Part I: Arkansas & Kentucky -- Rivalry for the Ages.

[Bomis Hawg]

Part II
Part III

Nothing truly has defined SEC basketball in recent memory than the rivalry between Arkansas and Kentucky – from Fayetteville, to Lexington, and to Atlanta.  The Hogs and Wildcats have played in games the determined division crowns, overall SEC titles, tournament titles.  And, before the more to the SEC, Kentucky and Arkansas played in one Final Four game.  To this day, the rivalry between these two schools forever changed the history of the two schools, the SEC, and national basketball.  The influnce of Nolan Richardson helped fuel many teams in recent memory.  This Part 1 of 3 of the history between Arkansas and Kentucky, enjoy.

Rick Pitino came to coach Kentucky in a very dark time and struggled his first year.  After having the best record in the SEC during his second year as head coach, the Wildcats couldn't compete in postseason due to probation.  The Wildcats had high expectations going into the 1991-92 season.  But, here came the new team on the block – The Arkansas Razorbacks and the head Hog Nolan Richardson.

Kentucky hosted the Razorbacks at Rupp Arena for the official welcome wagon into the SEC.  But, MayDay and Co. had zero part of that.  Kentucky had a 1-point advantage at the break. 

Arkansas dominated like no other team had in Rupp Arena in the second half, ending with a 105-88 beating of then eighth-ranked Wildcats.  To put the game into perspective, the Hogs were only the second team to ever score 100 points in regulation against Kentucky in Rupp Arena. The other occasion was a win SW Louisiana who scored 103 points in regulation before finishing with 116 points in a victory.  Arkansas went, for a then-record, 41/49 from the free throw line. 

Arkansas simply came in and stepped on several toes, then won the regular season overall SEC title.  From January 1990 to February 1994, Kentucky had 3 home losses.  Arkansas had two of them while Pittsburgh had the other.  Did the Hogs make an impact or what?

"We had to come in and prove something," Arkansas center Oliver Miller said.  "We played good offense, good defense and did the things it takes to win.  We are not cocky, we just feel that when we play our game we can beat any team even on their floor – and that is just what we did." 

With Arkansas losing four NBA draft picks, what was up Nolan's sleeve?  "Everybody thought that when the Days and the Mayberrys and the Millers went out the door, it would be a long time before we could be back," Richardson said.  "But it turned out that instead of rebuilding, we just reloaded."

Kentucky got a taste of Barnhill Arena in 1993.  Arkansas stayed ahead most of the time, keeping the Wildcats at bay.  Some Freshman came off the bench by the name of Corliss Williamson and added 22 points in the 101-94 win.  Nolan started his tenure in the SEC 2-0 against Mr. Pitino.  But, Kentucky would get the last laugh.  In the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, Kentucky went up 20 points early before the Hogs had a time to even regroup.  But, as most Arkansas teams of this era, they never panicked and clawed their way back.  Despite getting cutting the lead down to 2 points, the Wildcats won the game, and eventually, the SEC tournament title.  "It's not very often that a university would have to replace [four NBA draft picks] with these young kids, come to this point, and have an opportunity to be so far down and be able to come back." Richardson said.

Then, the flood gates opened for the Razorbacks.  In 1994, another big early lead for Kentucky, but Arkansas stormed back.  The scrappy Hogs fought back and held on to a lead late after a 26-9 run.  It marked the third straight regular season win over Pitino's Wildcats.  "My congratulations to Arkansas." Kentucky coach Rick Pitino said. "They've done this to us twice in a row.  They've been a superior basketball team twice in a row.  This is the most disappointed I've ever been in a team in 20 years of coaching. It [Rhodes technical] is too stupid to even talk about.  We showed more childishness tonight in every facet of the game.  In the second half, we folder our team and went home."  Arkansas couldn't knock off the Kentucky mystique in the SEC Tournament.  "We stunk the whole gym up," Corey Beck said.  "We've got to regroup and play great in the NCAA tournament."  They would save their magic for March Madness.  As Kentucky would bid farewell in the Second Round, The Hogs captured their first college basketball title.  But, in 1995, the rivalry kicked into another gear.

