And also Scott Pollard, Jarrad Haase, Raef Lafrentz, Paul Pierce, and TJ Pugh. They would have dirt rolled this year's Kansas team. They had only lost 1 game prior to the loss against Arizona.

 

Yeah, what he said.

And also Scott Pollard, Jarrad Haase, Raef Lafrentz, Paul Pierce, and TJ Pugh. They would have dirt rolled this year's Kansas team. They had only lost 1 game prior to the loss against Arizona.

 

I thought Pierce was on that team, but couldn't remember for sure. Forgot about Lafrentz and Pollard.

 

I agree. They were better than this year's Kansas team. Just similar roster makeup and results...

 

Talented, veteran PG (Collins, Vaughn)

Big time wing scorer (Henry, Pierce)

Big white guy (Aldrich, Pollard/Lafrentz)

 

Dominant season, early exit.

I thought Pierce was on that team, but couldn't remember for sure. Forgot about Lafrentz and Pollard.

 

I agree. They were better than this year's Kansas team. Just similar roster makeup and results...

 

Talented, veteran PG (Collins, Vaughn)

Big time wing scorer (Henry, Pierce)

Big white guy (Aldrich, Pollard/Lafrentz)

 

Dominant season, early exit.

 

Pierce was on that team. :thumb:

I don't think the '97 team was as good as this one, but I do think they'd have won the championship if they hadn't had to play Minnesota in the semis. I think that game took a lot out of UK. It was a tough, physical game.

 

They missed way too many free throws to win. That was their downfall.

They missed way too many free throws to win. That was their downfall.

 

Only 4 come to mind...

Only 4 come to mind...

 

Actually the 0-6 of Nazr was the Achilles Heel. Take those away and they shoot their normal FT %.

What about Kenny Walkers Sr year I believe 1986 32-4. UK had beaten LSU three times then lost to them in the elite 8

Here's a list of 12 very good teams without a title,not in order.

 

1952,29-3 No.1 AP & UPI

1954,25-0 No.1 AP No.2 UPI

1962,23-3 No.3 AP & UPI

1966,27-2 No.1 AP & UPI

1970,26-2 No.1 AP & UPI

1975,26-5 No.2 AP No.4 UPI

1984,29-5 No.3 AP & UPI

1986,32-4,No.3 AP & UPI

1993,30-4,No.6 AP & No.3 CNN/USAToday

1997,35-5,No.5 AP & No.2 CNN/USAToday

2003,32-4,No.1 AP & No.4 ESPN/USAToday

2010.35-3,No.2 AP

 

You be the judge

See, I never saw the '97 team as "that loaded." They were never ranked #1 if memory serves. They had great guard and wing play but the Center position was a platoon between a Freshman Magloire, an undeveloped Nazr Mohammad and Jared Prickett. Padgett joined them half way through the year and it gave them a good power forward to help out up front. Epps was a heady point guard and Turner was a solid Sophomore but Mills was a bonus in the tourney and Mercer carried them when things got tough.

 

The '03 team was very tough defensively and played great as a unit I thought. They got on a roll but relied so much on that rhythm that Bogan's injury disrupted it when it needed to be at it's best.

 

Agree on the '97 team. In terms of getting the most out of your talent, I thought it was one of RP's best coaching jobs--especially when Anderson went down with the ACL. Padgett was essentially a rookie, and Wayne Turner was young as well. Nazr was a sophomore too, but hadn't played much at all his freshman year. We had just lost three very good players to the NBA draft 1st round & also a key reserve in Pope.

 

The '03 team is an enigma to me. I really don't want to take away from the undefeated SEC play, but the conference was really overrated that year. Florida was a terrible 2-seed, getting blasted by 22 points in the 2nd round. MSU was seeded 5th and lost to Butler in the 1st round. LSU & Alabama both went out in the 1st round (LSU by about 25 points...as an 8 or 9 seed). The surprise was #10 seed Auburn, who got beat in the Sweet 16 by eventual champ Syracuse (lost by one point, I believe). The '03 team was a very good one, but I'm not so sure a healthy Bogans changes the Marquette game's outcome.