1995 SEC Tourney title game against Arkansas was arguably the most exciting SEC tourney game ever.

[Son_Of_Saul]

I still remember that day. I was a young fella without ESPN 2. My neighbor Paul, who was about two years younger than me, had ESPN 2 and I remember asking him if we (my brother and I) could watch the game from his TV in his garage. The day was brilliant. 44 degrees but it felt like 70 degrees after coming out the brutal Illinois winter. The next hour following the game felt like Heaven and the feeling carried me through the next few days of excitement of what that team could be in March.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I remember it very well also. Watched it with my Dad. We still talk about that game. That 1995 team was a killer. If only Epps had already developed the game he had the following year, I think that team cuts down the nets!

 

[JHannibalSmith]

That 95 team is insanely underrated & rarely mentioned when we list the best UK teams of all time. They were 96 lite. They beat teams to death, including ranked teams. In their 28 wins, only 4 teams managed to stay within single digits, including Arkansas in the SECT championship. Leading up to the UNC game they had lost 4 games by a grand total of 10 points.

They were also ridiculously deep & the 2nd unit was probably good enough to be a top 20 team. Had they not laid the huge egg against UNC, I think they would’ve gone on to win it all & in turn would’ve had a much different legacy. I think they were the best team in the country that year. They’d be right there with 96, 15, 12 & 78 if they could’ve finished the job, IMO. But, they’re still one of my favorite teams & one of the best 3 teams to not win a championship here, IMO. They were as dominant as any UK team I’ve seen.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

That was a good one. The ‘79 against Alabama is up there. As is the 2010 against Miss St. That one was more symbolic than actual play.

We had so many good ones.

In ‘95 Arkansas was a powerhouse too. So it was special.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

That 95 team is insanely underrated & rarely mentioned when we list the best UK teams of all time. They were 96 lite. They beat teams to death, including ranked teams. In their 28 wins, only 4 teams managed to stay within single digits, including Arkansas in the SECT championship. Leading up to the UNC game they had lost 4 games by a grand total of 10 points.

They were also ridiculously deep & the 2nd unit was probably good enough to be a top 20 team. Had they not laid the huge egg against UNC, I think they would’ve gone on to win it all & in turn would’ve had a much different legacy. I think they were the best team in the country that year. They’d be right there with 96, 15, 12 & 78 if they could’ve finished the job, IMO. But, they’re still one of my favorite teams & one of the best 3 teams to not win a championship here, IMO. They were as dominant as any UK team I’ve seen.

I agree. That '95 UK team shot about 39% from three on the season heading into the UNC game. They couldn't buy a shot against UNC, and it had little to do with what UNC did defensively a ton to do with UK just missing open threes. If you watch the replay, UK missed about 12 to 15 solid looks from three.

In the end, they ended up going 7/36 from three. People point to the final score, but UK was only down 51-54 with less than 8 minutes left. If UK makes let's say four more threes out of those 12 to 15 good looks (not a crazy stretch, given their season average) they win that game because then they're up probably 6 to 8 points with 8 minutes left instead of down three and running out of gas.

11/36 from three would have done it. That's still dog crap (31%), but strangely enough that would have been enough. UK's defense wasn't too bad in that game (they held UNC to 68 points through 39 minutes). They just couldn't hit open threes.

 

[gbl97]

Underrated, but go back and watch UK vs. Wichita State in 2014. Both teams played great and traded punches the whole way.

 

[FurdTurgason]

There was a game between Alabama and Arkansas in the 90s one year....unbelievable game. Alabama won but got smoked by UK in the final. Also, UK won back to back wars against Auburn and Alabama in Nashville in 84.

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

1995 brought me fully to the fold as a UK fan. Didn’t watch the E8 game versus North Carolina but my dad was telling me about the game before it happened and it provoked my interest. We didn’t have cable at the time — (our house had just burned down and we were living with my uncle in a camper.) Later, I got the 1995 Season of Dreams VHS tape and I got to relive the season in that way. Was hooked forever — ironically it was the Pope Cam that brought me to Kentucky…and I would love for him to be the guy who brings us back to that level. I’m a huge, huge fan of the 1995 team.

