Nine questions with former Cat Jeff Sheppard

On This Day in UK Basketball History

On March 30, 1996, in a rematch from an early season loss, the Wildcats fought off a late rally by Massachusetts in the national semifinals to advance to the championship game. The top-ranked Minutemen pulled within three, 63-60, in the final five minutes. But UK canned 12 of 14 free throws to advance to the title game for the first time in 18 years.

 

On March 30, 1998, the “Comeback Cats,” after being outrebounded 24-6 in the first half and trailing 41-31 at the break, charged from behind to win the school's seventh national title, it's second in three years. It was the largest deficit overcome in a title game as the Wildcats beat the Utes for the fourth time in the last six NCAA Tournaments.

 

On March 30, 2014, Kentucky defeated No. 7 Michigan, 75-72, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  Aaron Harrison sent Kentucky to the Final Four by draining a contested trey from the deep left wing to break a 72-72 tie with 2.3 seconds left before 35,551 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.