In what could be called the two best games in this rivalry, and probably should rank high in the list of all-time great SEC games by Arkansas, Arkansas and Kentucky put on two outstanding match-ups.  First, on Super Bowl Sunday, The Hogs found a way to win, again.  In a game that included runs by Arkansas and Kentucky, a technical foul, and a half-court buzzer beater, both teams put on a clinic of basketball.  Arkansas came away with their fourth straight regular season win over Kentucky.  "It was like a heavyweight championship bout," Richardson said.  "No one wanted to go down.  It's too bad somebody had to win, but I 'm glad it was us.  It was a great, great college basketball game.  Possibly the best of all-time."  But, can Arkansas win in postseason?  Arkansas had the Wildcats on the ropes in the SEC Tournament final before Kentucky came storming back to send the game into overtime.  After Corliss Williamson fouled out, Kentucky finished off Arkansas once again.

[Ross U (HDHF)]

Nice read.  I'd be interested to see Kentucky fan's reactions and thoughts about the rivalry.

[DeltaBoy]

When It comes to Basketball I HATE UK but I love UK #1 FAN Ashley Judd!





GO HOGS PUNISH UK

[stchane]

The 82-78 win at BWA in the '98 or '99 was pretty sweet too.

[spudhog]

great post. those games were great and very fan friendly. i wish we could've kept up our end of the bargain. another victory for me that was just awesome was beating them in route to the sec tournament championship in 2000. we blindsided them that night and took their heart away.

[dirtydoghog]

great post. those games were great and very fan friendly. i wish we could've kept up our end of the bargain. another victory for me that was just awesome was beating them in route to the sec tournament championship in 2000. we blindsided them that night and took their heart away.

Was so sweet considering our past with them in the SEC tourny!  Was one of the best 4 days ever!

[ConcordHawg]

I was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the first game and had to watch it at the Sports Bar.  Going from my table to the bathroom you had to cross back across the entry area and sitting on a bench watching the game was Eddie Sutton.  OSU was in town to play California at the Mabee Center.

I kind of thought "Wow, what could have been."

[spudhog]

great post. those games were great and very fan friendly. i wish we could've kept up our end of the bargain. another victory for me that was just awesome was beating them in route to the sec tournament championship in 2000. we blindsided them that night and took their heart away.

Was so sweet considering our past with them in the SEC tourny!  Was one of the best 4 days ever!

we beat brady and his great team along the way. those 4 days were a dream that would never end. we just took it to all of those teams.

[jbcarol]

Nice read.  I'd be interested to see Kentucky fan's reactions and thoughts about the rivalry.

I'll take a cut.  Disclaimer: I have closely followed UK basketball for 38 years.  I am currently what you would characterize as a "Tubby darksider".  He's a great guy but it deals with a slide into mediocrity.  Arkansas has been my second favorite basketball team for 30 years until this year when they moved into the #1 spot.  I competed for UK but not while Arkansas was in the SEC.

The rivalry started for me in St. Louis when Cats beat Hogs and Triplets 64-59 in Final Four.  SI said "Good Grief, It's Moncrief" but next week "The Goose was Golden" and KY got their first title in my lifetime.  That semifinal was one in which I hated to see either team lose.  For the Cat fan the Hogs were our biggest fear.  I fell in love with the Hog Hat, a true original.  To this day Sidney Moncrief puts on a first class coach's clinic and Carolyn Brewer is wonderful lady.

U.S. Reed making the long shot to put the Loserville Cardinals out of the NCAA put Arkansas clearly in at least the #2 spot for me all time.  I will always stop at U.S. Pizza out of reverence.

Eddie Sutton's crawl to Lexington brought a shot of energy that KY needed and his '86 team was a great one.  They couldn't beat LSU for the fourth time in a row that year and went out in final 8.  But Eddie's lack of control and Sean's actions almost stopped KY basketball and they had to go away.  They shortened the KY career of Rex Chapman and we never got to see Shawn Kemp take the floor.

