http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1945-46.html NIT champions.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1946-47.html NIT runner-up.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1947-48.html NCAA champions and Olympic Gold Medalists.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1948-49.html NCAA Champions.

Cumulative 130-10 record over those 4 seasons. Undefeated versus SEC competition. Won 3 "national" championships and 1 "world" championship.

Not bad. Pretty darn good, actually.

2. No. 3 Marquette over No. 1 Kentucky, regional final, 2003

The 2003 tournament was about Kentucky, Arizona and everyone else. There was such little doubt about this that the pre-tourney chatter all focused on how unfair it was that the top two teams in the country would have to play in a regional semifinal (the ranking of No. 1 seeds began a year later because of this). So, of course, neither made it to the Final Four. Kentucky was riding a 23-game win streak before running into Dwyane Wade's Marquette team. The future NBA star's legend began that evening, as he dropped the fifth triple-double in NCAA tournament history (29/11/11). In retrospect it doesn't look like much of an upset. At the time, it was seismic. Kentucky's road to the title was never supposed to be in doubt. (A side note: Amazingly, Wade didn't make the all-tournament team.)

15 OOC games - 13 W.

Possible L to UConn and UNC.

16 SEC games - 14 W.

Possible L in 2 road games.

3 SECT games - 3 W.

Cats are SECT champs!

4 NCAA games - 3 W.

Maybe more but...

So I predict 33 W.

What say ye? 30 W would be a darn good year but I want (and think UK will get) more. 

I keep typing more words so I get to the 75 word minimum, sorry.

As a team, we won 34 games by an average margin of 30 points per game.

We had 12 players on our roster who were either drafted by or played in the NBA.

However, we did NOT win a national championship despite most observers considering us the best team in the nation and (at the time) the best UK team ever.

Most of us went on to even bigger fame and glory in subsequent years.

Can you Name Those Cats?

UK has signed the #1 class in the nation several times since I've followed the Wildcats (starting in 1966).

The first #1 class was signed in 1971 (Grevey, Conner, Flynn, Guyette, et al). The 1972 class consisted of Roger Wood, David Miller, Reggie Warford, Marc Moseley, and Jeff Ray. 

The next #1 class was in 1979 (Bowie, Hord, Minniefield, Hurt, et al). The 1980 class was rated almost that high, with Bret Bearup, Jim Master, Melvin Turpin, and Dicky Beal. That's the exception to a trend, I think.

Next #1 class was in 1984 (Davender, Madison, Lock, Jenkins, et al). The 1985 class was Irving Thomas. Period.

Then comes another #1 class in 1988 (Kemp, Mills, Woods, Farmer). The 1989 class was Jeff Brassow and Henry Thomas.

And then, another #1 class is signed in 1992 (Rhodes, Delk, McCarty, Prickett, Dent). The 1993 class was Jeff Sheppard and Anthony Epps, with transfer Mark Pope added in the summer.

The final #1 class (prior to 2009) was signed in 2004 (Morris, Crawford, Bradley, Rondo, Sparks). The 2005 class was Rekalin Sims, Jared Carter, and Adam Williams.

A clear trend is evident above. The year following a #1 recruiting class often sees a big drop-off in recruiting.

Will that pattern get broken by Calipari in 2010? I think so but we'll see what happens.

I am reading these 2 basketball pre-season magazines on my commuter train rides this week.

Saw a tidbit about Billy Donovan that really surprised. He is in his 13th year at Florida this sesaon. Senior Dan Werner is only the 13th player who became a 4th year senior for Billy D and the Gators.

Some went (early) to pro basketball but many transferred. The magzines predict another NIT season for Florida. Billy D has really struggled since 2007.

I think John Calipari will have a decade like those that Adolph Rupp had in the 1930's - 40's - 50's. For those who may not know, Coach Rupp won 85% of his games those 30 seasons. He won 75% of his NCAA games (all at Elite 8 or Sweet 16 level). He won 19 (of 27) SEC titles and 13 (of 20) SECT championships.

I think Calipari will EXCEED the 1991-2005 era (when UK won almost 80% of its games and 78% of its NCAA games).

My guess - Calipari's UK teams win 83% (or better) of the games in the decade of the 2010's. I think his UK teams will win 80% of their NCAA games in this decade. And (3) NCAA titles plus (7) SEC titles and SECT championships.

UK landed #1 recruiting classes in 1971, 1979, 1984, 1988, 1992, and 2004 - roughly 15% of the time. I think Calipari will land THREE #1 rated classes (counting 2009 as his first) in 10 years - DOUBLE the UK average.

Let's look back at KenPom www.kenpom.com ratings.

UK was 4th in 1999. 17th in 2000. 7th in 2001. 13th in 2002. 2nd in 2003. 8th in 2004. 11th in 2005. 20th in 2006. 14th in 2007. 

Average about 10th. Not good enough. Coaching change.

UK was 55th in 2008. 52nd in 2009. Horrible. Another coaching change.

Memphis coach was hired. Here is how Memphis did (KenPom) under him.

38th in 2001. 35th in 2002. 23rd in 2003. 29th in 2004. 43rd in 2005. (UK better each of those 5 years)

9th in 2006. 9th in 2007. (Better than UK those 2 years)

2nd in 2008. 2nd in 2009. MUCH better than UK those 2 years.

Average about 21st (over those 9 years).