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Tony Delk still feels the love from Kentucky fans each time he returns to the Bluegrass

Tony Delk reflects on Kentucky basketball ‘fraternity,’ sees promise in 2016-17 roster.

Tony Delk - photo by Walter Cornett

– photo by Walter Cornett

Former guard Tony Delk sat on the bench located along the wall inside the men's basketball practice gym at the Joe Craft Center. He had a smile on his face as he watched the Wildcats practice and spoke with fellow Athletics Hall of Famer Sam Bowie.

In this setting, at this gym, Delk was among family.

A class of 2008 inductee to the UK Athletics Hall of Fame, Delk was back in Lexington with the SEC Network to watch the Wildcats prior to the annual Blue-White Game. But for Delk, the return to Rupp Arena was much more than another venue he had to visit for work with the television network.

“It's a home away from home,” Delk said. “It's great just to come back and see the fan support, but just the tradition. To see the banners, to see the jersey retired and see former players. There's so much that comes behind being a Kentucky player. It's a great tradition to have been a part of.

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On This Day In UK Basketball History

On March 28, 1992, in what many called the “best NCAA Tournament game ever,” Kentucky takes defending NCAA champion Duke into overtime before losing 104-103 in the East Regional finals in Philadelphia. A last-second shot by Christian Laettner sends Duke to the Final Four, and breaks the hearts of Wildcat fans everywhere. It is Cawood Ledford’s last game as the “Voice of the Wildcats.”

 

On March 28, 1998, against Stanford, Kentucky rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit, then grabbed a 5-point overtime lead, before fending off the Cardinals to advance to the title game for the third straight season. Jeff Sheppard canned three long-range three-pointers - two in the final three minutes and one in overtime - en route to a career-high 27 points.

 

On March 28, 2014, unranked Kentucky beat No. 5 Louisville 74-69, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.  Aaron Harrison buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 39 seconds left that put UK ahead to stay before 41,072 in Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

On March 28, 2015, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 68-66, in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  With its 37-0 record on the line, Kentucky trailed Notre Dame 59-53 with 6:14 left. UK rallied in front of 19,464 fans in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and preserved its perfect season thanks to a crucial blocked shot by Willie Cauley-Stein and two game-deciding free throws from Andrew Harrison in the final seconds.

 

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