Kentucky Basketball's record against in-state opponents (since 1902)

Murray State was a hot topic on today’s Kentucky Sports Radio show after the Racers won the NCAA Baseball Regional in Oxford, stunning Ole Miss in the regional championship game. Head coach Dan Skirka even phoned in from his morning ride back to Murray from Mississippi.

Murray State’s basketball program also came up in KSR’s conversation about the Racers, and how Murray State and Kentucky have never played against each other in college basketball. Steven Peake recently explored the two programs in a video about their eerie similarities. Today, KSR’s show was surprised they hadn’t met in the 100 years of co-existing in the Bluegrass.

This led to a Tuesday afternoon internet wormhole into Kentucky’s history against other in-state teams. Of course, Big Blue History has all of the knowledge one would need, including the Wildcats’ all-time record against opponents from the state of Kentucky.

Big Blue History credits Kentucky Basketball with a 184-71 record against opponents from Kentucky, dating back over a century. Opponents like the Lexington YMCA (to which Kentucky has a losing record), Fort Knox A.R.T.C., and, simply, “Alumni” are listed in the unofficial record, along with the schools you’re familiar with today.

Kentucky’s .722 in-state win percentage seems low for the all-time winningest program in college basketball; however, most of the losses predate the hiring of Adolph Rupp in 1930. Take Georgetown College, for instance. Georgetown has 15 wins against UK, all occurring between 1903 and 1927. Louisville is another example of a team that used to beat Kentucky in the old days. With those outliers in mind, let’s start with the 12 schools that have beaten Kentucky and their most recent win in the series.

The 12 include such games as “Kentucky University beats State College in basket ball by score of 42 to 2” in 1903, and “State defeats the Coliseum Team” in 1908. The Herald-Leader wrote of the latter, “With a whirlwind finish the basket ball team from Kentucky State College defeated the Coliseum team of Louisville in the State College gymnasium last night by a score of 29 to 28. The contest was close and exciting at all stages.”

In-state opponents’ most recent win over Kentucky

Louisville (40-17)	2020
Western Kentucky (6-2)	2001
Georgetown College (35-15)	1927
Kentucky Wesleyan (8-2)	1927
Centre College (18-10)	1923
Cumberland (4-1)	1920
St. Andrews (1-1)	1915
Lexington YMCA (2-5)	1913
Lexington High (1-1)	1911
Transylvania (2-1)	1911
Louisville Coliseum (1-1)	1908
Kentucky University (5-6)	1907

So, only Louisville and Western Kentucky have wins over Kentucky in this century. The table also shows that Kentucky should consider scheduling the Lexington YMCA until that series flips in UK’s favor.

Now, Kentucky’s record against every opponent from Kentucky:

All-time record vs. in-state opponents (since 1902)

OPPONENT	WINS	LOSSES
Alumni	4	0
Ashland YMCA	2	0
Bellarmine	1	0
Berea	9	0
Berea (Naval V-12)	2	0
Central University	7	9
Centre College	18	10
Cumberland	4	1
Eastern Kentucky	12	0
Eastern Normal	1	0
Fort Knox	6	0
Fort Knox A.R.T.C.	1	0
Georgetown College	35	15
Kentucky State	1	0
Kentucky University	5	6
Kentucky Wesleyan	8	2
Lexington High	1	1
Lexington YMCA	2	5
Louisville	40	17
Louisville Coliseum	1	1
Louisville YMCA	1	0
Louisville YMHA	1	0
Morehead	11	0
Northern Kentucky	2	0
St. Andrews	1	1
Transylvania	2	1
Western Kentucky	6	2
TOTAL	184	71

It’s time to get a game with Murray State on the books, and more against the YMCA.