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Rupp’s Runts

runtsThe 1965-66 UK team earned this nickname because the tallest man among the Wildcats starting five was guard , at 6-5. Center , who worked his way into the starting lineup, was also 6-5, while forwards and Pat Riley were 6-4 and guard was 6-0. The team became one of Rupp's favorites during his long tenure at Kentucky. Before the season started, Rupp commented, “I honestly believe that man-for-man we just might have in the making a better team than we had in 1958, when we won the national championship.” The Runts did indeed turn out to be one of the outstanding teams in UK's glorious history, compiling a sparkling 27-2 record, but coming just one win shy of the NCAA title when upset by Texas Western (now UTEP) in the finals, 72-65. During the 1990-91 season, UK honored Rupp's Runts on the silver anniversary of their NCAA runner-up season.

Basketball starting five (“Rupp's Runts”) pose with coach after winning the NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional in Iowa City (84-77 over Michigan); pictured left to right are Larry Conley, Rupp, Tommy Kron, Thad Jaracz, , and Louie Dampier; Lexington Herald-Leader photo

University of Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp posed with his returning starters in October 1965 prior to the 1965-66 season. From left are, Larry Conley, Louie Dampier, Pat Riley and Tommy Kron. This team would be known as Rupp's Runts and would lose the NCAA Championship game 72-65, to Texas Western (now UTEP). It was announced that Conley would be be honored at the 2016 Southeastern Conference Tournament as UK's SEC Basketball Legend. Herald-Leader Archive Photo

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.