In 1990 I am engaged to an Arkansas woman and travelling often watching Day, Mayberry, and Big "O" take on Texas and move on to the final 4.  Hogs are my team then since KY games could not be shown on TV.

'92 Nolan beats Rick in Rupp in a game I lose a bet on.  It is my pleasure to wear the Hog Hat while addressing college students in KY.  In the SEC Tourney I was relieved that 'Bama got past the Hogs and the Cats demolished 'Bama to go on a pretty good SEC Tourney run. '93 great year as well.

'94 to '98 is the stretch where one or the other of my two teams is in the NCAA Title Game.  I feel like a winner in 3 out 5.  The other two are close and tough.  In early '90s Arkansas is winning the regular season game and Kentucky is keeping their dominance in the Tournament.

The 1996 team was in my mind the Cats greatest ever.  In '97 the Cats won one in BWA after Anderson had damaged his ACL.  In '98 Nolan took Tubby to OT but ran out of gas in the SEC Tourney and Tubby got his National Championship.

While the rivalry starts to go through rough times at this point it was, is, and will be the Super Bowl in our house.  It was good to see Nolan get a win the 2000 SEC tourney even if it ended what was being called the UK Invitational Tournament.  I hated to see Nolan melt down in Lexington of all places.  In 2003 a team of Cats who were not McDonalds All-americans though they had eaten at McDonalds won 26 straight including running the SEC regular season table and Tourney.

In 2004 with UK the #1 overall seed in the NCAA, Tubby accepts Nolan's request to attend practice.  Nolan then sits behind Mike Anderson's bench giving (or acting like) he is giving signals and UAB upsets KY and sends them home.

In 2005, in my first game at BWA, I am the guy in the Kentucky gear yelling and screaming at Tubby's coaching moves and hopefully entertaining the Hog fans who are surrounding me.

Arkansas and KY are the class programs in basketball of the SEC.  The games through the 90's are classics.  I don't recommend going back and looking at the tapes because the intensity of play mixed with the ability to hit the "3" and create offense will depress you compared to today. 

No one summed up the current situation like David Hobbs, Kentucky assistant coach who subbed for Tubby Smith on his radio show one day.  "I was a head coach at Alabama.  I know how important it is to get into that NCAA Tournament.  We made the second round once so I know what it's like to be in the big time."  That's mediocrity.  That's not what KY and Arkansas fans came to expect.  The only thing we have ever missed in the rivalry was the chance to square off for all the marbles.  Maybe it will come again.  With the level of commitment being one of "I am hoping we can qualify for the tournament this year" it won't be the same.  But we can only dream. 

The Super Bowl kicks off again in our house this Saturday.  Oh, I heard there's a football game on Sunday as well.  Mr. jb

[Swiles2122]

Great read JB! I will never forget the '95 game, I don't know if we will ever see more talent on the BWA floor then was on the floor that afternoon.

[BumpieJohnson]

When we came to the sec Kentucky was the only thing good about the basketball. Now i can what for the game every year. Pitino and Nolan to Nolan and Tubby To Tubby and Stan BWA will be rocking GO HOGS GO

[Bomis Hawg]

I don't have a devine hatred for Kentucky that causes me to root against them when they don't play Arkansas, but I do hope Arkansas drills them by 50 everytime the get on the court.  It's a different rivalry hatred than your typical one.  You can respect the other team's accomplishments, but still want to see them get beat soundly.

This Saturday will be another notch in the belt of the rivalry's history.  I think the atmosphere will be unreal.  I hope, anyway.

Go Hogs.

[silvertip]

Great write-ups, Bomis & jb!! Just the kind of thing to get our game faces on. WPS!!

In '94, I was a long-haul trucker. I watched that game at Rupp from a sports bar in Bristol, Conneticut---about a mile down the highway from ESPN headquarters.

