The ‘unexpected heroes’ who have saved the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament
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The Magic of Madness
The 2020-21 men’s basketball season did not go Kentucky’s way, but the Wildcats have delighted Kentuckians with peak postseason performances for decades. As the Final Four plays out this weekend in Indianapolis, the Herald-Leader has produced a 20-page, full-color commemorative special section inside Sunday’s newspaper celebrating Kentucky’s most memorable moments in the NCAA Tournament. Click below to read the stories from that section in digital form.
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When Marcus Lee bounded off the bench in the first half of Kentucky’s 2014 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight contest with Michigan, the UK freshman had played so little previously he was barely in the Wolverines’ scouting report.
Yet in 15 high-energy minutes, Lee changed the course of a game that ended with the Wildcats completing an unexpected trek to the Final Four.
One of the great charms of March Madness are the “unexpected heroes” who emerge under do-or-die tournament pressure.
Across its NCAA tourney history, Kentucky has had more than its share of such players. Let’s revisit six of those stories:
Shelby Linville
The NCAA Tournament: 1951.
The crisis: Favored to win their third NCAA title in four seasons, Adolph Rupp’s Wildcats were on the ropes against No. 5 Illinois in the national semifinals. After scoring 28 points, UK’s 7-foot All-America center, Bill Spivey, fouled out. Rising star sophomore forward Cliff Hagan also fouled out.
Making matters more dire, Kentucky’s starting guards were mired in miserable shooting games — junior Bobby Watson finished 5-for-17, sophomore Frank Ramsey 2-for-19.
A hero emerges: With the UK season on the brink, junior forward Shelby Linville rode to the rescue. The 6-foot-5 product of Middletown, Ohio, scored Kentucky’s final six points. His bucket with 12 seconds left allowed the Wildcats to escape the Fighting Illini 76-74.
Three days later, Kentucky beat Kansas State to claim the NCAA title.
What was said: “Linville proved himself one of the greatest clutch players in Kentucky cage history.” — the 1951-52 Kentucky men’s basketball media brochure.
Larry Stamper
The NCAA Tournament: 1973.
The crisis: In the first NCAA tourney game in UK history played without Adolph Rupp on the bench, Joe B. Hall’s Wildcats found themselves in overtime against Austin Peay and its star James “Fly” Williams in the Mideast Region semifinals.
Kentucky was down one starter, Mike Flynn, to fouls and had two others, Ronnie Lyons (6-of-16) and Kevin Grevey (10-for-24) having rough shooting nights.
A hero emerges: Entering the NCAA Tournament, senior forward Larry Stamper had produced one double-figure-scoring game all season. Yet with UK’s season in the balance, the 6-6 Lee County product went for 10 points and scored Kentucky’s final three baskets in a 106-100 overtime Wildcats’ win.
What was said: “Add Larry Stamper to your list of heroes. The Beattyville strongboy entered the contest when Kentucky’s starting sophomores ran into foul trouble. (Stamper) capped UK’s comeback by ramming home three consecutive layups.” — D.G. Fitzmaurice, March 16, 1973, Lexington Herald.
Dwane Casey, Fred Cowan and LaVon Williams
The NCAA Tournament: 1978.
The crisis: Favored to win the NCAA tourney, Kentucky after a lackluster half of play was trailing Florida State 39-32 at halftime in its tournament opener.
Three heroes emerge: In a daring coaching move, Joe B. Hall benched starters Jack Givens, Rick Robey and Truman Claytor and started little-used reserves Dwane Casey, Fred Cowan and LaVon Williams to begin the second half.
With Casey (one assist, one steal), Cowan (two points, three rebounds) and Williams (four points, five boards) hustling maniacally, the tide of the game turned in Kentucky’s favor. The benched starters returned and finished UK’s rally to an 85-76 win.
Four victories later, Kentucky had its fifth NCAA title.
What was said: “(Benching the starters) worked, but if it hadn’t, I would have been drawn and quartered. I told the press ‘I may not be smart, but I’m not gutless.’” — Joe B. Hall, April 24, 1978, Sports Illustrated.
Cameron Mills
The NCAA Tournament: 1997.
The crisis: Entering the NCAA tourney without injured star Derek Anderson, it was not certain that Rick Pitino’s Cats had enough firepower to make a second consecutive Final Four appearance.
A hero emerges: A little-used reserve in his first two-and-a-half seasons at UK, Cameron Mills became a March Madness sensation. In six tourney games, the 6-3 Mills made 24 of 39 shots, 17 of 27 treys and averaged 11.8 points.
The player who had come to Kentucky as a walk-on helped the Cats advance all the way to the national finals — where Arizona needed an overtime to deny UK its second straight national title.
(Postscript: As a senior, Mills made only three baskets in the 1998 NCAA tourney but all were humongous. His three-pointer with 2:15 left against Duke in the round of eight gave UK a one-point lead in what became a two-point win.
Of his two made treys against Utah in the second half of the national title game, the first tied the contest, the second pulled Kentucky within one point and helped the Cats rally to their seventh NCAA title).
What was said: “Not in my wildest dreams could I imagine (Mills) doing what he is doing.” — Rick Pitino, after Mills scored 19 points as Kentucky beat St. Joseph’s in the 1997 NCAA tourney round of 16.
Heshimu Evans
The NCAA Tournament: 1998.
The crisis: Kentucky trailed Utah 41-31 at halftime of the NCAA championship game.
A hero emerges: A transfer from Manhattan College, the 6-foot-6 Evans scored 10 points, including two clutch three-pointers, and grabbed six rebounds in the second half to spark UK to a 78-69 victory and its seventh NCAA title.
What was said: “We didn’t think Evans could shoot that well.” — Utah Coach Rick Majerus, after the 1998 NCAA title game.
Marcus Lee
The NCAA Tournament: 2014.
The crisis: In a round-of-eight matchup with Michigan, Kentucky was without injured big man Willie Cauley-Stein and quickly down 9-4 after a flat start.
A hero emerges: Inserted into the game by John Calipari, the little-used Marcus Lee changed the arc of the game with relentless rebounding. The 6-9 freshman had three tip-dunk baskets in his first two minutes on the court. In 15 total minutes, Lee produced 10 points, eight boards and two blocked shots.
Boosted by Aaron Harrison’s game-winning three-pointer, UK earned a Final Four trip with a 75-72 win.
What was said: “We had very little on (Lee in the scouting report). But he does one thing really, really well — and that’s play above the rim.” — Michigan Coach John Beilein, following the game.
This story was originally published April 4, 2021 at 5:19 AM.
