How Kentucky and Two SEC Rematches Changed the NCAA Tournament

They say it’s hard to beat a team three times. That colloquialism is being echoed throughout the SEC ahead of Kentucky’s rematch with Tennessee in the Sweet 16. How hard is it to beat a team four times? The Kentucky Wildcats learned the hard way and it forever changed the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky and Tennessee will meet in the NCAA Tournament for the first time on Saturday. The Wildcats have only faced one SEC team in the NCAA Tournament, an overtime Elite Eight loss to Auburn, since 1986. That year, the Cats got a double-dose of “It Just Means More.”

The Wildcats were a wagon under Eddie Sutton. They rolled through the SEC regular season with a 14-1 record behind senior All-American Kenny “Sky” Walker, who averaged 20 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The hosts of the SEC Tournament squeaked out a three-point win over Dale Brown’s LSU Tigers in the semifinals, then secured the title with an 83-72 victory over Alabama

Kentucky was awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Almost 40 years ago, the selection committee stuck true to the regional format. Teams typically played in the region that was closest in proximity. That’s why they put two other SEC teams in the bracket, No. 5 Alabama and No. 11 LSU. They probably didn’t think all would advance to the Southeast Regional in Atlanta, but that’s exactly what happened.

Kentucky Needed to Beat Bama and LSU a Fourth Time to Reach the Final Four

In the Sweet 16, the Cats had to face Alabama for a fourth time. Kentucky won the previous three games by an average of 11.6 points, dominating the games at Rupp, but only escaping Tuscaloosa with a 2-point victory. Wimp Sanderson’s squad was ready for revenge. The Crimson Tide’s Terry Coner had 20 points, but Walker had 22, while Winston Bennett chipped in 14 points and 12 boards as Kentucky escaped with a 68-63 win.

Eddie Sutton’s Cats beat one SEC team four times, then they had to do it again in the Elite Eight. LSU won its first two games of the NCAA Tournament at the buzzer to reach Atlanta, where they beat Georgia Tech in their home city. Kentucky jumped out to an 11-4 lead over LSU, before the Tigers clawed back. The game was nip and tuck until the final minute when Ricky Blanton got loose for a layup that gave LSU enough breathing room for a 59-57 win that ended Kenny Walker’s illustrious UK career.

LSU became the first No. 11 seed to advance to the Final Four. It also changed the NCAA Tournament selection process. From that point forward, the committee changed its method to avoid repeat matchups against conference foes. With 14 SEC teams in this year’s field and seven in the Sweet 16, avoiding rematches was an impossible task, pitting Kentucky and Tennessee against each other for the third time with an Elite Eight on the line.