Kentucky Basketball National Championships
Kentucky Wildcats basketball has a long and storied tradition in college basketball. The program has a rich history of winning and has won eight national championships, most recently in 2012. Kentucky has also been to 16 Final Fours, the most of any program in college basketball. In this article, we will look at the years in which Kentucky won the national championship.
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Kentucky’s First National Championship
Kentucky’s first national championship was won in 1948 under head coach Adolph Rupp. The team was led by future Hall of Fame players Alex Groza and Ralph Beard. The Wildcats went 36-3 and won the championship game 58-42 against Baylor.
1949 Championship
The team repeated as champions in 1949, going 32-2 and defeating Oklahoma State 46-36 in the championship game. Rupp’s team was led by Groza, Beard, and Wallace Jones.
1951 Championship
Rupp’s team won their third national championship in 1951, going 31-2 and defeating Kansas State 68-58 in the championship game. This team was led by Groza, Beard, and Cliff Hagan.
1958 Championship
Kentucky won their fourth national championship in 1958 under head coach Joe B. Hall. The Wildcats went 25-3 and defeated Seattle 84-72 in the championship game. The team was led by Lou Tsioropoulos, Frank Ramsey, and Vernon Hatton.
1978 Championship
The Wildcats won their fifth national championship in 1978 under head coach Joe B. Hall. The team went 32-2 and defeated Duke 94-88 in the championship game. The team was led by Jack Givens, Rick Robey, and James Lee.
1996 Championship
Kentucky won their sixth national championship in 1996 under head coach Rick Pitino. The Wildcats went 34-2 and defeated Syracuse 76-67 in the championship game. This team was led by Tony Delk, Antoine Walker, and Walter McCarty.
1998 Championship
The Wildcats won their seventh national championship in 1998 under head coach Tubby Smith. The team went 35-4 and defeated Utah 78-69 in the championship game. This team was led by Jeff Sheppard, Scott Padgett, and Nazr Mohammed.
2012 Championship
Kentucky won their eighth and most recent national championship in 2012 under head coach John Calipari. The Wildcats went 38-2 and defeated Kansas 67-59 in the championship game. This team was led by Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Doron Lamb.
Summary of Kentucky National Championships
- 1948 – Adolph Rupp, Alex Groza, and Ralph Beard
- 1949 – Adolph Rupp, Alex Groza, Ralph Beard, and Wallace Jones
- 1951 – Adolph Rupp, Alex Groza, Ralph Beard, and Cliff Hagan
- 1958 – Joe B. Hall, Lou Tsioropoulos, Frank Ramsey, and Vernon Hatton
- 1978 – Joe B. Hall, Jack Givens, Rick Robey, and James Lee
- 1996 – Rick Pitino, Tony Delk, Antoine Walker, and Walter McCarty
- 1998 – Tubby Smith, Jeff Sheppard, Scott Padgett, and Nazr Mohammed
- 2012 – John Calipari, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Doron Lamb
Conclusion
Kentucky basketball has a long and storied tradition of winning. The program has won eight national championships and has been to 16 Final Fours. The Wildcats have won national championships in 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, and 2012. These teams were led by some of the greatest players in college basketball history.