xt7ftt4fnn83 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ftt4fnn83/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1985 Volume 9 -- Number 26 athletic publications  English Wildcat News Company Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Cats' Pause UKAW University of Kentucky Men's Basketball (1984-1985) coaches Hall, Joe B. players Walker, Kenny (Sky) assistant coaches Parsons, Dicky NBA Turpin, Melvin Issel, Dan Robey, Rick Grevey, Kevin SEC Men's Basketball Tournament (1985) UK vs. LSU (March 2, 1985) UK vs. University of Tennessee (February 28, 1985) statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause,  "March 9, 1985" text The Cats' Pause,  "March 9, 1985" 1985 2012 true xt7ftt4fnn83 section xt7ftt4fnn83 SEC Has It All
A "Crook" According To The Saint?
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A "Saint" According To The Crook?
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VOLUME 9 NUMBER 26
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1985
LEXINGTON, KEN:
University Archives Margaret I. King Library - Nj University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky 405<
Moten KHSAA Expects Sell-Outs
For Two Or More Tourney Sessions
Tickets to individual sessions of the 1985 Sweet Sixteen go on advance sale at the Rupp Arena box office Monday, March 4.
Only upper arena tickets are available, according to Tom Mills, Kentucky High School Athletic Association commissioner, and tickets to some sessions are expected to move quickly.
"We've had problems with tickets this year," Mills explained, "because people just didn't believe we'd sell out the lower arena so quickly. Those tickets were gone last Dec.7," he continued, "and many people who said they had wanted lower arena tickets, some of them our friends, didn't get them because they waited too late. I hope they don't put it off any longer, some of these sessions are likely to sell out."
Mills was referring to three of the four opening sessions March 20 and
March 21. The opening session is likely to feature Seneca High school, from Louisville. Seneca has been featured as the state's No. 1 team through the season and has the talents of Tony Kimbro, an All-American high school player and often said to be the best player in the state. That game could draw an unusual number of fans who simply want to see Kimbro, Mills said. If Seneca gets to the tournament, the school will play at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The 9 p.m. game Wednesday pits the winners of the 10th and 11th regions. The 11th region includes the Lexington schools and Mason County, whose fans set the current world record attendance of 22,342 in 1982, comes from the 10th region. Mills said he is confident that if Mason County wins the 10th, that game will be a sellout.
Haydon's New Heart Didn't Change His "Big Blue" Feelings
Murray Haydon , the nation's third artificial heart transplant patient who is recovering nicely in a Louisville hospital, may live in Louisville Cardinal country, but he remains a true Big Blue fan.
Shortly after the operation a couple weeks ago, Haydon was presented a basketball autographed by the Cardinal basketball team, but he politely
told those around him he was a fan of Kentucky's Big Blue and would rather have autographs of players such as Kenny Walker, Winston Bennett, Troy McKinley and their teammates.
Upon learning Haydon's wishes, Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall and his Wildcats quickly signed a basketball which was delivered to the UK fan last week.
The 9 p.m. game Thursday features the 8th against the 1st region. Scott County, generally regarded as the No. 2 team in the state, is in the 8th region. Their fans gave the tournament its largest matinee attendance, Mills said, and playing at night that session could easily sell out as well. He pointed out that the 7:30 p.m. Thursday game pits the 12th against the 3rd region. Both Laurel and Pulaski counties are in the 12th, he said, and they draw heavily.
Mills pointed out that when the world record figures were set in 1981 and 1982, advance sales were between 8,000 and 9,000. "This year, advance sales are about 12,000 and we're still filling orders," he said. "There is a real possibility we simply won't have enough seats."
Mills also pointed out that no television plans have been announced for televising the 1985 tournament. Sports Productions, Inc., which televised the finals last year to a record network for high school basketball, has been purchased by Lorimar, he said, and the new owners did not renew the contract for any high school games. "I wouldn't count on seeing it on television," Mills said.
Two sessions are scheduled each day March 20-23, Mills said. Games in the afternoon sessions Wednesday through Friday begin at 1 and 2:30 p.m., he said, and games for the night sessions those days start at 7:30 and 9 p.m.
The semi-finals begin at 11 a.m. Saturday and the final game at 7:30 p.m. that same day.
