Believe me...Nothing compares to the 1984 Final Four with evil Georgetown. 29-22 lead for UK at the half and then 3 for 33 shooting the rest of the way. We scored 11 points in the ENTIRE second half with our great team of seniors and juniors and all americans and Kenny Walker and Bowie and Turpin. It was just awful. Missed layups. In the first half we had looked so good, at one point Bowie blocked Ewing's shot and Ewing put it back up and Turpin blocked it. Last night was a walk in the park compared to 84.

This year has been fun. Exciting. We have been relevant. We can watch a coach interviewed and not cringe for fear he will yell at an innocent reporter for asking an obvious question. I, for one, am proud of the Cats and the season. Even more surprisingly, GO VOLS.

1. Texas Western 1966 championship game. Flu bug and injuries got the best of the Cats. Plus, Texas Western was pretty darn good.:sssh:

 

2. UCLA 1975 championship game. Wooden's last game. No way UCLA was going to lose this game, regardless of how the Cats played.

 

3. North Carolina 1977 regional final. UNC gets the lead and plays stall ball the rest of the game. Hit all their free throws too. Knocked UK out of what would have been back to back national championships imo.

 

4. Arizona 1997 championship game. Derek Anderson's injury keeps UK from winning another title.

 

5. Marquette 2003 regional final. Bogans played injured but I don't know if it would have mattered. Wade was incredible that day.

 

6. Louisville 1983 regional final. UK's Minniefield should have been given the Louisville MVP at their awards banquet that year.

 

7. Georgetown 1984. Twin towers and a great team but they could score in the second half. Unreal poor shooting. Lead at halftime didn't last long.

 

8. Jacksonville 1970 regional final. Bogus charging call on Dan Issel cost UK another national championship banner imo.

 

9. North Carolina 1995 regional final. Rhodes laid an egg in his last game in a UK uniform. UK had blown out every team up to that point, and if they take care of this game like they should have I believe they would have cruised to the national championship.

 

10.(A) Duke 1992. Team overachieved but it was a hurtful loss.

10. (B) Michigan 1993. Mashburn fouls out on a bad call and Dale Brown's injury late in the game defeated the Cats. UK was ref-jobbed in this one.

 

Good list and explanations, just what was looking for.

I'm 28 years old and the first NCAA tournament that I remember was in 1988, so I can't say anything about the disappointing losses to Georgetown in '84 or LSU in '86, although my dad's disappointment in those over the years make me feel like I remember them. But since 1988, it would look like this:

 

1. 1992 - Duke 104, Kentucky 103, ot (Elite 8)

Everything always means more when you are young and I was only ten. I really had never seen a Kentucky team challenge for a national title and I thought this team was there for sure. I didn't know that we weren't as talented as Duke; I guess I was too young. But as a fifth grader I cried when Laettner hit his shot and it hurts the same this many years later.

 

2. 1995 - North Carolina 74, Kentucky 61 (Elite 8)

This season seemed like a championship year. Everyone knew Kentucky was good and the Cats had absolutely blitzed their first three tournament opponents. I knew Carolina would be difficult, but I didn't think we would be intimidated. We were, and it showed. Plus, the shooting was awful. The positive was that it set the stage for an absolute torching of the 1996 season.

 

3. 2005 - Michigan State 94, Kentucky 88, 2ot (Elite 8)

Something about losing in the Elite 8 hurts worse than losing at any other time. This one was about as bad as any. Kentucky was the higher seed, but I don't believe we were much, if at all, better than the Spartans. It was just a great game that was lost due to poor execution and perhaps to a better team. In no way do we win a title that year, but I'd like to have at least made it to St. Louis.

 

4. 2004 - UAB 76, Kentucky 75 (Second Round)

Prohibitive favorite. Dominated the conference. Clutch group of solid seniors. And it's all gone by Sunday evening of the first weekend. Still a big what-if at my house.

 

5. 1997 - Arizona 84, Kentucky 79, ot (National Championship)

Most would think that losing a national championship would be higher and certainly it was bad. But I think I was still happy about winning it the year before. And then winning it again in 1998 has made me almost forget the Arizona loss. It's weird to say that, but it's true. Also, if Kentucky wins this title, what happens in '98? Does Pitino stay? Does Tubby still win one? Lots of what-ifs tied to this game.

 

HONORABLE MENTION

 

1993 - Michigan 81, Kentucky 78 ot (Final Four)

As I said, I didn't remember the '84 Final Four so this was my first time. I was sort of in a "just happy to be there" mode so this one has never killed me.

 

2003 - Marquette 83, Kentucky 69 (Elite 8)

Bogans getting hurt in the Sweet 16 had me worried about Marquette, but I had fretted over them ever since I saw Dwyane Wade single-handedly beat Louisville earlier in the season. He was dominant and it was never close. Hard to be disappointed when you just flat out get beat.

 

2010 - West Virginia 73, Kentucky 66

Maybe this will hurt more in the future, but right now I'm pretty happy. Kentucky came from the depths of the valley to the top of the peak in 365 days. I would have been ecstatic a year ago if you promised me 35-3 and the Elite 8. The players were so fun to watch. The talent was so impressive. I'm choosing to remember the good times!

 

Good list and explanations.:thumb:

1984 Gtown

1983 Louisville

1995 UNC

2003 Marquette

1997 Arizona

2005 Michigan St.

 

Most of mine are Elite 8 losses. I believe anytime you reach the final 4 it is a successful season.

Derek Anderson couldn't have played that game. No one is ready to play two months after having surgery to repair a torn ACL. There is no way that Anderson could have had the lateral movement required to play basketball.

 

 

He had practiced with them that week. Anderson stated that he could play, and that he wanted to play.

I can't believe the loss to Middle Tennessee isn't mentioned.

1. 1984 Georgetown. Enough said. UK had already defeated Houston that year and really played well vs. the Hoyas in the first half. Then the wheels completely fell off.

 

2. 1993 Michigan. I still believe two final factors doomed the Cats. One was Dale Brown's injury. The other was Mash fouling out. He had taken over that OT but as soon as he left the game Michigan's confidence soared and UK was just trying to hang on. Michigan played their best game of the year to beat the Cats.

 

3. 1977 North Carolina. UK was #3 in the land. Fell behind by 15 at half, cut it to 5 with 15 minutes to go and UNC went to the Four Corners. Still trimmed it to 1 point with about :50 left and Krafscin nailed 2 FT's and it was all but over. UK had the team to beat any of the Final Four that season.

 

4. 1986 LSU. It's hard to take a loss to a team you had defeated 3 times earlier in the year. Particularly when you defeated the eventual National Champ.

 

5. 2010 WVU. It's all my fault. I didn't get to watch the game and stand in my lucky spot by bedroom TV until there were 3:00 left. That's when we came back and I was just ... too ... late. :cry:

 

Disappointing:

 

Early 80's losses to UAB and Middle Tennessee. 1995 to UNC.

 

Heartbreaking:

 

Duke in 1992

He had practiced with them that week. Anderson stated that he could play, and that he wanted to play.

Misinformation ...

1966 Monster upset

1984 Second half was beyond belief

1992 Obvious

2010 Two lottery picks and two other first rounders can't get it done.

1977 Four corners became famous (I think it was run by a backup point guard)

1966 Monster upset

1984 Second half was beyond belief

1992 Obvious

2010 Two lottery picks and two other first rounders can't get it done.

1977 Four corners became famous (I think it was run by a backup point guard)

 

Wasn't Texas Western the #2 or #3 team in the nation? How is that a monster upset except for the media and Hollywood perspective?

1966 Monster upset

1984 Second half was beyond belief

1992 Obvious

2010 Two lottery picks and two other first rounders can't get it done.

1977 Four corners became famous (I think it was run by a backup point guard)

 

 

My question to you is do any of those come close to March 1980? :sssh:

I will never forget the Marquette game.

I'll go with 1984 Georgetown. It was painful watching missed shot after missed shot.

 

I would have to add a mid-80's game versus LSU and a John Williams.

 

If memory serves UK had beaten a good Alabama team in the Sweet 16 for the 3rd time. Had to face LSU for the fourth time in the Elite 8 and couldn't pull it off.

 

Sky-Walker was one of my favorite all time players and he was on this team.

 

Others for the reason already mentioned:

Arizona 1997, hit a free throw Nazr

Marquette and Michigan State

and 1993 Michigan game because myself and my new wife was in attendance at that game.

How about the loss to LSU in the elite 8 after UK had beaten them 3 times already that season.