UK to Honor ‘96, ‘97, ‘98 Teams

[Joneslab]

But if we're talking about Both Teams Playing At Their Averages, then all of those Kentucky teams could be at least competitive with 1996.

Well sure. We saw Old Dominion take 2012 down to the last couple minutes.

1993 is a team that probably doesn't get enough love in the modern era. I think they'd play with any of the non-title teams and would probably beat 1998.

That '93 team was the first truly great team I remember watching. '91 and '92 were both beloved but it was in '93 when you saw things starting to click.

Unfortunately '94 was probably the biggest disappointment of the Pitino era.

[Matt Dillon]

I wonder if coach Pitino will be present?

[KCKUKFan]

Both teams playing at their averages would still result in the 96 team winning over most other national champions by 10-12 points.

The 1996 team didn't even win its national championship game by 10-12 points.

Look, I know we have fond memories of that team, and yes, it's absolutely one of the best college basketball teams ever assembled, they had great chemistry, and were a lot of fun to watch, but Kentucky fans have made this revisionist history that they were absolutely untouchable.

John Calipari managed to take a team made up of Marcus Camby And A Bunch Of Dues, and not only beat them once, but then played them within 7 points in a rematch.

[Joneslab]

'96 did score 86 points in a half once. Maybe the most amazing thing I've ever seen in all my years of watching UK.

[DA#23]

I wonder if coach Pitino will be present?

No.

[Dwight Schrute]

The 1996 team didn't even win its national championship game by 10-12 points.

Look, I know we have fond memories of that team, and yes, it's absolutely one of the best college basketball teams ever assembled, they had great chemistry, and were a lot of fun to watch, but Kentucky fans have made this revisionist history that they were absolutely untouchable.

John Calipari managed to take a team made up of Marcus Camby And A Bunch Of Dues, and not only beat them once, but then played them within 7 points in a rematch.

That's a ridiculous argument. 96 won theirs by a larger margin than the 2012 team did.

The '96 team lost 2 games all year and both of the teams that beat them were in the Final Four. 2012 also only lost 2 but the teams that beat them weren't nearly as good.

[DA#23]

That 1996 UMass team was pretty darn good, too. It wasn’t just Camby and some no-namers, they were a really good team.

[Dwight Schrute]

^^
That UMass team beat a lot of good teams that year.

Just looking at the Wikipedia, that UMass team beat 2 teams that year that Cal would coach at later on. They also beat Memphis who was ranked number 3 at the time.

[Joneslab]

'96 UMASS had two of the toughest guards I've seen in college.

The Mississippi St. game was more of a fluke. Good team but that game was squirrelly. IIRC there was some disciplining of Antoine Walker going on or something. Kentucky didn't put up much of a fight.

There have been theories that the game was thrown but I think it was more that they just had won so many in a row, and so many in dominant fashion, that they caught a good team on a bad day.

[Joneslab]

John Calipari managed to take a team made up of Marcus Camby And A Bunch Of Dues, and not only beat them once, but then played them within 7 points in a rematch.

This isn't accurate. UMASS was tough as hell.

[KCKUKFan]

This isn't accurate. UMASS was tough as hell.

I didn't say they weren't. I said that they were Marcus Camby and Dudes. Tough dudes, but Dana Dingle, Carmelo Travioso, Edgar Padilla and Donta Bright weren't Tony Delk, Antione Walker, Ron Mercer, and Derek Anderson.

If 96 and 12 played 10 times, 96 probably wins 7, so my argument isn't that 96 is overrated, but rather that our other championship level squads aren't as far behind as a lot of UK fans like to think.

Except for 98. 96 would throttle 98.

[Dwight Schrute]

So I used whatifsports.com to simulate 10 games between the 96 team and the 2012 team. For what it's worth, they gave the game to 1996 all 10 times, and only had 2012 within 10 points once. 1996's average margin of victory was 22 points, including a 39 point blowout in the 3rd game.

That's probably a little aggressive but maybe not as much as we'd think.

[KCKUKFan]

I remember sitting on the yellow shag carpet in my bedroom as a wee lad of 11, watching that 86 point first half, absolutely in awe.

It was like I was watching a different sport. I taped it and probably burned out my parents VCR from watching that game so many times.

[KCKUKFan]

So I used whatifsports.com to simulate 10 games between the 96 team and the 2012 team. For what it's worth, they gave the game to 1996 all 10 times, and only had 2012 within 10 points once. 1996's average margin of victory was 22 points, including a 39 point blowout in the 3rd game.

That's probably a little aggressive but maybe not as much as we'd think.

I think this is silly, but who am I to argue with computer models?

[Lighthouse]

I enjoy reading post by the youngsters of our group. While we older members agree with the teams and players brought out, but there are so many players, coaches, broadcasters and even an equipment manager involved to make our program storied.

In addition to all the players already mentioned, some of my favorite players were Ralph Beard, Johnny Cox, Reggie Hanson, Jamal Mashburn and the best, Dan Issel. Also Sam Bowie, LeRon Ellis. Jack Givens, and one of the best shooters ever at UK, Kevin Grevey.