Tickets are $4.50 each. Cash or bank cards are accepted in payment.
Rupp Arena box office opens at 10 a.m. daily and tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (FINAL FOUR)
Year     ChamDion Score		
1939	Oregon	46 33
1940	Indiana	60 42
1941	Wisconsin	3934
1942	Stanford	S3 38
1943	Wyoming	46-34
1944	Ulah	42 401
1945	Oklahoma Si	49-45
1946	Oklahoma SI	43 40
1947	Holy Cross	58-47
1948	Kentucky	58-42
1949	Kentucky	46-36
1950	CCNY	71 68
1951	Kentucky	68 58
1952	Kansas	80-63
1953	Indiana	69-68
1954	La Salle	92-76
1955	San Francisco	77 63
1956	San Francisco	83-71
1957	North Carolina	54-53*
1958	Kentucky	84 72
1959	California	71-70
1960	Ohio Slate	75-55
1961	Cincinnati	70651
1962	Cincinnati	71-59
1963	Loyola (HI.)	6058t
1964	UCLA	98-83
1965	UCLA	91-80
1966	Texas-El Paso	7265
1967	UCLA	79-64
,1968	UCLA	78 55
1969	UCLA	92-72
1970	UCLA	80-69
1971	UCLA	68-62
1972	UCLA	81-76
1973	UCLA	87 66
1974	N C State	76-64
1975	UCLA	92 85
1976	Indiana	8668
1977	Marquette	67 59
1978	Kentucky	94 88
1979	Michigan Stale	75-64
1980	Louisville	59 54
1981	Indiana	63-50
1982	North Carolina	6362
1983	N C Stale	54-52
1984	Georgetown	84 75
Runner-Up
Third Place
Fourth Place     Site of Finals
Coaches of Team Champions
Outstanding Player Award
Ohio Stale Kansas Washington St Dartmouth Georgetown Dartmouth New York U North Carolina Oklahoma Baylor
Oklahoma St
Bradley Kansas State St John's Kansas Bradley La Salle Iowa Kansas Seattle Wesi Virginia
California Ohio Slate Ohio State Cincinnati Duke Michigan Kentucky Dayton
North Carolina Purdue
Jacksonville Vacated'' Florida State Memphis State Marquette Kentucky Michigan North Carolina Duke
Indiana State Vacated'' North Carolina Georgetown Houston Houston
'Tied for third place, t Overtime iThree overtimes. ' 'Sludent-alhletes representing Villanova (1971). Wesle rules, the teams' and ineligible sludent-alhletes' records
" Oklahoma
"Duquesne
"Pittsburgh
'Kentucky
'Texas
'Iowa Stale
'Arkansas
Ohio State
Texas
Holy Cross
Illinois
N C Slate
Illinois
Illinois
Washington
Penn Stale
Colorado
Temple
San Francisco
Temple
Cincinnati
Cincinnali
Vacated
Wake Forest
Duke
Michigan
Princeton
Duke
Houston
Ohio Stale
Drake
N Mexico St
Vacated''
N Carolina
Indiana
UCLA
Louisville
UCLA
Nev -L Vegas
Arkansas
DePaul
Purdue
Virginia ' Houston 'Georgia Kentucky
'Villanova 'Southern Cat 'Arkansas 'Colorado ' DePaul 'Ohio State 'Ohio Slate
California
CCNY
Kansas Slate Oregon Stale
Baylor
Oklahoma St Santa Clara LSU
Southern Cal Iowa
Sou Meth Michigan Stale Kansas State Louisville
New York'U. Ulah UCLA
Oregon State Kansas State Wichila State Ulah
North Carolina Houston North Carolina
St Bonavenlure Kansas Louisville Providence Kansas Syracuse Rutgers N C Charlotte Notre Dame Penn Iowa LSU
' Louisville * Louisvilfe "Virginia
Evanston. Ill Kansas Oiy. Mo Kansas City. Mo. Kansas City. Mo New York City New York City New York City New York City New York City New York City Seattle, Wash.
