The Best Game of the Cal Era Was Against Wichita State

[Joneslab]

Thinking about this upon the news that Cleanthony Early was shot last night outside a strip club. (And robbed, reportedly, of his gold teeth.)

I think the best pure game of the Calipari era was the Wichita St. game in 2013. Just a masterpiece of a game, and Early may have been the best player in it. There was a point in the second half where it felt like both teams were playing at an almost exquisite level.

The others on the list are probably Michigan and Wisconsin from that year, Ohio St. in the Brandon Knight game, Indiana in 2012, and Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament in the Wall year.

[KevinHall]

Yes it may have been. That was a Final Four type game. I think the Notre Dame game from last season was really good too. Those other games you mentioned were awfully good too. Those types of games are the reason you keep coming back to watch night after night.

When you think about it that four game stretch in the 2014 NCAA's was incredible. Wichita State,Louisville,Michigan and then Wisconsin. All games right down to the wire and played at a very high level.

[GOCAT15]

I was at that game, it was in St. Louis, the atmosphere was great. A lot of Kansas fans stayed for that game to root for Wichita after they got beat by Stanford(I think) the game before, but the Big Blue still outnumbered KU and Wichita's fans but it was a great time. And yes, there was not much doubt who the best player was on the court, it was Early. Best game I have ever attended.

[TrueblueCATfan]

To me the best game in the Cal Era so far was the 2010 SEC championship game against Miss State...that was classic and Bridgestone Arena was crazy

[Joneslab]

To me the best game in the Cal Era so far was the 2010 SEC championship game against Miss State...that was classic and Bridgestone Arena was crazy

Tremendous finish, but not a great game overall. Kentucky played terribly until the last three minutes or so.

The best finish of the Cal era though, including the Aaron Harrison heroics.

The Wichita St. was the best game for my money because it was played at a super-high level pretty consistently throughout. It was crazy that that was the same Kentucky team who, a week and a half earlier, had lost to a terrible South Carolina team.

[JFCats22]

I was on an airplane coming back from LA for the Wichita St game.

They had inflight TV so I got to watch the entire thing. UNTIL, it shut off during our descent into STL with 1:00 left in the game.

Thought I was going to kill someone and have to get escorted off the plane. Landed, turned on my phone and watched the last 10 seconds on CBS app.

Easily the most excited, frustrated, angry, happy all at the same time I have ever been.

[teamchemistry15]

The Ohio St game does it for me. I believe OSU was the one seed, they had Sullinger, and one of the best defenders college ball has ever seen with Craft. We had Jorts who came out of no where that year and threw the fast ball of Sullinger's chest, and one of my favorite Cats Brandon Knight hit the shot with Craft right in his grill. The Princeton game that year was a good one as well.

[Joneslab]

The Ohio St game does it for me. I believe OSU was the one seed, they had Sullinger, and one of the best defenders college ball has ever seen with Craft. We had Jorts who came out of no where that year and threw the fast ball of Sullinger's chest, and one of my favorite Cats Brandon Knight hit the shot with Craft right in his grill. The Princeton game that year was a good one as well.

Ohio State is a totally forgotten team but that team was as good relative to the field as last year's Kentucky team was to its field.

That was a seriously good team. People forget that they were absolutely deadly from three. Had a guy in Sullinger who dominated on the regular.

Maybe the only game of the Cal era that wasn't played in the NIT season that I was convinced we couldn't win.

[justafan]

The Ohio St game does it for me. I believe OSU was the one seed, they had Sullinger, and one of the best defenders college ball has ever seen with Craft. We had Jorts who came out of no where that year and threw the fast ball of Sullinger's chest, and one of my favorite Cats Brandon Knight hit the shot with Craft right in his grill. The Princeton game that year was a good one as well.

Easily the choice for me. This game convinced me that Cal could coach. IIRC no one was giving UK a chance. Craft & Sullinger were going to eat UK alive, etc. IIRC Craft was crying to the refs and they were having none of it. Seeing Craft play for years abusing defenses was scary and then UK took care of business with both him and Sullinger.

I'm sorry, no one predicted Jorts' performance and UK's (relative) shutdown of Sullinger and Craft.

The job Cal did in the next game against UNC is 2nd or 3rd for me.

[mo0n]

Just popping in to say the Wichita State game was/is one my favorites (and has been favorite-ed by me on Youtube). I know the ending, and with five minutes left in the game, I still can't believe we won.

Jorts's performance against tOSU was pretty amazing though.

[Blue Heaven]

I agree Will. In fact, I believe it might have been the best tournament game ever played. It had everything a fan could want. It was like watching a Rocky movie. What a great run we had that season.

[George]

It, and the UofL games from the Wall and title years. Incredible intensity in both games that you could feel in your own living room.

I know the whole game wasn't great, but the Ole Miss match-up from the NIT season was amazing thanks to Nerlens' late game, four-foul block party. That was the definition of heroic effort.

[Dwight Schrute]

That tournament run during the '14 year was just incredible. 4 incredible games in a row, 3 of which involved Aaron Harrison hitting unbelievable 3's. I was driving back to NKY during the Wichita State game and figured that miserable season was over during the first half. By the time I got off I-71, we were back in it and I rushed home as quick as I could. Will is right - those last 5 minutes were amazing.

[KCKUKFan]

Top 5:

1) Wichita State 14
2) Ohio State 11
3) Indiana 13 (tourney)
4) Wisconsin 14
5) Louisville 14 (tourney)

Honorable Mentions:

1) North Carolina (tourney, 12)
2) Mississippi State (SEC Tourney, 10)
3) Michigan 14
4) North Carolina (home, 10)
5) North Carolina (home, 13)