Mine would be the 96-97 season. That's when my UK fandom was at its peak and it would have been a 3-peat which is super rare in sports. If Derek Anderson wasn't injured I think we would have beat Arizona in the Final.
If you could pick one basketball season KY could have won it all which would it be?
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I think there is only one rational answer to this question: 1975.
Kentucky adds a title, UCLA loses one. The Cats are that much closer to the only major achievement held by another program: most NCAA titles. It also would have capped my favorite tournament of all time, and brought greater meaning to the greatest Kentucky win of my lifetime, over Indiana in the Elite 8.
On a purely emotional basis, probably 2015. My son was the perfect age to have celebrated another title with. And that 40-0 perfect season would have probably stood forever as the greatest single season in the sport.
But since the challenge is to pick one, I'll stick with 1975
Kentucky adds a title, UCLA loses one. The Cats are that much closer to the only major achievement held by another program: most NCAA titles. It also would have capped my favorite tournament of all time, and brought greater meaning to the greatest Kentucky win of my lifetime, over Indiana in the Elite 8.
On a purely emotional basis, probably 2015. My son was the perfect age to have celebrated another title with. And that 40-0 perfect season would have probably stood forever as the greatest single season in the sport.
But since the challenge is to pick one, I'll stick with 1975
2014 no doubt without hesitation. 40-0. Probably will never be done. There were so many games we should have lost even that season but pulled them out.
Plus if we win that one then Calapari probably doesn't get broken. He would have went 40-0 keeping the legendary momentum going instead of the fall off. More than likely leading to a couple more titles because he would have kept getting the best.
That changes history the most imo.
Plus if we win that one then Calapari probably doesn't get broken. He would have went 40-0 keeping the legendary momentum going instead of the fall off. More than likely leading to a couple more titles because he would have kept getting the best.
That changes history the most imo.
1984 for me. That was my first real heartbreak as a UK basketball fan. 3 for 33 in the second half, really?!?!?! Next is probably 2014-15, no doubt they were the best team, don’t really care that Duke won it, UK was better. Then 1996-97.
The first one that popped into my mind was 2015. As a poster stated above, 40-0 and history. But my most sentimental team and my favorite team of all time is 1984. Wish they had shot better than 3-33 in the second half against GTown.
I want to say that one. But the 1975 argument above convinced me. So it’s ‘75
Might sound crazy but I’ll say 2005. Had we done enough to beat MSU in OT, I think we carry some of that momentum into the UNC and we edge Carolina. They had already beaten us soundly earlier that year but I think we adjust in game 2. Illinois would’ve been tough but it would’ve been interesting. I’ll also say 2011 if DeAndre makes that corner 3..
A lot of great answers here, but since it hasn’t been said yet, 2009-10. I’d’ve loved Wall, Bledsoe, Cousins and co. to take a ring.
That's probably my favorite Cal coached team. That was a fun season.
1966 or 1975. While I wish the 2015 squad won it all, obviously, If I could only choose one, I would skip that year. If they won that year, there is a good chance Cal would still be here and more smug and elitist (having gone undefeated) than I could tolerate.
1984, 1992, 1997, 2004, and 2010 are also good choices.
1984, 1992, 1997, 2004, and 2010 are also good choices.
I get the argument for 1975, and also for ‘97 (although I don’t think the ‘98 Cats have the will to pull the comeback against Duke if we had won in ‘97), but for me it’s 2015 and it really isn’t all that close. I always thought if we could have pulled that off, we should have hung a banner that was white with blue letters, so it would be different from all the rest, to signify the undefeated season. Would have been so cool.
Cal really blew it.
Cal really blew it.
Swaggiest college team ever. They beat fab 5. The excitement that year was crazy.
The 1992 team! Dang how could I have forgotten about them. I'm officially changing my pick to the 1992 team. My most beloved UK team ever. A title for the Unforgettables would have been epic.
'97
It would take the tiniest nudge. You don't take the champion to overtime with your best player on the bench all game if you couldn't have buried that "champion" with him able to play.
Also there's at least some chance Pitino would have decided to stick around after back-to-back titles.
It would take the tiniest nudge. You don't take the champion to overtime with your best player on the bench all game if you couldn't have buried that "champion" with him able to play.
Also there's at least some chance Pitino would have decided to stick around after back-to-back titles.
Easy for me - 1993! Loved that team. Nash deserved it. The team deserved it. We should have won it. Got hosed big time. Second, 1992! Love those teams.
Got to go with 2015. Choosing only from 1995 on, that's the first year I remember watching us lose in the tournament. I know I watched in 93, 94, but can't remember individual games. 2003 is runner up for me.
2015 40-0
UK not Indiana is the last undefeated
UK not Indiana is the last undefeated
My immediately thought of 97 for the three-peat just as mdwildcat also immediately responded. However, everyone has made great arguments for many other years. Just shows how blessed we have been. This new and still changing era will unlikely provide as many great, though sometimes heartbreaking, memories.
I’ll put in a word for 86. I loved that team …Skywalker, Bennett and the Harden/Davender/Blackmon three guard lineup running the new faster paced system …that team was a joy to watch. I’ve always thought 86 doesn’t get enough credit when we talk about favorite UK teams of the past.
Plus that would take the 86 title away from UL. Which is certainly a nice bonus.
Plus that would take the 86 title away from UL. Which is certainly a nice bonus.
Great question and no wrong answers so far. For me, emotionally, 1984. I was at UK then and what an awesome team. And I really disliked Georgetown.
However, 2015, 40-0 and then most likely considered the best team ever by anyone under the age of 60/65ish. That's difficult to pass up.
However, 2015, 40-0 and then most likely considered the best team ever by anyone under the age of 60/65ish. That's difficult to pass up.
2003 is a good choice. There was never a doubt in my mind we were cruising to the title.
The ref's need a mention whenever talking about that game. Arizona went over ten minutes without a field goal at the end of that game but the ref's still put them on the line enough to steal a championship from UK.
1970 - We had the team to dethrone UCLA, but Issel's foul trouble and the A-Train were too much to overcome.
Agreed. Also, remember Allen Edwards was battling injury too. At 100%, he'd have kept Simon in check.
13-14 for me. Such an unexpected run even though that team had great talent. Aaron Harrison would've went down as the clutchest player of all time. I had a blast watching that Tourney.
2014/15 easily.. and aside from maybe 97 for a 3-peat, it shouldnt be close.
We would have been immortal. Can you imagine someone saying "well I think this team in such and such year was better". Yeah? Well did they go 40-0? No? Well then that means you should..
That team is the best team of all time. No debate. Cal gets 2 titles, Duke with one less, might have fixed a few things. Maybe with Cal/UK having two titles (and undefeated), Kentucky really starts to generate fandom and good will with the NCAA. 40-0 would do nothing but generate revenue and viewership. It would be great for the sport for a team to do that.
We would have been immortal. Can you imagine someone saying "well I think this team in such and such year was better". Yeah? Well did they go 40-0? No? Well then that means you should..
That team is the best team of all time. No debate. Cal gets 2 titles, Duke with one less, might have fixed a few things. Maybe with Cal/UK having two titles (and undefeated), Kentucky really starts to generate fandom and good will with the NCAA. 40-0 would do nothing but generate revenue and viewership. It would be great for the sport for a team to do that.
The Unforgettables. How amazing would it have been for that group of home grown players to hang a NCAAT banner. Just Pitino’s 3rd year.