 

[Global Havok]

I was at that tournament with my dad. That arena was LOUD.

 

[RunninRichie]

God, I love 1990s era basketball uniforms. I hope to god Pope brings back the 1992's. Should be our permanent uniforms. Wouldn't mind the 1997s either. The catch scratch uniforms are sick too.
It makes me sick Nike isn't rotating throwbacks for us.

 

[Dward13]

There were multiple moments in that game I thought we were finished. Arkansas had a big lead for a lot of the game. Rhodes missing both free throws to win it and it going to OT. Being down 9 with like 90 seconds left…31 years later still can’t believe we stole that one. From around 92-95 arkansas and Kentucky were basically equals.

Never would have thought 30 years later and Arkansas still hasn’t been relevant since.

 

[mjj_2K]

That 95 team is insanely underrated & rarely mentioned when we list the best UK teams of all time. They were 96 lite. They beat teams to death, including ranked teams. In their 28 wins, only 4 teams managed to stay within single digits, including Arkansas in the SECT championship. Leading up to the UNC game they had lost 4 games by a grand total of 10 points.

They were also ridiculously deep & the 2nd unit was probably good enough to be a top 20 team. Had they not laid the huge egg against UNC, I think they would’ve gone on to win it all & in turn would’ve had a much different legacy. I think they were the best team in the country that year. They’d be right there with 96, 15, 12 & 78 if they could’ve finished the job, IMO. But, they’re still one of my favorite teams & one of the best 3 teams to not win a championship here, IMO. They were as dominant as any UK team I’ve seen.

A great random factoid from that era. UK trailed LSU and perpetual thorn in the side Dale Brown 68-37 in 1994 before coming back to win. From that 68-37 point until Brown's career ended, UK outscored LSU 402-252. 62-27 to end the 94 game, 127-80 in 95, 129-97 in 96, and 84-48 in 1997. And of course, 1996 could have been way worse for LSU, because that was the game UK led 86-42 at halftime.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

My wife and I used to go every year and it was the best game I saw of the 14 tournaments I attended. Worst had to be a loss to LSU in Atlanta one year under Tubby. Best tour.ament game of any kind I ever went to was in Maui when Brassow performed his heroics.

 

[BBPirate]

12 y/o me was there, still the best game I’ve attended in person. Arkansas fans brought it back in the day as well, cool experience.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I agree. That '95 UK team shot about 39% from three on the season heading into the UNC game. They couldn't buy a shot against UNC, and it had little to do with what UNC did defensively a ton to do with UK just missing open threes. If you watch the replay, UK missed about 12 to 15 solid looks from three.

In the end, they ended up going 7/36 from three. People point to the final score, but UK was only down 51-54 with less than 8 minutes left. If UK makes let's say four more threes out of those 12 to 15 good looks (not a crazy stretch, given their season average) they win that game because then they're up probably 6 to 8 points with 8 minutes left instead of down three and running out of gas.

11/36 from three would have done it. That's still dog crap (31%), but strangely enough that would have been enough. UK's defense wasn't too bad in that game (they held UNC to 68 points through 39 minutes). They just couldn't hit open threes.

Thatd almost 2010 level bad from 3.

 

[TheBlueMist]

The 1990's was a great era for college basketball (and not just because UK was great). The talent, matchups, drama, coaches, etc. were engaging. It helped that I was young during that era, but I still watch film of those games from time to time. They hold up.

The NBA was much better too.

 

[travisbickle]

Rhodes crying on the bench after we won and he missed the free throws to send it to OT is one of the truly Shakespearean moments in UK history. Guy was never the same after that.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Rhodes crying on the bench after we won and he missed the free throws to send it to OT is one of the truly Shakespearean moments in UK history. Guy was never the same after that.

