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Great Performances: Jack Givens 1978

There have been many legendary performances by Kentucky Wildcats players throughout the history of Kentucky basketball. One of the greatest individual performances in Wildcat history occurred on March 27, 1978. The Kentucky Wildcats were taking on the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Championship game.

UK forward Jack "Goose" Givens was about to put the finishing touch on his All-American career at the University of Kentucky. The Wildcats entered the National Championship game after a win over Arkansas in the Final Four. The Wildcats were looking to capture their first National Championship in 20 years.

Once the game began, it was clear that something special was about to take place on the court that day. Givens came out on fire and started to score at will against the Blue Devils. Givens would go on to score 41 points against the Blue Devils, leading Kentucky to a 94-88 victory and their fifth NCAA National Championship. Givens was honored as the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding player for the 1978 tournament. Givens' outstanding performance on the court in St. Louis that night continues to shine as one of the greatest and most important individual performance in the history of Kentucky Wildcats basketball.

In case you were too young to remember this game, or want to see these great moments again, here is a video with highlights from Givens' memorable performance.

UK Uniform History: 1993-94

During the mid 1990's, the Kentucky basketball program went through a trend where the team was wearing some of the most outlandish basketball shorts ever designed. Converse used the Kentucky basketball program as a platform to try out new design ideas and unusual styles. The 1993-93 Wildcats wore one of those crazy uniforms sets.

The team's uniform shorts featured an unusual striping pattern that completely broke the mold in shorts design, especially at a program with the traditional history of Kentucky. The stripes swirled around the shorts from the front to the back and created a look like nothing else the team had ever seen before. The shorts were also paired with a jersey design that featured the traditional KENTUCKY arch in white on the white jerseys and in blue on the blue jerseys. This was another break from Kentucky uniform tradition.

These uniforms are probably most remembered as the set that the Wildcats wore in the Mardi Gras Miracle game against LSU in 1994 in which they came back from a 31 point deficit to win the game. These uniforms will forever be remembered because of this great game, which was one of the best in UK basketball history.

UK by the Numbers: 54

The number 54 has been worn by eight players in the history of Kentucky basketball. The number 54 was the property of one of the most popular Wildcats of all-time, Patrick Patterson. Patterson went against popular wisdom and signed on to be a Kentucky Wildcat, snubbing other big time schools including long time rival Duke. It was a great day in Kentucky basketball history when Patterson chose the Big Blue over the other options he had. Since that moment, Patterson has been a fan favorite and he will forever be remembered as one of the all-time great Kentucky basketball players.

Patterson joined the Wildcats after earning the honor of Mr. Basketball in the state of West Virginia and was a Parade and McDonald's All-American. Patterson was the perfect big-time player to help begin a new era in Kentucky basketball. Patterson had an immediate impact on the Kentucky team and quickly showed his future NBA skills. Unfortunately, the team's success under Billy Gillispie didn't live up to what UK fans and Patterson himself had hoped. While he had the ability to go into the NBA Draft, Patterson instead chose to stick around for his junior season under the leadership of John Calipari in hopes of bringing a National Championship back to Kentucky on his watch. That commitment to UK and his outstanding play and team leadership have placed Patterson firmly in a place of permanent admiration among the Wildcat Nation. Patterson definitely placed his claim on the number 54 at Kentucky.

Prior to Patterson donning the number 54, it was the property of center Melvin Turpin. Turpin is most famous for being a member of the famed "Twin Towers" with teammate Sam Bowie in the mid 1980's. The "Big Dipper" helped lead the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1984. The 6'-11", 240 pound center earned All-American and All-SEC honors in his junior and senior seasons. Prior to Patrick Patterson, the number 54 was a definite reminder of the exploits of Turpin as a Kentucky Wildcat.

Other Wildcats who have worn the number 54 include Howard Dardeen, Don Mills, Larry Lentz, Art Laib, Tom Payne and Dan Hill.

