March 23rd: On this date....

..... in 1948, your top-ranked University of Kentucky Wildcats, led by head coach Adolph Rupp, dominated Baylor, 58-42, to earn the program's first ever NCAA Championship. The team, known as The Fabulous Five, finished with a record 34 wins and only two defeats (Temple and Notre Dame). The Cats got out quick in the title game, going ahead 24-7, and taking a 13 point lead into the half. Baylor tried slowing the game down against the heavily favored Wildcats, but Kentucky's size and speed was too much for the Bears. The 6'7" Alex Groza (14 points) controlled the inside and the lightning fast Ralph Beard (12 points) handled everything outside in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd of over 16,000. One of the most celebrated teams in program history, the '48 squad went on to the Olympics and brought the gold home by dispatching of the Frenchies, 65-21, in the finals. The remaining members of The Original Fabulous Five were: Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones, Kenny Rollins, Cliff Barker.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach