This post is meant simply to list the most important accomplishments of this incredibly special team. I'll be adding to it.
TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (our 8th title, won by five different coaches)
FINISHED #1 IN BOTH MAJOR POLLS (stayed #1 the final 8 weeks of the season)
PERFECT 16-0 IN SEC (only third time in history - all by UK)
CONTINUED NATION'S LONGEST HOME WINNING STREAK (currently 52 games)
WON 24 CONSECUTIVE GAMES
NCAA RECORD FOR TEAM BLOCKED SHOTS (335 in a single season)
INDIVIDUAL HONORS
ANTHONY DAVIS - NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR (our first ever AP, Naismith or Wooden winner)
ANTHONY DAVIS - FINAL FOUR MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST - NCAA TOURNAMENT SOUTH REGION MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
ANTHONY DAVIS - SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY DAVIS, MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST - ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
ANTHONY DAVIS - NCAA FRESHMAN RECORD FOR BLOCKED SHOTS (186 - also our new single-season school record)
ANTHONY DAVIS - UK FRESHMAN RECORD FOR REBOUNDS (415)
DARIUS MILLER, TERRENCE JONES, DORON LAMB - ALL JOINED 1000-POINT CLUB
DARIUS MILLER - MOST GAMES PLAYED IN UK HISTORY (152 in his career)
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Kentucky's "easiest" run to the title game?
For any diehard UK fan, this has been a (Ryan?) harrowing, but extremely rewarding NCAA Tournament to follow. We endured three interminable waits before three awkward (in the case of WKU) or bitter (IU and UofL) rivalry games. In between, we battled two Big 12 opponents which presented differing strategic challenges.
However, if you believe what Cal says (that the team doesn't really care about the rivalry pressure), then this has arguably been UK's easiest road to the title game since their very first one in 1948. I wouldn't necessarily make that argument myself, for two main reasons:
1) More games now (1948/49 - 2 wins needed to reach title, 1951/58/66 - 3, 1975/78 - 4)
2) Regardless of what Cal says, I think the enormous fan pressure carries over to the team, and the IU and UofL games were absolutely draining experiences for all involved.
Still, from a purely objective perspective, the fact remains that this is UK's first title game appearance since 1948 (when the AP Poll didn't exist yet) without having to beat a top-5 opponent. You may also dispute the validity of the polls (which I often do), and teams like 2012 Louisville clearly can catch fire and play at a level above that which their rankings would indicate. On the flip side, Kansas may have faced a highly-ranked UNC team, but without Kendall Marshall that ranking (and seed) were essentially meaningless. Let's make a list anyway, shall we?
UK's Roads to the Title Game, Past and Present (rankings are final AP poll):
1948 - Columbia, Holy Cross
1949 - #14 Villanova, #4 Illinois
1951 - Louisville, #9 St. John's, #5 Illinois
1958 - Miami OH, #8 Notre Dame, #5 Temple
1966 - #19 Dayton, #9 Michigan, #2 Duke
1975 - #10 Marquette, C Michigan, #1 Indiana, #6 Syracuse
1978 - #15 FSU, #19 Miami OH, #4 Michigan State, #5 Arkansas
1996 - SJSU, #16 Va. Tech, #10 Utah, #13 Wake Forest, #1 UMass
1997 - Montana, Iowa, #12 St. Joseph's, #2 Utah, #3 Minnesota
1998 - SC State, St. Louis, #19 UCLA, #3 Duke, #10 Stanford
2012 - WKU, Iowa St., #16 Indiana, #9 Baylor, #17 Louisville
Using this (admittedly) heavily flawed approach, it seems like the toughest years were:
1) 1975 - three top-10 teams (including an undefeated IU squad)
2) 1978 - four ranked teams, two top-5 teams
3) 1997 - two top-3 teams
However, if you believe what Cal says (that the team doesn't really care about the rivalry pressure), then this has arguably been UK's easiest road to the title game since their very first one in 1948. I wouldn't necessarily make that argument myself, for two main reasons:
1) More games now (1948/49 - 2 wins needed to reach title, 1951/58/66 - 3, 1975/78 - 4)
2) Regardless of what Cal says, I think the enormous fan pressure carries over to the team, and the IU and UofL games were absolutely draining experiences for all involved.
Still, from a purely objective perspective, the fact remains that this is UK's first title game appearance since 1948 (when the AP Poll didn't exist yet) without having to beat a top-5 opponent. You may also dispute the validity of the polls (which I often do), and teams like 2012 Louisville clearly can catch fire and play at a level above that which their rankings would indicate. On the flip side, Kansas may have faced a highly-ranked UNC team, but without Kendall Marshall that ranking (and seed) were essentially meaningless. Let's make a list anyway, shall we?
UK's Roads to the Title Game, Past and Present (rankings are final AP poll):
1948 - Columbia, Holy Cross
1949 - #14 Villanova, #4 Illinois
1951 - Louisville, #9 St. John's, #5 Illinois
1958 - Miami OH, #8 Notre Dame, #5 Temple
1966 - #19 Dayton, #9 Michigan, #2 Duke
1975 - #10 Marquette, C Michigan, #1 Indiana, #6 Syracuse
1978 - #15 FSU, #19 Miami OH, #4 Michigan State, #5 Arkansas
1996 - SJSU, #16 Va. Tech, #10 Utah, #13 Wake Forest, #1 UMass
1997 - Montana, Iowa, #12 St. Joseph's, #2 Utah, #3 Minnesota
1998 - SC State, St. Louis, #19 UCLA, #3 Duke, #10 Stanford
2012 - WKU, Iowa St., #16 Indiana, #9 Baylor, #17 Louisville
Using this (admittedly) heavily flawed approach, it seems like the toughest years were:
1) 1975 - three top-10 teams (including an undefeated IU squad)
2) 1978 - four ranked teams, two top-5 teams
3) 1997 - two top-3 teams
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