New York City Minneapolis. Minn Seattle, Wash. Kansas City. Mo Kansas City, Mo Kansas City. Mo Evanston. Ill Kansas City. Mo Louisville. Ky. Louisville. Ky
San Francisco. Cal Kansas City. Mo Louisville. Ky. Louisville, Ky Kansas City, Mo Porlland. Ore College Park, Md. Louisville. Ky Los Angeles. Cal Louisville. Ky
College Park, Md Houston, Texas Los Angeles. Cal St Louis. Mo. Greensboro. N C San Diego. Calif. Philadelphia. Pa Atlanta. Ga St. Louis. Mo. Salt Lake City. Utah Indianapolis. Ind Philadelphia, Pa New Orleans. La Albuquerque, NM Seattle. WA
Howard Hobson. Oregon Branch McCracken, Indiana Harold Foster. Wisconsin Everett Dean, Stanlord Everett Shellon. Wyoming Vadal Peterson. Utah Henry Iba, Oklahoma Stale Henry Iba. Oklahoma Slate Alvm Julian. Holy Cross Adolph Rupp, Kentucky Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
Nat Holman. CCNY Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
Forrest Allen. Kansas Branch McCracken, Indiana Kenneth Loeftler. La Salle Phil Woolpert. San Francisco Phil Woolpert. San Francisco Frank McGuire. N Carolina Adolph Rupp, Kentucky Pete Newell. California
Fred Taylor, Ohio State Edwin Jucker. Cincinnati Edwin Jucker. Cincinnati George Ireland. Loyola, (III.) John Wooden. UCLA John Wooden. UCLA Don Haskms. Texas-El Paso John Wooden. UCLA John Wooden. UCLA John Wooden. UCLA
John Wooden. UCLA
John Wooden. UCLA
John Wooden, UCLA
John Wooden, UCLA
Norman Sloan. N C Slate
John Wooden. UCLA
Bob Knight. Indiana
At McGuire, Marquette
Joe Hall, Kentucky
Jud Heathcote, Michigan St,
Denny Crum. Louisville
Bob Knight, Indiana
Dean Smith. North Carolina
Jim Valvano. NC State
John Thompson, Georgetown
None Selected Marvin Huffman, Indiana John Kotz Wisconsin Howard Datlmar, Stanford Ken Sailors, Wyoming Arnold Fernn. Utah Bob Kurland. Okla St Bob Kurland. Okla St George Kalian. Holy Cross Alex Groza, Kentucky Alex Groza, Kentucky
Irwin Dambrol. CCNY
None Selected
Clyde Lovelelle, Kansas
B H Born, Kansas
Tom Gola. La Salle
Bill Russell. San Fran
Hal Lear. Temple
Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas
Elgin Baylor. Seattle
Jerry West. West Virginia
Jerry Lucas. Ohio Stale Jerry Lucas, Ohio State Paul Hogue. Cincinnati Art Heyman, Duke Wall Hazzard UCLA Bill Bradley, Princeton Jerry Chambers. Ulah Lew Alcindor, UCLA Lew Alcindor. UCLA Lew Alcindor. UCLA
Sidney Wicks. UCLA
Vacated
Bill Walton. UCLA
Bill Walton. UCLA
David Thompson. N C Stale
Richard Washington. UCLA
Kent Benson. Indiana
Butch Lee. Marquette
Jack Givens, Kentucky
Earvin Johnson. Mich Si
Darren Griffith. Louisville
Isiah Thomas, Indiana
James Worthy, N.Carolina
Akeem Olaiuwon. Houslon
Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
rn Kentucky (197!) and UCLA (1980) were declared ineligible subsequent to the tournament Under NCAA were deleted, and the teams' places in the standings were vacated Howard Porter. Villanova.
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Hugh vs. Don - Round Three Thursday
They told Digger Phelps to put up or shut up. They told Bobby Knight to provide names and evidence. Neither bothered to reply.
Then, a funny thing happened way down in the heart of Dixie.
Outspoken Don DeVoe, a disciple of Bobby Knight, stirred up a hornet's nest in the wild and woolly Southeastern Conference a few weeks ago when he leveled a barrage of recruiting charges against Georgia coach Hugh Durham and his prized freshman sensation Cedric Hendeson.
Not only did DeVoe commit the unpardonable sin (that of criticizing a fellow coach), he turned the knife ever so swiftly when his Tennessee Vols promptly upset Georgia in two overtimes just a few days late on the Bulldogs' home court in Athens.
