When Arkansas entered the Southeastern Conference more than 30 years ago, the battles between the Hogs and the Kentucky Wildcats were legendary. For about five years, the Cats and the Hogs were, perhaps, the best rivalry in college basketball.
Arkansas won the NCAA Tournament title in 1994, while Kentucky won it in 1996 and 1998. These were high-level teams playing high-level games, almost always at a frenetic pace.
Tuesday’s game between the Cats and the Hogs at Rupp Arena had that kind of feel. Tons of athleticism on both ends of the floor, intense action and high emotions were all part of this contest.
In the end, it was Arkansas that made the most plays, as the Hogs topped the Cats 88-73 in a key SEC matchup.
Kentucky (16-8, 7-4 SEC) got big games from freshmen Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace on Tuesday. Wallace had 24 points, five assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots. Livingston had 13 points and five rebounds.
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.