to make a trade. Swap one of our star bigs for a star guard and suddenly you'd have a team that fit together just right.
The opening game vs. UL had a Super Bowl buzz around it and it didn't disappoint.
So much anticipation in the return of Sam Bowie and first look a HS studs Bennett and Blackmon.
I remember Blackmon being inserted in the game and got two straight steals and layups.
The rematch in the Sweet 16 was a hell of a game also.
Another memory of that season was the " blizzard" game in Champaign.
Refs couldn't get to the game so HS refs from the stands officiated the game.
Blackmon hit a jumper at the buzzer for the win
Refs couldn't get to the game so HS refs from the stands officiated the game.
Blackmon hit a jumper at the buzzer for the win
Well, he was not the backup for most of that season. Beal didn’t get put into the starting lineup until near the end of the season.
That’s a detail folks seem to have forgotten about that team. Beal only started the final 12 games (counting post-season). Prior to that, he’d been the backup and Harden the starter.
I forgot about that. Weird game. Il was good too.
Something else I remember about that team was Joe B talking about when he took Bowie out the other team took a sigh of relief. Then they realized they had to deal with Bennett. 😆
And were WTF??🏀
Bennett was the most aggressive freshman ever.
T.Jones was timid compared to Bennett.
UK shot 3 for 33 in the 2nd half. It was unbelievable.
You could literally be blindfolded and come close to that shooting percentage. 😂
IIRC, Kenny Walker had a nagging injury during the GT game and that didn't help us against Graham. That was an epically bad shooting performance. I was at the regional final at Rupp....ILL fans thought we got a homer call at the end of the game and they may be right.
I loved WB. Had he not gotten hurt he could have been an all time great. Never the same guy after the injury.