Just in case you've been on a wild safari hunt or on a world cruise the past year, Henderson was the subject of an intense recruiting war which touched the lives of such notable coaches as DeVoe, Durham and Louisville's Denny Crum among others.
Henderson reportedly made a verbal commitment to Louisville, but changed his mind and signed a national letter of intent with Georgia, only to announce that he had changed his mind again and would attend Carson-Newman in Tennessee.
Finally, he wound up in early December at Georgia after earning the equivelant of a high school doploma in his home state. Then, within just a couple weeks, he becomes a hit in the SEC.
What followed the next two weeks was a monumental drive from an 0-3 last place record to second place in the SEC and a sure-bet invitation to the NCAA later this month. Also accompanying the glory were fierce charges of NCAA recruiting violations.
The NCAA has been investigating the Henderson case for several weeks now, but it was DeVoe's charges which touched off the SEC war. Not only did DeVoe suggest that rules weren't followed, the fiery Vols boss maintains that Henderson should not be allowed to play again at Georgia if the school is found guilty of any violations. He says the NCAA shouldn't allow the 'Dogs into the NCAA because they are under investigation.
This isn't the first nasty recruiting mess in the SEC. There have been some dandies in the past, like the cases of Ennis Whatley, Buck Johnson and Bobby Lee Hurt to name a few. And do you remember the Dominique Wilkins story? Or how about the one involving LSU's John Williams?
The Henderson case, however, is an ongoing one because (a) the Marietta superstar has enjoyed such a dramatic
impact on the Bulldogs' squad as the post season tourney opens this week in Birmingham, (b) of what the NCAA will eventually rule in this situation and (c) DeVoe isn't going to let up.
+     + +
In a way, this is both a funny episode and a sad one. Funny because this is supposed to be only a game of basketball. Sad, because charges of recruiting violations are implications of serious cheating.
Most sports figures in the South (especially other coaches and athletics administrators around SEC) are reluctant to take sides in this latest scandal charge. Most decline opinions, citing friendship with both coaches.
That's understandable. Both Durham and DeVoe are very likeable. Having to choose sides would be a pain for most anyone. Each as an arguable point. DeVoe points to statements made by those involved in the Henderson case that lean toward improprities. Durham calmly and casually responds that neither he nor his program has been found guilty of anything.
While DeVoe has aired his views publicly, Durham has kept a low profile, at least for the time being. His friends say Durham is upset with DeVoe, more than anything because he (Durham) doesn't believe DeVoe should take it upon himself to judge and sentence Durham or his program.
"It's as if DeVoe has judged himself perfect," said one close Durham ally, "there's been only one perfect man on this earth and they killed him."
The south has long been known as a hotbed for college football. Birmingham is even known as the "Football Capitol of the South." But this week, basketball is kingpin and the Birmingham Jefferson Coliseum will be the hottest bed of all for people like Hugh Durham and Don DeVoe.
As one wag said recently, "The SEC has it all," including lines like "A 'crook' according to the saint?" And "A 'saint' according to the crook?"
+     + +
The second chapter of this Georgia-Tennessee fued was written last Saturday in Knoxville when the Vols upset the Bulldogs a second time this season by a 86-85 score.
This time, the victory was much more damaging to the Bulldogs as it cost Georgia its first-ever SEC regular season basketball championship. You might say the score is DeVoe 2, Durham 0 this season.
Now, the question is, will the third time charm? That could come Thursday night in quarter-final action if
Tennessee beats Vanderbilt in opening round action on Wednesday.
If the Vols prevail over the Commodores, DeVoe and his charges will meet Henderson and company a third time.
Despite the outcome this week, one has to marvel at DeVoe's bold move of accusing Durham and Georgia publicly during the middle of the season when such an incident could spur an opponent to greater desire.
Yet, Durham has rallied his team time and time again with miracle after miracle, like the ones at LSU, Auburn and Kentucky to take command of what appeared to be his first SEC title, only to be nailed at the end in Knoxville.
+     +     + I %
With the rest of the tourney being overshadowed by the Hugh Durham-Don DeVoe fued, it's been easy to overlook the six-game winning streak enjoyed by LSU down the stretch in winning the regular season title.
Nevertheless, this could be the most wide-open tournament since its renewal back in 1979. LSU has to be the favorite with Georgia a second close, but history reminds us that neither will probably win the four-day event.
