October 26th: On this date...

... in 1989, the one-and-only Jamal Mashburn committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky. It was the first big commitment of the Rick Pitino Era as the Bronx, NY, native had followed the former Knicks coach very closely. Mashburn and his Unforgettable teammates help lead a turnaround of massive proportions, leading Kentucky to an Elite Eight in 1992. One year later, Mashburn led Big Blue to a Final Four where they would fall to Michigan’s Fab Five. October 26, 1989, deserves to be a holiday in the Commonwealth as one can pinpoint this day as a starting point for one of the most successful decades in program history. The Monster Mash had climbed to fourth on the all-time Kentucky basketball scoring list as he decided to turn pro after his junior season. He currently stands #6 on the all-time scoring list.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach