December 18th: On this date...

... in 2004, a Freedom Hall record basketball crowd of 20,088 witnessed Patrick “Booger” Sparks hit three free throws with 0.6 seconds left in regulation to push #8 Kentucky past #13 Louisville, 60-58. Sparks had two Louisville big men running at him with time running out and (instead of getting blocked) faked a three-pointer to draw the most crucial foul of the afternoon. The day didn’t start out so great, though, as Kentucky shot 5-24 in the first half and trailed 32-16 at halftime. It tied the largest halftime deficit UK had overcome to win a game (with the 1994 Mardi Gras Miracle) in program history. Sparks was on fire from deep going 5-8 and finishing with 25 points and 5 rebounds. Kelenna Azubuike added 12 points and Chuck Hayes gave a solid 6 point - 9 rebound - 4 assist effort to keep everything under control down low. Tubby used his bench to the tune of thirteen players seeing floor time, compared to seven on the Rick Pitino side. The win stopped a two-game losing streak to Rick Pitino and the Restaurants.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach