UK Basketball: From 1 to 1

The last game UK played while ranked #1 was the 2003 NCAA tournament game against Marquette. Keith Bogans had an injured ankle and some guy named Dwayne Wade....yes the Dwayne Wade....went off for 29 points leading Marquette to the Final Four that Year.

Since then, UK has endured

A 27-5 record in 2003/04 ending with a disappointing loss to UAB in the second round when UK was the top #1 seed

A 28-6 record in the 2004/05 season with a loss in he SECT finals to unranked Florida and ending with a heart breaking double OT loss to Michigan State for a shot at the Final Four

A 22-13 record for 2005/06 ending with a second round bounce in the NCAA's and another SECT finals loss to an unranked team

A 22-12 2006/07 season ending with UK being unranked heading into the SECT and NCAA's and another second round bounce from the dance at the hands of Kansas. Shortly after the season ended, coach Smith left for the job at Minnesota and Randolph Morris dropped out of school to take a free agent NBA contract after a lackluster and sometimes scandalous college career highlighted by the "mystery fax"

A 18-13 2007/08 season highlighted by the infamous Gardner Webb loss, 4 losses in a row in the SEC regular season, a first round and Thursday bounce from the SECT and a first round bounce from the NCAA's

A 22-14 2008/09 season highlighted by our first trip to the NIT since 1976, another Thursday appearance in the SECT, 4 losses in a row to end the regular season, and a 3rd round bounce from the NIT by Notre Dame

Billy Clyde Gillispie gets fired very shortly after the season ends and reports of player abuse start to circulate as well as rumors of an alcohol problem which are later confirmed by him getting another DUI and entering a substance abuse clinic. Let's hope he remains clean and makes a good name for himself again coaching basketball somewhere.

UK approaches John Calipari. John is not only interested but wanted the job two years prior also. Calipari is introduced as the new head coach of the UK men's basketball program. He brings in what is arguably the best college recruiting class ever in NCAA history.

UK starts the season 19-0 and finally returns to the number 1 ranking that has eluded us for two thousand two hundred forty six days thanks mainly to lackluster recruiting and coaches that could not handle the bright spot light of UK and the position of men's head basketball coach.

UK is THE winningest program in NCAA history with the highest winning percentage, the only team with 2000 wins, and a tradition richer than any other for a commitment to excellence.

C A T S Cats, Cats Cats!