From a practical point of view, only Ole Miss and Vanderbilt appear to be out of the race. Each is very capable of springing an upset, but probably not talented enough to win four in a row.
That's exactly what Tennessee must guard against when cross-state rival Vandy comes calling in first round action on Wednesday. The two teams have split this season with each winning at home.
If the Vols get too anxious for a third match with Georgia, Phil Cox and company would be all too obliging to provide the Vols an early ticket back to Knoxville.
It says here not even the Vols will prevent SEC basketball fanatics from a third collision with Hugh Durham, Cedric Henderson and his supporting cast. Tennessee by three.
In the other first round contest, Auburn will battle it out with Ole Miss for the right to take on league champion LSU.
The Tigers will want to send Sonny Smith out on a winning note and Auburn has the talent to play with the best of teams when they're hitting on cylinders.
Chuck Person still has a shot of overtaking Kentucky's Kenny Walker for the league scoring championship, so look for him to turn it on.
Midway through the season, it appeared the Ole Miss Rebs were left-overs from the civil war, but Lee Hunt proved just how good a coach he is when he resurrected the dead to
post upsets over Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi State down the stretch.
Those upsets came without the aid of AI1-SEC guard Eric Laird who was suspended from the team during the middle of the conference race. Although Laird won't be back this season, the Rebs will be more than willing to take another upset over Auburn if the Tigers aren't very careful. Auburn by seven.
Mississippi State will find out if it can bounce back from one of the worst roller-coaster rides in the conference history. After whipping Kentucky soundly back three weeks ago to take first place, the Bulldogs have died on the vine.
Holding down first place with only four games remaining, Coach Bob Boyd's 'Dogs appeared to be the odds-on favorite with only Tennessee,
Ole   Miss,   Vanderbilt   and Florida
standing in their path. All they did was an about-face, in the opposite direction, lost all four games and dropped to fifth place tie with Florida.
Yet, one must remember that Boyd went through that stretch without the services of star Tony Robinson who may or may not be back for the SEC tourney this week.
Alabama has been on a tear lately and the Crimson Tide has as good a front line as anyone in the business with Bobby Lee Hurt and Buck Johnson. If they can get consistent scoring from their guards, the Tide could be going for all the marbles in Saturday.
Look for the Tide to win although this could be upset city if State can get an early second-half lead and put the ball in the deep freeze since there will be no 45-second clock. Alabama by seven.
In the second game Thursday, Kentucky will collide with Florida for the rubber game of the series. Each team, ironically, beat the other on the road this season.
Florida had been in a late season drought until Norm Sloan's Gators upset Mississippi State in Starkville on the final day of the regular season.
The Gators have two of the league's premier players in AU-SEC center Eugene McDowell and All-SEC guard Andrew Moten. Florida has the firepower to go a long way.
Kentucky has been an up-and-down team most of the season, but mostly up in the late going. Despite a two-point home loss which cost the Cats a share of the SEC lead in the final week, and the season-ending loss to LSU, Kentucky still has valuable tourney experience and could be one of the top darkhorses for the title.
(Continued On Page 42) 7Kancl9.l9Z5
Why
Too Many Changes, TV Hurting College Ball
Ten years ago, a shot clock or a three-point goal were only mentioned when speaking of the ABA or NBA (no three-point circle at the time). College basketball got along without those things very well.
It seems that the game in the mid 70's was played along the same lines as it was in the early 60's -- with ole college spirit. But then came the shot clock, a device limiting teams a certain amount of time to take a shot (different times depending on the certain conferences who used it). Next a three-point line -- presently 19 feet, nine inches from the center of the cylinder -- was installed in some conferences. Its purpose was to reward the shooter three points for connecting from outside these boundaries.
Nick Nicholas
Cdls' Pduse Columnist
When first put to use, it was thought that these experimental things would bring excitement. Though it looked like the NCAA was administering NBA -type methods while taking away the mystic of college basketball. With the exception of the playoffs, we all know how exciting the NBA is . . .blah.
Instead of the game getting better, it got worse -- at least from a fans' viewpoint. Everything was so inconsistent. One conference would have the three-point play and a 30-second clock while another one would have no three-pointer and a 45-second clock.
The college game with the new rules was not as interesting to watch, mainly because of low point productions by the squads and the thought of the ongoing expanding of the NCAA tourney field.
Trying to change the already popular sport was a mistake.
If a team wanted to stall for 40 minutes, let 'em. Now, the opportunity has been taken away. I don't like the stall as much as the next 'non-ACC fan, but if a 20-point underdog can beat a powerhouse like a Georgetown or St. Johns by using a spread offense, let 'em. Offensive control is a part of the game, isn't it? Why take it away?
Anyway, besides the four-corner offense of North Carolina, not too many schools applied the stall method. Without the shot clock it seemed that scores use to be in the 80's, 90's and sometimes 100's. Now. . .well, with the exception of Neveda-Las Vegas, let's just say if a team scored in the 60's, they're lighting up the scoreboard.
The clock was introduced to college ball to prevent a stall, but the NCAA's strategy has backfired. Mainly teams today control the tempo by using the clock. Some teams will wait 30 to 40 seconds and then put up the shot. That's why the scores are so low in so many games.
Today, at least, things are getting more consistent.
The three-point goal is almost a thing of the past as only three Division I schools still use it (Atlantic 10, Big Sky and PC A A). A goal should be counted the same, whether it be from one feet or 50 feet.
Also, the shot clock this year, which is used by almost every conference, is now run throughout the entire game. At least it's consistent: everybody uses a 45-second clock and for the entire contest.
The college game, which at one time appeared headed to the resemblance of professional ball, is getting back on track, or at least trying to.
However, there still are some problems.
Problems such as: the emphasis on television coverage, the ridiculous 64-field NCAA tourney, rules that are applied to the regular season and not to the tournament.
"The question has been asked, 'Will over-exposure effect the gate," said Southeastern Conference Associate Commissioner and former Georgia basketball Coach John Guthrie. "We've got a growing concern. We have reduced some of our games. We didn't want to be playing on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Fridays (conference games).
Some schools don't have designated days of play. Thus various schools --Independents, Big East teams and some others-- adjust their playing schedule to fit into the yearly budgets of certain television stations. And with newtorks, ala USA, ESPN, WTBS, WGN, and Sports Time, teams like Georgetown and DePaul can be seen on the tube any night of the week; just like the NBA.
Like Guthrie indicated, the SEC is taking a step in the right direction to correct the TV problem. With a couple exceptions (Florida-Alabama, Vanderbilt-Kentucky), SEC contests have been scheduled during certain days. The SEC games are mainly played on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with one game a week on Thursday. Only three conference games were played during Sunday dates this season.
"I would certainly hope it (the college game) doesn't go to the pro style," Guthrie said. "We have a great game here. I think the college game is so
much different than the pros. The pros play so much more frequently and the strategy gets more involved than the pros." Ah yes . . .strategy.
During the season the 45-second clock was used for the entire game. Some coaches have designed their game plan around the use of the clock. But once the NCAA Tournament rolls around there will be no clock. Great . . .no clock. Why have a regular season?
Things that worked during the regular season may have to be altered somewhat because of the tournament. It seems really strange to have the clock throughout the season and then not have it during postseason play. That means that most of the 64 teams will be changing their style of play for the tournament.
That reminds me of another matter: 64 teams in the NCAA tourney. Why 64 teams?
Wasn't 32 squads an adequate number to be playing for an NCAA championship? It use to be where only the conference champions and very few selected at-large teams, those with outstanding records, be allowed to play in March. Now, if a team is barely hovering above .500 ball, they still have hopes of playing for the title.
In the early and mid-70's, Kentucky and Tennessee usually battled for first place in the SEC. Though, unlike today, only one team was invited to the NCAA. For example, the Wildcats and Volunteers tied for first place in 1972, both with 14-4 records. Since Kentucky beat UT twice during the season, including winning the season finale against the Vols 67-66 at Stokely, UK went to the NCAA Tournament while Tennessee went home to watch the tourney on TV.
Enlarging the tourney helps the TV industry, but to me, the tradition has been lost by adding so many teams.
Let's put it this way, making the tournament ain't what it use to be. Oh the olden days . . .hopefully they'll return.
