The University of Kentucky honored the 40th anniversary of the 1978 National Championship basketball team Saturday during UK’s win over Missouri.
The 1977-78 Wildcats went 30-2, losing only road games to Alabama and LSU. Among the non-conference wins were a 73-66 victory at No. 19 Kansas and a 73-68 win over No. 4 Notre Dame at Freedom Hall.
In the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats beat Magic Johnson and Michigan State to advance to the Final Four where they knocked off Eddie Sutton’s Arkansas Razorbacks in the national semifinals. Kentucky won their fifth national title and first since 1958 when they beat Duke 94-88 behind 41 points from Jack Givens.
In addition to Givens, other members of the team were Ricky Robey, Kyle Macy, Mike Phillips, James Lee, Truman Claytor, Jay Shidler, Fred Cowan, Dwane Casey, Lavon Williams, Chuck Aleksinas, Scott Courts, Tim Stephens, and Chris Gettlefinger.
The head coach was Joe B. Hall, and his assistants were Leonard Hamilton, Dick Parsons, Joe Dean Jr., and Frank Ramsay.
(PHOTOS FROM VICKY GRAFF and JEFF HOUCHIN)
