Tony Delk was the leading scorer on UK’s 1996 national title team. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Rick Stansbury has coached a lot of basketball games against Kentucky during his time as head coach at Mississippi State and assistant coach at both Mississippi State and Texas A&M. What is the best Kentucky team he’s played against?
“Back when I was an assistant at State, that (Rick) Pitino team we beat in the SEC Tournament title game in New Orleans in 1996,” Stansbury said.
That was the Kentucky team led by Tony Delk that had nine future NBA players. UK won 74-56 at State during the regular season but lost 84-73 in the SEC title game. Both State and UK reached the Final Four. Syracuse beat the Bulldogs in the national semifinals and Kentucky beat Syracuse in the title game.
“That may be as good of a Kentucky team as there was,” Stansbury said. “Kentucky’s had a lot of good ones, though. That 2010 team with six first-round (NBA) picks was great. Even in 2012 when they were No. 1 in the country, we were up 11 or 13 at halftime. Rodney Hood got hurt and that changed the whole game.”
Of course, that 2012 Kentucky team also went on to win the national championship.
“There have not been many Kentucky teams that were not good,” Stansbury said.
What about his worst loss to UK?
“I am sure Kentucky fans would tell me to quit whining, but we all remember that (SEC) championship game in 2010. I am up three with seven seconds to go. I foul with three seconds to go.”
Eric Bledsoe hit one free throw, missed the second. John Wall got the rebound but missed a 3-pointer. However, DeMarcus Cousins put in the follow shot at the buzzer to force overtime and Stansbury still believes Wall got into the lane too quick for the rebound.
“We all remember what happened on the free throw line. It’s well documented,” Stansbury said. “That’s a memory I’ll never forget.”
Another “bad loss” for Stansbury came in 2004 against coach Tubby Smith.
“We were undefeated in conference play. We are up one at our place with one second to go. Kentucky had the ball out of bounds in front of its bench, threw the ball to the rim and (Erik) Daniels tips that thing it at the buzzer,” Stansbury said. “It gave us our first conference loss.
“Then that 2003 (SEC Tournament) championship game. We are up one and Jules Camara hits his first jump shot of the season to beat us. Those names just keep coming back. You don’t forget those games.”
