1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

1996–97 season of University of Kentucky men's basketball team March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats Kentucky Wildcats logo (1984-2005).png 150 Southeast Conference SEC 2 5 35–5 13–3 Rick Pitino 8th Jim O'Brien Winston Bennett Delray Brooks Rupp Arena NCAA tournament, Runner-upSEC tournament champions National Championship Game L Lost 79-84 OT Overtime vs. Arizona The 1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented University of Kentucky in the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were coached by Rick Pitino in his eighth, and final, season at Kentucky as members of the East division of the Southeast Conference. They played their home games at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. They finished the season 35–5, 13–3 in SEC play to finish in second place in the East division. They defeated Auburn, Mississippi, and Georgia to win the SEC tournament. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West region. They defeated Montana, Iowa, Saint Joseph's and Utah to return to the Final Four for the second consecutive year. In the Final Four, they defeated Minnesota to advance to the National Championship game against Arizona. Looking to repeat as NCAA champions, the Wildcats lost in overtime to Arizona 84–79. Following the season, head coach Rick Pitino left the school to take the head coaching job for the Boston Celtics. Previous season The Wildcats finished the 1995–96 season 34–2, 16–0 in SEC play to win the SEC regular season championship. They defeated Florida and Arkansas in the SEC tournament before losing to Mississippi State in the championship game. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region. There they defeated San Jose State, Virginia Tech, Utah, and Wake Forest to earn a trip to the Final Four. In the Final Four, they defeated UMass in the National semifinal game and Syracuse in the championship game to win the tournament championship. Roster 1996 Kentucky Wildcats y Allen Edwards basketball y 3 G/F 6 5 JR Miami, FL Steve Masiello y 4 G 6 2 FR White Plains, NY Wayne Turner basketball y 5 G 6 2 SO Boston, MA Nazr Mohammed y 13 C 6 10 SO Chicago, IL Cameron Mills 21 G 6 3 JR Lexington, KY Derek Anderson basketball y 23 G/F 6 5 SR Louisville, KY Anthony Epps 25 G 6 2 SR Lebanon, KY Jared Prickett 32 F 6 9 SR Fairmont, WV Ron Mercer y 33 G/F 6 7 SO Nashville, TN Scott Padgett y 34 F 6 9 SO Louisville, KY Jamaal Magloire y 42 C 6 10 FR Toronto Rick Pitino Jim O'Brien Winston Bennett Delray Brooks Schedule no yes no no |- !colspan=11 style=Kentucky Wildcats| Exhibition 11/4/1996 yes Athletes in Action Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 79–62 11/20/1996 yes Australia Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 84–51 |- !colspan=12 style=Kentucky Wildcats|Regular season 11/15/1996 yes 3 yes Clemson 20 RCA Dome Indianapolis, IN BCA Classic 71–79 OT 32,250 0–1 11/28/1996 yes 8 yes 1996 none Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse 12 Sullivan Arena Anchorage, AK Great Alaska Shootout 87–53 8,285 1–1 11/29/1996 yes 8 yes 1996 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Alaska Anchorage Sullivan Arena Anchorage, AK Great Alaska Shootout 104–72 8,285 2–1 11/30/1996 yes 8 yes College of Charleston Sullivan Arena Anchorage, AK Great Alaska Shootout 92–65 8,285 3–1 12/3/1996 yes 8 yes Purdue United Center Chicago, IL Great Eight 101–87 20,171 4–1 12/7/1996 yes 6 yes Indiana 8 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 99–65 20,074 5–1 12/9/1996 6 yes Wright State Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 90–62 23,127 6–1 12/14/1996 3 yes 1996 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 80–56 24,152 7–1 12/21/1996 yes 3 yes 1996 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Georgia Tech Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA Delta Air Lines Classic 88–59 27,842 8–1 12/23/1996 3 yes 1996 UNC Asheville Bulldogs UNC Asheville Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 