SEC Tournament Memories: UK vs. Auburn 1984

One of the most memorable SEC Tournament wins for the Kentucky Wildcats occurred on March 10, 1984. The 1983-84 Wildcats found themselves in the SEC Championship game against the Auburn Tigers and their star player, future Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley. Free throws at the end of the previous contest by Dicky Beal pushed the Cats into the finals with a 48-46 win over Alabama.

The game at Memorial Coliseum in Nashville had an intense tournament-like atmosphere and most of the 15,000 plus fans in attendance were Kentucky fans. The game was a nail biter throughout. The teams swapped the lead 17 times, 14 in the second half. The biggest lead either team enjoyed was four. The Wildcats had the ball with the game tied and 14 seconds left to play. On the inbounds play, the Wildcats got the ball into the hands of sophomore Kenny Walker. Once Walker had the ball,  he bounced in a jump shot from 15 feet to give the Wildcats a 51-49 wins and SEC Tournament Championship.

After Walker's shot went in, the Wildcats celebrated while the Auburn players stood in disbelief. In what is probably one of the most memorable moments in SEC Tournament history, Auburn's Charles Barkley was seen sitting under the basket in tears and complete shock at the outcome of the game. You could see the look of disappointment written all over his face and the image of him sitting on the court is one Kentucky fans who watched the game that day will never forget.

The 1983-84 Wildcats would go on to make a run to the Final Four, before losing a heartbreaker to Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas. In a memorable season for the Kentucky Basketball program, this win in the SEC Tournament was just one of the unforgettable moments from that great season.

UK Flashback: Kentucky vs. Georgia 1983

As the current UK basketball team readies itself for SEC season, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at a Kentucky-Georgia game from long ago. This classic program cover is from the Kentucky vs. Georgia matchup at Rupp Arena on February 26, 1983. The cover features UK point guard Roger Harden. Kentucky took it to the Bulldogs on this night, winning the game by a score of 81-72

The 1983 Wildcats roster was packed with star power and included players like Jim Master, Melvin Turpin and freshman Kenny Walker. Other members of the 1982-83 Wildcats included Dirk Minnifield, Dicky Beal, Bret Bearup, Derrick Hord, Tom Heitz, Troy McKinley, Charles Hurt and Coach Joe B. Hall. The Georgia team at the time was led by junior Vern Fleming and were coached by Hugh Durham.

UK in the NBA: Kenny Walker

The Kentucky basketball program has had numerous stars continue their careers in the National Basketball Association. Today we take a look at Kenny "Sky" Walker and his years as a player in the NBA.

After a spectacular career as a Kentucky Wildcat, Kenny entered the 1986 NBA draft after his senior season. The New York Knicks selected Walker with the 5th overall pick. Kenny spent five seasons playing for the Knicks.

The most memorable moment of Walker's career with the Knicks came on February 6, 1989. Kenny Walker entered the NBA's Slam Dunk Competition and came into the contest as a relatively unknown dunking star, outside of Kentucky. Competing just a few days after the death of his father, Walker stunned the sports world with his stylish dunks and took home the NBA Slam Dunk Championship.

After a few seasons playing overseas, Walker would finish his NBA career with two seasons playing for the Washington Bullets.

Uniform History: the Kentucky Dunk

The year was 1985 and the Kentucky basketball program had just entered into the Eddie Sutton era. The 1985-86 season saw the Kentucky Wildcats achieve a 32-4 record, entering the NCAA tournament as a #1 seed. The team was led by senior Kenny "Sky" Walker and co-captains Roger Harden and Leroy Byrd. The 1985-86 Wildcats were the SEC regular season and tournament champions. The team's season ended with a 59-57 loss in the Elite Eight against LSU.