I got there, parked my 18-wheeler for the night, and got to the bar about 10 minutes into the first half. Sit at the bar, get a beer, look over & there sits Digger Phelps & another ESPN announcer.

Hawgs were about 12 points or more down at Rupp. I got to woofin' with the locals---they said NO WAY could Hawgs come back AT KY. I said, " No lead is safe against the Hawgs!" Digger said, "Yeah, that's right---including your own!"

I wound up winning 2 pitchers of beer on that game. Which I shared with those guys while we watched the 2nd game between UConn and BC. BC had a big ole mean red-head. A 2nd great game that night, with a blizzard going on outside.

[jbcarol]

When It comes to Basketball I HATE UK but I love UK #1 FAN Ashley Judd!





GO HOGS PUNISH UK

Another reason to love?  In a press release today, it was announced that Ashley Judd is teaming up with the PUR water filtration brand to help provide safe drinking water to children in Africa.  That KY girl is all right!

[booogaga]

just heard on drive time that charles thomas might be out. he is questionable.

[jbcarol]

Great write-ups, Bomis & jb!! Just the kind of thing to get our game faces on. WPS!!

In '94, I was a long-haul trucker. I watched that game at Rupp from a sports bar in Bristol, Conneticut---about a mile down the highway from ESPN headquarters.

I got there, parked my 18-wheeler for the night, and got to the bar about 10 minutes into the first half. Sit at the bar, get a beer, look over & there sits Digger Phelps & another ESPN announcer.

Hawgs were about 12 points or more down at Rupp. I got to woofin' with the locals---they said NO WAY could Hawgs come back AT KY. I said, " No lead is safe against the Hawgs!" Digger said, "Yeah, that's right---including your own!"

I wound up winning 2 pitchers of beer on that game. Which I shared with those guys while we watched the 2nd game between UConn and BC. BC had a big ole mean red-head. A 2nd great game that night, with a blizzard going on outside.

That's awesome Silvertip!!!  That was magic.  When those teams played each other there was no lead big enough to be safe.  That's why I am on the KY basketball darkside.  Over the years when I watched if UK was down six with 1:30 to go I'm thinking we got 'em right where we want 'em.  Or we might lose by 15 or we might pull it out but it's going to be exciting.  And the boys would run through a brick wall trying. Now they are dribbling out the clock and shaking hands with each other and 20 seconds is still on the clock.  When you pass over to that side you have settled for mediocre.  Go Hawgs!!!  Mr. jb

[jbcarol]

Great read JB! I will never forget the '95 game, I don't know if we will ever see more talent on the BWA floor then was on the floor that afternoon.

The combination of talent and heart exhibited by those two teams in those two games in '95!  The SEC had not seen that before and I fear will never see again!  But a man can dream.  Mr. jb

[jbcarol]

When It comes to Basketball I HATE UK but I love UK #1 FAN Ashley Judd!





GO HOGS PUNISH UK

Another reason to love?  In a press release today, it was announced that Ashley Judd is teaming up with the PUR water filtration brand to help provide safe drinking water to children in Africa.  That KY girl is all right!

The other problem I have with Tubby and his staff is how in the world they cannot recruit in the environment I can envision in this post.  She knows the 11th and 12th man by name and has dropped their names in interviews in the past.  A new practice arena to boot.  Mr. jb

[jbcarol]

It's only fair to give a KY historians perspective of the Kentucky-Arkansas State rivalry.  On a cold January night in 1945 the boys from Jonesboro made the trip to the old Alumni Gym.  It was a tough first half with the 'Cats holding a 36 - 6 over the Tribe at the break.  With straight face, Adolph Rupp exploded into the half time locker room huddle, pounded his fist on a table and demanded, "Who's guarding No. 10, he's killing us?"  Final score KY 75 ASU 6.  This was the last game of the series but at least ASU did get to play someone in the Arkansas-Kentucky rivalry.  Mr. jb

[fourthcrusade]

bump for basketball -- tommorrow is gameday!

[fourthcrusade]

bump