105–51 23,891 9–1 12/28/1996 yes 3 yes 1996 Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State Gund Arena Cleveland, OH Rock and Roll Shootout 81–65 20,562 10–1 12/31/1996 yes yes 3 Louisville 16 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 74–54 20,075 11–1 01/04/1997 3 1996 none Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 74–40 24,091 12–1 1–0 01/07/1997 3 1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs Mississippi State Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 90–61 24,038 13–1 2–0 01/09/1997 yes 3 1996 Canisius Golden Griffins Canisius Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 68–45 22,883 14–1 01/11/1997 3 Ole Miss Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, MS 69–73 8,195 14–2 2–1 01/14/1997 yes 3 Georgia 24 Stegeman Coliseum Athens, GA 86–65 10,523 15–2 3–1 01/18/1997 5 1996 Auburn Tigers Auburn Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 77–53 24,169 16–2 4–1 01/22/1997 yes 3 Vanderbilt Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnati, OH 58–46 17,121 17–2 5–1 01/26/1997 yes 3 Arkansas Bud Walton Arena Fayetteville, AR 83–73 20,320 18–2 6–1 01/29/1997 yes 3 1996 Florida Gators Florida Stephen C. O'Connell Center Gainesville, FL 92–65 11,629 19–2 7–1 02/01/1997 3 Georgia Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 82–57 24,197 20–2 8–1 02/04/1997 yes 3 South Carolina 25 Frank McGuire Arena Columbia, SC 79–84 OT 12,575 20–3 8–2 02/06/1997 yes 3 1996 Western Carolina Catamounts Western Carolina Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 82–55 22,134 21–3 02/09/1997 yes 3 Villanova 18 Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 93–56 24,277 22–3 02/12/1997 4 1996 LSU Tigers LSU Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 84–48 23,981 23–3 9–2 02/15/1997 4 Florida Rupp Arena Lexington, KY 85–56 24,191 24–3 10–2 02/19/1997 3 Alabama Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL 75–61 13,736 25–3 11–2 02/22/1997 yes 3 Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, TN 82–79 15,311 26–3 12–2 02/25/1997 yes 3 Tennessee Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, TN 74–64 20,241 27–3 13–2 03/02/1997 3 South Carolina 6 Rupp Arena Lexington, KY Homecoming 66–72 24,326 27–4 13–3 |- !colspan=9 style=Kentucky Wildcats|SEC Tournament 03/07/1997 JPS yes 6 E2 Auburn W3 The Pyramid Memphis, TN Quarterfinals 92–50 20,000 28–4 03/08/1997 JPS yes 6 E2 Ole Miss W1 The Pyramid Memphis, TN Semifinals 88–70 20,000 29–4 03/09/1997 CBS yes 6 E2 Georgia 24 E3 The Pyramid Memphis, TN Championship 95–68 19,423 30–4 |- !colspan=9 style=Kentucky Wildcats|NCAA tournament 03/13/1997 yes yes 5 1 W Montana 16 W Huntsman Center Salt Lake City, UT First Round 92–54 13,832 31–4 03/15/1997 yes yes 5 1 W Iowa 8 W Huntsman Center Salt Lake City, UT Second Round 75–69 14,387 32–4 03/20/1997 CBS yes yes 5 1 W Saint Joseph's 4 W 12 San Jose Arena San Jose, CA Sweet Sixteen 83–68 18,543 33–4 03/22/1997 CBS yes yes 5 1 W Utah 2 2 W San Jose Arena San Jose, CA Elite Eight 72–59 18,543 34–4 03/29/1997 CBS yes yes 5 1 W Minnesota 1 MW 3 RCA Dome Indianapolis, IN Final Four 78–69 47,028 35–4 03/31/1997 CBS yes yes 5 1 W Arizona 4 SE 15 RCA Dome Indianapolis, IN National Championship 79–84 OT 47,028 35–5 http://www.bigbluehistory.net/ Home bigbluehistory.net Rankings 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings Team players drafted into the NBA Year Round Pick Player NBA club 1997 1 6 Ron Mercer Boston Celtics 1997 1 13 Derek Anderson Cleveland Cavaliers 1998 1 29 Nazr Mohammed Utah Jazz 1999 1 28 Scott Padgett Utah Jazz 2000 1 19 Jamaal Magloire Charlotte Hornets http://www.databasebasketball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?lg=N&yr=1997 1997 NBA Draft on Databasebasketball.com 2012-04-20 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20120427033028/http://www.databasebasketball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1997&lg=N 2012-04-27 References Kentucky Category:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four seasons Kentucky Wild Wild