  UK vs. LSU
A Pump Fake
Roger At Point
(officIaTncaa basketball box score
VISITORS (List mint. Pint) KENTUCKY
Dale
March 2. 1985 site
ASSEMBLY CENTER (Baton Rouge)
Louisiana State University broke open a close game with the University of Kentucky in the second half as the Tigers defeated the Wildcats, 67-61, last Saturday afternoon.
The victory clinched the Southeastern Conference championship for the Bayou Bengals, who finished with a conference record of 13-5, 19-8 overall. Tennessee's upset win over Georgia Saturday night gave LSU its third SEC crown in the last six years.
The Tigers led the Wildcats by only four points, 28-24, at halftime, but outscored the Wildcats, 14-3, at the beginning of the second period for a 42-27 advantage with 13:58 left in the game.
Freshman forward John Williams had given the Tigers their early advantage with 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first period. Williams, from Los Angeles, hit six of eight field-goal attempts and grabbed five rebounds in the first half. LSU took the lead for good with 12:48 left on a Williams jumper off the glass.
LSU junior forward Jerry Reynolds then picked up where Williams left off by scoring eight of the Bayou Bengals' first 14 points in turning the game into a runaway.
Williams, who scored only two points in UK's win in January at Lexington, finished with nine rebounds. He was seven of 13 from the field and five of nine at the foul line. Reynolds totaled 15 points while sophomore forward-center Nikita Wilson added 11 points and junior guard Derrick Taylor 10.
Davender Keeps UK Close
Freshman guard Ed Davender had kept the Wildcats close in the first half with eight of his game-high 22 points. But Davender couldn't pull the Wildcats through by himself as LSU shut down Kentucky All-American candidate Kenny Walker. Walker, a 6-8 junior forward, was averaging a league-leading 23 points and 10 rebounds coming in. But, against LSU, Walker scored only 16 points and was four of 10 from the field. It was one of his worst outings of the season. Walker scored most of his points at the foul line, where he was eight of 10. He also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
LSU maintained its double-digit lead for the rest of the second half, UK cutting into the double-digit barrier very late in the game. By then it was too little, too late.
Heading Down Lane
Ed Over Nikita Victory Snaps UK's Winning Streak
The victory snapped a brief three-game winning streak by the Wildcats over their arch-rivals. Last season's Final Four team rolled over the Bayou Bengals, 96-80 and 90-68. Earlier this season the Wildcats won at Rupp Arena, 53-43.
Davender and Walker were the only Wildcat players in double figures as the next highest scorer was Winston Bennett with seven. Bennett, a sophomore forward, also had seven rebounds. Senior center Bret Bearup scored six points while junior guard Roger Harden and senior forward Troy McKinley each added four points. Sophomore guard James Blackmon rounded out UK's scoring with two points.
Other LSU scorers were junior forward-guard Don Redden with seven points, sophomore forward-guard Oliver Brown with three and Jose Vargas with two points.
The Tigers only outscored the Wildcats by two points in the second half, 39-37, but it was enough to help make the six-point difference in the game.
The Wildcats made only 38 percent (20 of 52) of its field-goal attempts, going only 13 of 31 (41 percent) in the second half. But the 'Cats were 21 of 24 from the foul line (87 percent). Kentucky committed 18 turnovers. Walker had seven of those, a season high for him.
LSU shot 50 percent (23 of 46) for the game, including 52 percent (11 of 21) in the second period. The Tigers were 21 of 35 (60 percent) at the foul line.
Kentucky - LSU Tidbits
The Tigers committed 10 turnovers but came up with nine steals. Taylor had three and Brown contributed three for the winners. Bennett was the only player on either team to foul out. . .He left the game after 30 minutes of action. . .Davender was two of four from the field and perfect from the foul line in four attempts to keep Kentucky close in the first half. . .Besides Davender, UK's other guards were a combined three of 12 from the field. . .Troy McKinley took only four shots, making two of them. . .Reynolds had four turnovers to lead LSU. . .Kentucky also stayed in the contest in the first half by making 10 of 11 free-throw attempts. . .It was 11 of 13 in the second half. . .Davender was seven of 14 from the field and made all eight of his foul shots. . .The Wildcats held leads of 6-4, 6-5, 8-7, 10-9 and 12-11 before LSU broke the merry-go-round on a jumper by Nikita Wilson for