One of the unique things about the 1985-86 UK basketball season came from the shoes that the team wore. On the heels of the popularity of the Air Jordan, Nike issued the "Dunk" shoe for several college teams, one of which was Kentucky. The Kentucky Dunk shoe featured the team's blue and white colors, with the blue dominating the design, much like the original Air Jordan. The shoes were a drastic departure from the simple Converse styles that the team had worn in previous seasons. The Kentucky Dunk shoes gave the Wildcats a very contemporary look for the times and went well with the success that the team experienced that season.The Kentucky Dunk shoe definitely goes down as one of the most unique items in the uniform history of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Click on the images for a larger view

Greatest Dunks: Perry Stevenson 2009

The 2009 postseason saw the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team make a return to the cozy confines of Memorial Coliseum. One of the lasting memories to come out of the game at Memorial was Perry Stevenson's high flying dunk on a UNLV player.The Wildcats played the game in the opening round of the NIT against the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Though it was the NIT and not the NCAA Tournament, the excitement of playing in UK's historical home prior to Rupp Arena had fans in a frenzy and had the players pumped up and ready to play. The fans at the game in Memorial had an energy and excitement like the team had not seen in quite a while.

With the Wildcats leading the game 45-30 in the second half, Darius Miller threw a pass out of the press to Stevenson at the top of the lane. The path to the basket was wide open and Stevenson took advantage of that with one of the greatest dunks in UK basketball history. Stevenson drove straight down the lane and threw down a flying one handed dunk right on top of the UNLV defender who arrived just a bit late to stop this career highlight dunk. The crowd at Memorial Coliseum almost brought down the house. This incredible dunk definitely has a place as one of the all-time greats in UK history.

John Wall lands Sports Illustrated cover - UK SI cover history

University of Kentucky freshman star John Wall found himself the cover man of Sports Illustrated. The cover shot deems Wall "the Great Wall of Kentucky". The cover boldly proclaims Wall as the best college basketball player in the country.

Kentucky fans have had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness a true future star don the Kentucky uniform for the 2009-10 basketball season. Wall  achieved a place among the greatest freshman to ever play for Kentucky, joining players like Rex Chapman and Jamal Mashburn as all-time great UK freshman.  Wall was the overall number one selection in the NBA Draft and will be a Kentucky fan favorite in the NBA for many years.

Wall's appearance on the cover of SI is not the first for a Kentucky player. Many great Kentucky teams, players and coaches have graced the cover since the 1960's. One of the earliest SI covers to showcase a Kentucky player was this one from 1962. This Sports Illustrated cover features former UK great Cotton Nash. In 1966, Kentucky was featured on the cover twice, once with legendary coach Adolph Rupp on the cover and again with Pat Riley on the cover from the 1966 NCAA Championship game.

In the 1970's, the Wildcats were featured three times, once in 1970 when Dan Issel joined three other players on the cover, again in 1975 when Mike Flynn was on the cover, and again in 1978. The 1978 cover features Kentucky legend Jack "Goose" Givens and his unforgettable performance in the 1978 National Championship game. Givens dropped 41 points in the game against Duke, giving Kentucky their fifth National Championship and first for coach Joe B. Hall.

In the 1980's, freshman phenom Rex Chapman shared the cover with football player Brian Bosworth in 1987. The other SI cover from the 1980's was the infamous Kentucky Shame cover that chronicled one of the darkest times in the history of the program. Probably one of the best SI covers ever for a Kentucky player came out in 1983. The cover featured an unforgettable image of Sam Bowie rejecting the shot of a Louisville player and had the headline Sam Bam! The issue chronicled UK's historic win over the rival Cardinals in 1983.

In the 1990's, the Wildcats dominated the college basketball landscape and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated multiple times. The most noteworthy appearance to Wildcat fans are the covers that commemorate the National Championship wins of 1996 and 1998. Other players featured on SI covers in the 1990's include Antoine Walker, Nazr Muhammed, Wayne Turner, and coaches Tubby Smith and Rick Pitino.

