For one season, at least, Tyler Ulis played the understudy.
The Kentucky point guard was important, of course — a monster game at Louisville; a timely shot at Texas A&M — but he spent most of his freshman season as a complementary cog to starter Andrew Harrison, the engine who made the Wildcats go.
Now the featured player has moved on, and it's Ulis' time to take center stage.
“I have to lead more, be more of a leader on and off the court,” Ulis said. “I'll probably play more minutes than last year. I can't be behind the (Harrison) twins. They took a lot off our shoulders this year, and I have to just be able to step up.”
Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter's Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.
On This Day In UK Basketball History
- On March 19, 1966, Pat Riley joined the 1,000-point club. He did it in 54 games.
- On March 19, 1966, in one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history, top-ranked UK, featuring “Rupp’s Runts,” loses in the NCAA Championship game, 72-65, to Texas Western.
- On March 19, 1989, in the wake of an NCAA investigation, Eddie Sutton resigns as UK basketball coach.