Favorite Kentucky Wildcat Memories: Part 5

The final installment of the week I decided to write about my favorite memory. Kentucky Basketball has always been a huge part of my life and there are so many memories that it is hard to just distinguish one. But there was one trip to Rupp Arena that I will never be able to forget.

On December 8, 2001 UK was 3-1 and still stinging from the loss to Western Kentucky to open the season. North Carolina came to town and to be honest they weren’t good. They were 1-3 to open the season and a friend gave me the tickets, and I never turn down free tickets, so I decided to go. There wasn’t the normal buzz around the game considering UNC was horrible and UK was struggling early.

But then the game started. Everything was normal except UNC taking a 4-0 lead in the game, and then Tayshaun Prince hit a three. UNC scored again and then, another three by Prince. The crowd started to get loud when he hit his second three because it was rare to see a guy hit two threes to open the game. UNC scored again, and it kind of died down.

Then Tayshaun took the ball and took one dribble and then stepped back and drilled another three. The crowd at this point started getting really loud and Tayshaun gave a look to the crowd as if to say “I’m feeling it tonight boys.” The crowd was odd in that it was kind of a buzz more than an eruption because it was insane to see a guy hit three three’s to open the game. Then UNC scored again.

The crowd was still buzzing more than normal for a game in which the team was down 2, but all eyes were on Tayshaun as if the crowd knew something special was about to happen. I looked at my friend who went to the game with me and said “I bet he hits another three,” his response: “No way they let him shoot again.” Tayshaun got the ball on the wing and gave a slight hop then launched another three. When the ball left his hands the crowd gave an “ohhhhh” like they knew it was in and sure enough…..”BOOM” it went in. The decibel level of the crowd when that fourth three went in was amazing and I can still picture seeing Tayshaun running down the court clinching his fist.

The crowd was in a frenzy when UNC had the ball and they came down and turned it over. At this point I am screaming for Prince to shoot again and the crowd was insanely loud. When UK stole the ball Tayshaun immediately put out his hand calling for the ball and all of the sudden there was a 6’9 forward bringing the ball up the court and the crowd was screaming for him to shoot a three. I looked at my friend again and said “he’s shooting it.” My friend was saying as Prince dribbled up the court “why is he bringing it up the……” and then Prince fired again.

Tayshaun shot the ball from literally the edge of the U on mid court, and when he let it go the crowd erupted in a collective “THHHRRREEEEE!!” The shot seemed like it was in the air forever since he pulled up from so far away. Then he sank the shot and I still to this day have never heard an eruption of noise like I heard when the shot went in. My ears literally hurt as the crowd went crazy. Then Tayshaun walked toward the bench with his arms held out like he was saying “I’m pretty good huh?”

I didn’t know until after the game when I got home and watched the replay that my favorite announcer, Bill Raftery, said some of the best lines I have ever heard after that shot went in. In a span of about 20 seconds he said “He’s got the puppies set off the bus,” and “he’s not a Prince he’s a king.” Those two lines were awesome and described exactly what he just saw.

It wasn’t really the five three’s in a row that made this my favorite memory, it was more the crowd. The noise level in Rupp that night was unreal, and I still contend the noise after he hit the fifth three was the loudest noise I have ever heard, not only at any sporting event but at any point in my life. UK won the game 79-59, but the game will be forever known as the Tayshaun Prince game.

Here is a video and just listen to the eruption after the fifth three went in:

Did you miss any of our previous favorite Wildcat memories?  If so, catch up:

MONDAY:  Paul Jordan
TUESDAY:  Glenn Logan
WEDNESDAY:  Brian Eldridge
THURSDAY:  Ken Howlett

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