Best of UK in the NCAA: Friday First Round Highlights

MrsTylerKSR

kentucky-ncaa-tournament-highlights-friday-first-round-games — NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 21: Kelenna Azubuike #24 of the University of Kentucky Wildcats advances the ball past Chris Sanders #33 of the Indiana University - Perdue University Indianapolis Jaguars during the first round of the Midwest Region NCAA Tournament at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on March 21, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. Kentucky defeated IUPUI 95-64. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Kentucky begins its NCAA Tournament journey tonight at 7:10 p.m. vs. Providence. We’ve got a long time until then, so let’s start the day with highlights from the Cats’ Friday First Round games from the past 30 years.

1992: No. 2 Kentucky 88, No. 15 Old Dominion 69

Friday, March 20, 1992

This was Kentucky’s first year off of probation, and, as we all know, they made it to the Elite Eight to play Duke. First, they took down Old Dominion behind 22 points from John Pelphrey and 11 points and 13 rebounds from Jamal Mashburn.

1993: No. 1 Kentucky 96, No. 16 Rider 52

Friday, March 19, 1993

The Cats were 27-point favorites in this game and covered that spread after only 12 minutes of play. According to the recap from Dr. J’s UK Newsletter, the game was so out of hand that at halftime, Pitino asked his players not to try to score 100 points and not to press.

1994: No. 3 Kentucky 83, No. 14 Tennessee State 70

Friday, March 18, 1994

Andre Riddick and Rodrick Rhodes scored 22 each to lead the Cats past the TSU Tigers. According to Dr. J’s UK Newsletter, in the closing minutes, CBS switched to the end of the Boston College/Washington State game, “prompting angry calls” to WKYT-TV in Lexington.

1998: No. 2 Kentucky 82, No. 15 South Carolina State 67

Friday, March 13, 1998

Kentucky’s frontcourt dominated, led by Nazr Mohammad with 18 points, to give Tubby Smith his first NCAA Tournament win as Kentucky’s coach.

1999: No. 3 Kentucky 82, No. 14 New Mexico State 60

Friday, March 12, 1999

Kentucky used a 21-0 run in the second half to put away the NMSU Aggies, nine of those points coming from Heshimu Evans. Wayne Turner tied Christian Laettner for career games played.

Sadly, no YouTube clips of this that I could find, so here’s a picture of Heshimu Means Warrior:

2003: No. 1 Kentucky 95, No. 16 IUPUI 64

Friday, March 21, 2003

IUPUI over the Cats was a popular upset pick, but the Cats crushed the Jaguars 95-64. Gerald Fitch led the way with 25 points, followed by Keith Bogans, Marquis Estill, and Cliff Hawkins all with 13.

No footage, so here’s a picture of Erik Daniels grabbing a rebound.

NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 21: Erik Daniels #14 of Kentucky grabs the rebound in the first half against IUPUI in the first round of the NCAA Firs Round on March 21, 2003 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee.Kentucky won 95-64.(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

2004: No. 1 Kentucky 96, No. 16 Florida A&M 76

Friday, March 19, 2004

The Florida A&M Rattlers stuck around for 30 minutes before Kentucky used a 15-2 run to finally get some breathing room. Gerald Fitch led the way with 26 points, and Chuck Hayes had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

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I couldn’t find any footage of this game either (argh!), so here’s a picture of Chuck Hayes and the Florida A&M’s fantastic band.

COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 19: Chuck Hayes #44 of the Kentucky Wildcats dunks the ball in against the Florida A&M Rattlers as the Wildcats defeated the Rattlers 96-76 during the first round game of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 19, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

2006: No. 8 Kentucky 69, No. 9 UAB 64

Friday, March 17, 2006

Kentucky avenged its loss to UAB in the 2004 NCAA Tournament with a 69-64 win. Bobby Perry had a career-high 25 points, 19 in the second half, to lead the Cats past the Blazers.

I’m starting to think footage of Kentucky’s games in the mid-2000s doesn’t exist. You know what does? This clip from The Tubby Smith Show of Bobby Perry playing the piano.

2007: No. 8 Kentucky 67, No. 9 Villanova 58

Friday, March 16, 2007

Randolph Morris had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds to push Kentucky to the much-needed win, the last of the Tubby Smith Era.

Sadly, the one video I could find of this has been taken down.

2014: No. 8 Kentucky 56, No. 9 Kansas State 49

Friday, March 21, 2014

Julius Randle had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Aaron Harrison finished with 18 points to lead Kentucky to the opening-round win over Kansas State. Remember, this is the game that a Kansas State walk-on got a technical foul for dunking in warm-ups, which sent Andrew Harrison to the free-throw line before tipoff.

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2017: No. 2 Kentucky 79, No. 15 Northern Kentucky 70

Friday, March 17, 2017

Bam Adebayo shined with 18 points and 15 rebounds and De’Aaron Fox had 19 points in Kentucky’s first-round win over Northern Kentucky. The Cats led by as many as 18 in the second half but the Norse rallied to keep it somewhat close in the final minutes.