That was hard to see but he was pretty much the Rod Rhodes we always knew after that. in the the NCAA tourney. Good games against Tulane and AZ State. Obviously not good against UNC. After those devastating missed FTs against Arkansas he was 23-27 in the tourney. I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t think he was “ruined”, I think Pitino was ready to move away from him.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

That was hard to see but he was pretty much the Rod Rhodes we always knew after that. in the the NCAA tourney. Good games against Tulane and AZ State. Obviously not good against UNC. After those devastating missed FTs against Arkansas he was 23-27 in the tourney. I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t think he was “ruined”, I think Pitino was ready to move away from him.

One of the funniest statements ever was Nolan Richardson saying when talking about Rhodes leaving was “when Pitino cuts a guy he goes to the NBA”

Pitino was incensed when Nolan said that.

 

[Dward13]

Pitino ruined Rhodes by trying to turn him into Magic Johnson. The damage was done long before that 95 arkansas game.

 

[Hitman206]

Pitino ruined Rhodes by trying to turn him into Magic Johnson. The damage was done long before that 95 arkansas game.

Pitino wanted to move away from Rhodes after the Marquette loss in the NCAA tournament.

 

[BC_Wader]

Underrated, but go back and watch UK vs. Wichita State in 2014. Both teams played great and traded punches the whole way.

I think that game is the best tournament I've ever watched. I'm not just saying that because I'm a UK fan and we won. I've never seen two teams go toe to toe like that for the entirety of the game on a stage like that.

 

[ifer1116]

I was at that tournament with my dad. That arena was LOUD.

I was there too. One of the best games I've ever seen in person.

 

[Bluegrasskingreboot]

I agree. That '95 UK team shot about 39% from three on the season heading into the UNC game. They couldn't buy a shot against UNC, and it had little to do with what UNC did defensively a ton to do with UK just missing open threes. If you watch the replay, UK missed about 12 to 15 solid looks from three.

In the end, they ended up going 7/36 from three. People point to the final score, but UK was only down 51-54 with less than 8 minutes left. If UK makes let's say four more threes out of those 12 to 15 good looks (not a crazy stretch, given their season average) they win that game because then they're up probably 6 to 8 points with 8 minutes left instead of down three and running out of gas.

11/36 from three would have done it. That's still dog crap (31%), but strangely enough that would have been enough. UK's defense wasn't too bad in that game (they held UNC to 68 points through 39 minutes). They just couldn't hit open threes.

One of my more hated games ever.

 

[mjj_2K]

Pitino ruined Rhodes by trying to turn him into Magic Johnson. The damage was done long before that 95 arkansas game.

Can't agree with that. Rhodes was just a 4A player, meaning someone who was almost good enough to have an NBA career but had no outstanding part of his game that would make him a college star or worth a lot in the NBA. He was a good athlete with decent size for a wing, but nothing special. He handled it well but wasn't ever really beating guys off the dribble (his FT rates were very low). He was not a reliable shooter. He was one of many, many players who was physically mature early and developed a big HS rep, but then watched guys catch up to and surpass him as he got older.

He came out of Jersey City St. Anthony's HS, one of the preeminent HS programs from the 80's through the early 2000's. That school produced dozens of D1 players, but kind of oddly, none of them ever really hit it big in the NBA. Kyle Anderson, who was probably the last big player they had before the school closed, was the most successful.

 

[mhs1964]

There have been better teams in the final but I’m not sure if we have ever seen two teams of this quality. I’ll await the historians to remind me if that has indeed happened.

 

[travisbickle]

That was hard to see but he was pretty much the Rod Rhodes we always knew after that. in the the NCAA tourney. Good games against Tulane and AZ State. Obviously not good against UNC. After those devastating missed FTs against Arkansas he was 23-27 in the tourney. I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t think he was “ruined”, I think Pitino was ready to move away from him.

Yeah I’m probably projecting a bit but the decision to transfer to USC and then a short middling NBA career just seemed like he fizzled. But he was consistently inconsistent so that’s probably just who he was all along.

He showed some absolute flashes of brilliance but just always seemed to me his issue was between the ears/confidence and that SEC tournament game sealed it for him at UK.

