upset the Blue, 44-43, in an overtime period. Then the Cats went to New Orleans to defend their Sugar Bowl title. When the Redmen left the floor after the game, they were on the short end of a 43-37 score. John's of Brooklyn, fell victim to the Cats in New York in the next game. Spivey was the game's standout as he throttled his All-American center rival, Clyde Lovellette, and scored 21 points for high point honors.Īnother nationally-ranked team St. Kentucky drew notice nationally as they beat Kansas soundly, 68-39. The little guard made the shot to stretch Kentucky's lead to 60-41 in the second half of the Purdue game.ĭuring the Christmas holidays, Coach Rupp played gracious host to his former mentor, Phog Allen, and to the Kansas Jayhawks. His 'save' set up another score despite the efforts of Boilermaker players to stop him.īobby Watson drives for a jump shot from the left side of the offensive court. Shelby Linville retrieves the ball in the Wildcat-Purdue game which dedicated Memorial Coliseum. Xavier University was the third victim of the Cat team as they traveled to the Queen City of Cincinnati to win, 67 -56. It was an easy victory for Kentucky as Bill Spivey dumped in 19 points. In the dedicatory game against Purdue, the Cats downed their Indiana cousins, 70-52. Bill Spivey's 18 points vanned the Cat attack. Shelby Linville had the honor of making the first Kentucky goal, a side shot after 40 seconds had elapsed in the game. It was the eighty-fifth consecutive home victory for Kentucky and the first in the new field house. The Wildcats got off to a fast start in Memorial Coliseum as they took West Texas State, 73-43. Frank Ramsey, sophomore guard, won enough votes to make the third team All-American picks and his running mate, Bobby Watson, as well as forwards Shelby Linville and Captain Walt Hirsch won honorable mention.īy adding the basketball title to their football crown, the Cats became the first team in SEC history to hold both at the same time. At the season's end their record was 32 victories and only two losses.īill Spivey, the towering center, was chosen the outstanding collegiate basketball player in the country by several All-American polls.

They set a record for league wins in a season, posting a perfect 14 win, no loss mark. Voted the best team during the season by the writers and coaches over the nation, Kentucky took its pick of the post-season tournaments, the NCAA, and justified its position by beating Kansas State, 68-58, in the finals held in Minneapolis, Minn.įor the eighth straight year the Wildcats were champs of the Southeastern Conference. Those trophies (above) are his 1950 collection, including coach of the year and an award from the Sugar Bowl Committee for his outstanding contribution to their basketball tournament. That figure includes 17 major tournaments, in which his teams registered 76 triumphs and a meager 18 reversals. In that score-plus-one of years his teams have captured 438 wins (not including the '51 NCAA tourney) against only 79 losses. Through his twenty-first season as the mentor of Kentucky hardwood teams, Rupp has compiled a coaching record of 98 consecutive home victories and the highest winning percentage of any college in the United States during that time. Rupp of Kentucky's basketballing Wildcats has the records to prove it. Maybe that's a strong statement, but Coach Adolph F. Pictured above is the best college basketball coach in the world. Season Review - Basketball 1950-'51 ( Kentuckian)

Newton, Walt Hirsch, Paul Lansaw, Dwight Price, Assistant Coach Harry Lancasterīack Row: Frank Ramsey, Shelby Linville, Bill Spivey, Roger Layne, Lou Tsioropoulos, Read Morgan Middle Row: Head Coach Adolph Rupp, Cliff Hagan, C.M. | Schedule | Player Statistics | Game Statistics |įront Row (l to r): Lindle Castle, Lucian Whitaker, Bobby Watson, Guy Strong, Ches Riddle National Player of the Year All-American NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player All- NCAA Regional Team All-SEC All-SEC Tournament Īll-NCAA Final Four Team All-SEC Īll-American All-SEC All-SEC Tournament Īll-SEC Tournament (Ineligible for NCAA Tournament as fourth-year varsity player) 5 players on this team were drafted by NBA teams.ĥ players on this team played in the NBA.

Kentucky football roster