November 30th: On this date....

...... in 2004, Kelenna Azubuike went 7-12 from the field and 3-6 from beyond the arc to lead your University of Kentucky Wildcats past Tennessee Tech, 92-63. Buike had a coming out party and finished with 21 points after starting the season in a horrible shooting slump. Tubby Smith said the biggest reason for the turnaround was Kelenna finally started attacking the rim, opening up everything else. Everyone in the starting lineup (Azubuike, Hayes, Morris, Rondo, Sparks) had at least one steal, as Tech ended the game with 23 turnovers. Chuck Hayes dominated the inside with 17 points and 11 rebounds, going 5-5 from the field. A 19-3 run early in the second half (started by a Buike three point play) made a six point lead balloon to 22 points and Big Blue never looked back.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

The Mortified Punter

Joker 2.12 - UK Snaps The Streak With Roark At QB

November 29th: On this date....

...... in 1999, your #13 University of Kentucky Wildcats were shocked by Dayton, 68-66, in Cincinnati. Tayshaun Prince missed an uncontested three-pointer at the buzzer for the win; but it wasn’t to be, as the Flyers got their first win vs. Kentucky since 1955. Prince ended the contest just 1-8 from the field. Jules Camara led Kentucky with 12 points and Saul Smith added 11. Big Blue went 2-13 overall from behind the arc, committed 20 turnovers, and blew a 10 point lead. The good news from the night was that UK went 24-29 from the free throw line. This was Tubby’s Cats second straight loss and the team would actually lose four games in a five game span to ignite a spark in the rabid UK fan base. Many fans never let go of this as this was Tubby Smith’s first “10 loss” team.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

November 28th: On this date...

..... in 1989, Rick Pitino made his debut as your University of Kentucky head coach at Rupp Arena, squeaking past the University of Ohio, 76-73. The Cats were led by Somerset-native Reggie Hanson’s 24 points, 14 rebounds, and five steals. The notorious Derrick Miller finished the game with 18 points, on 2-9 shooting from three-point range. The brash, young head coach promised two things to the rabid Kentucky fan base: it would be a super fast pace and there would be a ton of three pointers. Even though the team was on probation, Pitino wanted to spread the word around the basketball world that you could come to Kentucky and get minutes. Everyone would play. Big Blue Nation quickly adopted the New Yorker as their own and listened to him like his word was scripture. And as long as he was winning, it was.......until he turned his back on us. Years later, Pitino would get involved with a crazy-eyed lady in a Louisville restaurant.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Dunk In HD From Portland Game

November 27th: On this date....

..... in 1976, your University of Kentucky Wildcats opened their brand new, state-of-the-art, $53 million basketball arena against Wisconsin, winning 72-64. Rupp Arena to this day is the largest arena built specifically for basketball, with an official capacity of 23,000. The Cats were led that November day by Jack Givens and Rick Robey, both compiling double-doubles. Adolph Rupp was there to watch Joe B. Hall earn the first of many victories in Rupp for UK. The Big Blue Nation has broken the attendance record 25 times since Rupp opened its doors 35 years ago. Kentucky’s record in those games is 21-4. The attendance record of 24,465, set February 10, 2007, in a 64-61 loss to Florida was broken in 2009 vs. Louisville and Gropy Pitino (24,479). During Coach Cal's first season, all but one game was over the official capacity mark of 23,000. Being known as one of the greatest homecourt advantages in all of college basketball, the Blue and White has compiled a record of 463-60 since making the move. Ten of the 60 losses were seen in the last two years under Billy Gillispie’s leadership.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

 

Calipari 3.06 - Cats v Portland. Hmmm, Lets See. This Happened

November 26th: On this date....

..... in 1983, a regular season rivalry was renewed for the first time since January 21, 1922. Louisville had taken Kentucky out in the 1983 NCAA Tournament to kickstart the rivalry again. The way the players talked trash and how the players, coaches, and fans literally hated one another was really refreshing.

There was not even a compromise on where the announcement (of the renewed rivalry) would take place: (Sports Illustrated excerpt from December 5, 1983 issue).

“Two years ago, when a preseason publication wished to pose Kentucky and Louisville players together on the steps of the Capitol in Frankfort, Crum was more than willing but Hall refused to cooperate. This summer, after the schools finally agreed to play, Louisville Athletic Director Bill Olsen proposed that the announcement be made at the governor's office. His Kentucky counterpart, A.D. Cliff Hagan, refused. When Olsen recommended Shelbyville as a neutral site, Hagan wanted to know if that town was closer to Lexington or Louisville. The result was that Olsen consulted the AAA auto club and determined the exact halfway point—which turned out to be a cow pasture off U.S. 60.”

Great stuff and a great read if you have a bit of time. Oh yeah, the Cats took 36 free throws and Louisville only took 5. Kentucky destroyed Louisville that day 65-44 behind Sam Bowie. He never made a bucket, but ended with 7 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 5 assists, and 3 steals. You gotta love a renewed rivalry, no?

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

November 25th: On this date....

..... in 2006, Kentucky’s last ranked defense nationally almost pulled off the upset at #19 Tennessee, but lost 17-12, to give the Hunters their 22nd straight victory over the Cats. The win would have put Kentucky’s record at 8-4, 5-3 SEC, but the Vol win clinched second in the SEC East for the Tennessee. Regardless, the seven wins on the season made UK bowl eligible. Andre Woodson led the way at quarterback going 26-39 for 282 yards and one touchdown. Rafael Little gained 119 yards on 23 carries and had a receiving touchdown. The Cats led 12-10 at halftime, but Lones Seiber missed a third quarter field goal to put the good guys on top. It was quarterback coach Randy Sanders first game back in Knoxville since resigning as the Vols offensive coordinator the previous season. His days are numbered.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

November 24th: On this date....