Here’s a great article from Big Blue History about him and his relationship with Pitino:

Rod Rhodes

 

[vhcat1970]

Well y'all are only saying this because we won.

 

[Laparkafan]

95 was Arkansas beating Duke in the title game right?

Geez what a ridiculous amount of talent the ncaa has that year - I was crushed when I saw the draw and he were getting unc in the elite 8 going against stackhouse and Wallace was no easy task for sure.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Well y'all are only saying this because we won.

Weird take. Of course that's part of the bias. This is a Kentucky message board.

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

Well y'all are only saying this because we won.

Would it have been more exciting for you if someone else won?

If someone asked for your most exciting SEC championship game and you picked one where we lost, wouldn’t that be odd?

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Would it have been more exciting for you if someone else won?

If someone asked for your most exciting SEC championship game and you picked one where we lost, wouldn’t that be odd?

I loved the 2012 Vandy game. Stoked after that loss.

 

[Hitman206]

Can't agree with that. Rhodes was just a 4A player, meaning someone who was almost good enough to have an NBA career but had no outstanding part of his game that would make him a college star or worth a lot in the NBA. He was a good athlete with decent size for a wing, but nothing special. He handled it well but wasn't ever really beating guys off the dribble (his FT rates were very low). He was not a reliable shooter. He was one of many, many players who was physically mature early and developed a big HS rep, but then watched guys catch up to and surpass him as he got older.

He came out of Jersey City St. Anthony's HS, one of the preeminent HS programs from the 80's through the early 2000's. That school produced dozens of D1 players, but kind of oddly, none of them ever really hit it big in the NBA. Kyle Anderson, who was probably the last big player they had before the school closed, was the most successful.

He was a first round draft choice for Houston after he transferred to USC, and they played him at point guard.

 

[mjj_2K]

He was a first round draft choice for Houston after he transferred to USC, and they played him at point guard.

Yes, and he played 72 career NBA games spread over 3 seasons and 3 teams. He was a guy who just quite wasn't good enough for the NBA. Same went for Jeff Sheppard and Wayne Turner. The difference with Rhodes was that he had been more hyped out of HS and he looked like that hype might be real for the first month of his Freshman year. Then the inconsistency and flaws became more obvious and never went away the rest of his career.

 

[M080470]

Antoine.Walker's.coming out.party. He had shown flashes in the regular season but his first dominant performance all the way through. Epps being clutch when given a chance but also Mark Pope.was.really big in that game. Everytime it.seemed.like.Arkansas was.going to put us.away Pope.got.a.big basket or a rebound.

 

[mjj_2K]

Antoine.Walker's.coming out.party. He had shown flashes in the regular season but his first dominant performance all the way through. Epps being clutch when given a chance but also Mark Pope.was.really big in that game. Everytime it.seemed.like.Arkansas was.going to put us.away Pope.got.a.big basket or a rebound.

Someone mentioned Pitino wanting Rod Rhodes to play like Magic Johnson. Antoine Walker actually could have. He had a great handle and court vision for a guy that size. And he probably had more raw talent than Jamal Mashburn or any other Pitino/UK guy. Nice NBA career, could have been HOF if he had more discipline, on the court (his shot selection was crapola) and off.

 

[piglet mignon]

95 was Arkansas beating Duke in the title game right?

Geez what a ridiculous amount of talent the ncaa has that year - I was crushed when I saw the draw and he were getting unc in the elite 8 going against stackhouse and Wallace was no easy task for sure.

94 Was the Hogs NC against Duke . 95 we lost to UCLA in the championship game .

 

[piglet mignon]

There were multiple moments in that game I thought we were finished. Arkansas had a big lead for a lot of the game. Rhodes missing both free throws to win it and it going to OT. Being down 9 with like 90 seconds left…31 years later still can’t believe we stole that one. From around 92-95 arkansas and Kentucky were basically equals.

Never would have thought 30 years later and Arkansas still hasn’t been relevant since.

At the time I never would have believed it if someone said Arkansas wouldn't be in a final 4 again 30 years later . 5 S16's and 2 E8's in the last 6 tournaments is trending in the right direction though .