In 2009, current Kentucky superstar Patrick Patterson graced the cover of the College Basketball preview issue. The preview issue dubbed Kentucky as the pre-season number 5 team in the country, signaling their return to college basketball dominance with the arrival of John Calipari and a great freshman class. It is quite likely that we have not seen the last UK themed SI cover this season. Could there be another Championship issue featuring the Wildcats at the end of this season?

Here is a look at the other UK Sports Illustrated covers from the past: (click on all the images for larger views)

Kentucky vs. Louisville, it doesn't get any better

The Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals annual battle is one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball.

Each season, there is one game on the schedule that everyone has marked as a must win, the game against the in-state rival Cardinals. The Wildcats hold a 27-15 record all-time against Louisville. The battle between new UK head coach John Calipari and former UK head coach Rick Pitino adds a whole new dimension to the rivalry and makes the game even bigger.

In honor of that matchup, we thought it might be fun to take a look back at some great moments from UK/Louisville games past. Enjoy!

UK by the Numbers: 3

The number 3 for the University of Kentucky is a special one. Not only is the number routinely hung in Rupp Arena when the Wildcats connect from the three point line, but it has also graced the jerseys of many great players in the team's history.

The number 3 is currently in the hands of UK freshman sensation Nerlens Noel. Following in the footsteps of a long line of John Calipari's highly touted post player recruits like Demarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, Noel became an instant sensation when he picked the Wildcats over other schools by shaving the UK logo int the back of his head. Known as a skilled shot blocker and high flying dunker, Noel has placed his stamp on the 2012-2013 Wildcats as they work their way to a major run in the NCAA Tournament. Known for his famous flat top, Noel will definitely leave his mark on the legacy of the #3 at the University of Kentucky.

Prior to 1986, the number three was only worn by three players at Kentucky. Bernard Opper wore the number 3 in the 1930's and the number belonged to Lee Huber and Wilbur Schu in the 1940's. It wasn't until the 1986-87 season that the number 3 really became a legend. 1986 ushered in the arrival of a Kentucky high school basketball star from Apollo High School in Owensboro. "King" Rex came to Kentucky with a great deal of national attention and as the reigning Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky. Kentucky fans immediately latched on to Chapman because of his Kentucky roots and huge potential.

Chapman's high flying dunks and incredible three point shooting were quickly apparent as his Kentucky career began. Chapman averaged 16 points a game in his freshman season and left fans with many great memorable moments throughout the season. In Chapman's sophomore season, he averaged 19 points per game and became known nationally as a player who could take his opponent to the basket and score from beyond three point range at will. He had an ability to take over a game at any time. Chapman left for the NBA after his sophomore season with a UK point total of 1073. Had Chapman remained for all four seasons, he could have challenged Dan Issel's all-time scoring record. Rex Chapman set the standard for the number 3 at the University of Kentucky.

The first player to wear Chapman's number after his departure was Chris Harrison in 1991. Harrison was a sharp shooting guard from Tollesboro Kentucky. Again the number 3 would be worn by a Kentucky kid with a sweet outside shot. Harrison had a modest career at UK and had a lot of pressure on him to live up to the hype that Rex Chapman gave to the number 3 at Kentucky.

During the Rick Pitino championship era of the mid 1990's, the number 3 was the property of Allen Edwards. Edwards guardianship of the number 3 occurred during one of the greatest eras in Kentucky basketball history. Edwards was a major contributor to the National Championship team in 1996, the National Runner-up team in 1997 and the National Championship team in 1998. The number 3 was in good hands during this period of incredible success for the Kentucky program.

During the Tubby Smith era, the number 3 was the property of guards J. P. Blevins, Brandon Stockton and Ramel Bradley. Ramel "Smooth" Bradley was a big fan favorite from 2004-2008. Bradley teamed up with classmate Joe Crawford as the leaders of the Wildcats team during that span. Bradley was a tough player who earned 1st team All-SEC honors in his senior season.