..... in 1995, Mark Pope’s 26 points led your #1 University of Kentucky Wildcats to victory over #14 Maryland in the Tip-Off Classic, 96-84. The difference in the game was three-point shooting. Big Blue made nine on the day, from seven different players, and held Maryland to 1-12 shooting behind the arc. Eleven different players scored on the day for the Cats, led by Pope’s 26 and Tony Delk’s 21. No other player scored in double figures. Pope also led the team with six rebounds and four blocks. Point guard Anthony Epps controlled the game and added six assists and three steals. It was the first game of the storied 1995-96 campaign, and was the first of three big games to start the season. After defeating the #14 Terps, Kentucky turned around and played #5 UMASS and Indiana, going 2-1 during the stretch.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 3.05 - Cats Get Out Early, Cruise Past Radford, 88-40

November 23rd: On this date....

...... in 1991, “The Voice of the Wildcats” Cawood Ledford called his last University of Kentucky football game. Unfortunately, it was a game against Tennessee. And we all know how those usually turn out. The Hunters won the game that day 16-7. Cawood would finish out the 1991-92 basketball season to wrap up his 39 years on the mic. To think both of his last games (football and basketball) were losses is a bad deal. On the football side, one of Cawood’s most famous sayings happened when Kentucky had a big play. The inflection in his voice would get louder and louder for Big Blue, then you’d hear him say, “Any flags, Ralph?” (BTW, was there a harder job following Cawood Ledford as Kentucky’s play-by-play man? I say no. Ralph was in a no-win situation.) Most notable for his basketball announcing, Cawood’s football announcing was second to none. Who of us wouldn’t love to pick his brain today about the recent turnaround of the football team and what might be on the horizon for the basketball team?

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

November 22nd: On this date....

..... in 2000, Tubby Smith’s Wildcats were unhappy campers going into the third game of the season vs. Jacksonville State. The game was played in Cincinnati and the Cats were still looking for their first win of the 2000 campaign. The year started with back-to-back losses in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic against St. John’s and UCLA respectively. Needless to say, Big Blue Nation was unhappy with this unheard of start to the basketball season. The Cats raced out to a 42-17 halftime lead and won the game by the score of 91-48. Cincinnati-native Erik Daniels led the Big Blue with 19 points on only three made field goals. Daniels was 12-14 from the free throw line and made one three-pointer. Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans added 14 points a piece to flank Daniels. The story of the night was the Wildcat defense, who forced 30 turnovers.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

November 21st: On this date....

...... in 2003, four Wildcats scored in double-figures, as Kentucky basketball opened its 101st season defeating Winthrop, 65-44. Known as “The Suffocats”, this freaky defensive team forced 29 turnovers. Getting that many turnovers, you’d thing we could’ve scored more than 65 points. We would have if it wasn’t for the 24 turnovers we had as a squad. Gerald Fitch, Cliff Hawkins, and Kelenna Azubuike had 14 simply between them. It was the first game of the season though, so there was plenty of time to panic for the Big Blue faithful. Kentucky finished the game 9-18 from behind the arc, including an impressive 6-7 from our low post guys (Daniels, Azubuike, Hayes). Daniels led the Cats that day with 15 points and 8 rebounds. ‘Buike added 11 points and 9 rebounds.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 3.04 - Darius Calms The Nerves, Leads UK To Championship

November 20th: On this date....

...... in 1997, Orlando “Tubby” Smith coached his first official game as the head coach of your University of Kentucky Wildcats, beating Morehead, 88-49. Brought in from the University of Georgia, Tubby Smith had an impressive record of turning around basketball programs very quickly, not to mention an impressive record in March. Matching this coach with a powerhouse the likes of Kentucky was sure to be a success. No one was complaining (yeah right) after Tubby led the 1998 squad to our seventh and most recent National Championship. Looking back on his time at UK, you have to think he was given a raw deal. Tubby was an outstanding coach, a man of great integrity, a pillar of the community, and a man with the greatest stare in all of college basketball. Smith ended with a record of 263-83 in 10 seasons as the Wildcat head coach. “Ten Loss” Tubby seems pretty good compared to the most recent debacle of Billy Clyde, eh?

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 3.03 - Lamb, Wiltjer Show Cats' Potential in Rout of Penn St.

November 19th: On this date....

..... in 1999, an old friend came to town as the #16th ranked Fightin’ Utes of Utah came to Rupp to try and get some revenge. Well, that didn’t happen as #14 Kentucky turned away Utah 56-48 in a low scoring affair. Jules Camara hit the lone three pointer on the day as UK went 1-10 from three point range. Kentucky’s defense was the story of the afternoon, holding Utah to only 18 made field goals and forcing 18 turnovers. Every Utah starter had at least two turnovers. Jamaal Magloire led the team with 15 points and Tayshaun Prince added 11 points and seven rebounds. It was the fifth time in the 90's Big Blue had defeated Utah, the previous four coming in the NCAA Tournament. The most notable being when Tubby’s Comeback Cats took the 1998 Championship by a 78-69 score nineteen months earlier.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Marquis, Doron On NFL Live