It just breaks my heart to think about that whole season. That 1979-80 team -- the only team to feature both Macy and Sam Bowie -- was one of my favorite UK teams. I really thought that the mix of seniors and freshmen on that team was almost perfect, and that UK would go all the way. Plus they had Dwight Anderson, who I thought would wreak havoc on college basketball in his sophomore year.
For awhile it looked like it would happen. In the very next game after this one, UK beat Georgia 95-69 in Atlanta. Dwight Anderson scored 20 points, Macy had 28 points, Bowie had 10 points and 7 rebounds. But after only two more games, Anderson was gone for good.
Remarkably, UK's team was so deep and so talented that even without Anderson the Wildcats were the number 1 seed in the Mideast Regional. In the round of 32, they obliterated Florida State 97-78 in the only game I think UK has ever played in Diddle Arena. They then advanced to the Round of 16 -- which was being played in Lexington. They would play Duke, the number 4 seed.
Now this, as it turns out, is one of those turning points in history. On the morning of March 13, 1980, Joe Hall and Bobby Knight each had one national title. Dean Smith and Denny Crum had none. But Hall had the inside track for another title. All he had to do was win two home games, and then the Big Blue Nation would fill up Market Square Arena in Indianapolis for the Final Four. If Joe Hall had won the national title in 1980 -- only two years after winning it in 1978 -- he had a very good chance to be remembered as the best coach of his generation.
But, of course, it didn't happen. UK played what remains, to this day, one of the most frustrating games I ever saw. Macy scored 6 points. Bowie had five fouls in only nine minutes. He scored 2 points. Shidler played only 10 minutes and scored only 2 points. The only UK player who did anything all night was Fred Cowan, who scored 26 points -- including all of UK's last 15 points in the game. Kentucky came out totally flat, were behind 37-23 at the half, and then mounted a wild comeback that ended with them losing 55-54.
U of L -- not Kentucky -- cut down the nets in Indianapolis. IU came back the next year and won that championship. And Joe Hall's reputation never recovered.
This is very good comment. I think most people tend to think the Georgetown loss as the turning point for Joe B's reputation, but you're absolutely right that it's this date that the whole landscape shifts. Very good, GoHeath!
The sky is the limit for this kid, Dwight Anderson.
ReplyDeleteIt just breaks my heart to think about that whole season. That 1979-80 team -- the only team to feature both Macy and Sam Bowie -- was one of my favorite UK teams. I really thought that the mix of seniors and freshmen on that team was almost perfect, and that UK would go all the way. Plus they had Dwight Anderson, who I thought would wreak havoc on college basketball in his sophomore year.
ReplyDeleteFor awhile it looked like it would happen. In the very next game after this one, UK beat Georgia 95-69 in Atlanta. Dwight Anderson scored 20 points, Macy had 28 points, Bowie had 10 points and 7 rebounds. But after only two more games, Anderson was gone for good.
Remarkably, UK's team was so deep and so talented that even without Anderson the Wildcats were the number 1 seed in the Mideast Regional. In the round of 32, they obliterated Florida State 97-78 in the only game I think UK has ever played in Diddle Arena. They then advanced to the Round of 16 -- which was being played in Lexington. They would play Duke, the number 4 seed.
Now this, as it turns out, is one of those turning points in history. On the morning of March 13, 1980, Joe Hall and Bobby Knight each had one national title. Dean Smith and Denny Crum had none. But Hall had the inside track for another title. All he had to do was win two home games, and then the Big Blue Nation would fill up Market Square Arena in Indianapolis for the Final Four. If Joe Hall had won the national title in 1980 -- only two years after winning it in 1978 -- he had a very good chance to be remembered as the best coach of his generation.
But, of course, it didn't happen. UK played what remains, to this day, one of the most frustrating games I ever saw. Macy scored 6 points. Bowie had five fouls in only nine minutes. He scored 2 points. Shidler played only 10 minutes and scored only 2 points. The only UK player who did anything all night was Fred Cowan, who scored 26 points -- including all of UK's last 15 points in the game. Kentucky came out totally flat, were behind 37-23 at the half, and then mounted a wild comeback that ended with them losing 55-54.
U of L -- not Kentucky -- cut down the nets in Indianapolis. IU came back the next year and won that championship. And Joe Hall's reputation never recovered.
This is very good comment. I think most people tend to think the Georgetown loss as the turning point for Joe B's reputation, but you're absolutely right that it's this date that the whole landscape shifts. Very good, GoHeath!
ReplyDelete