Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Top 10 Teams in History

Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

#9 The 1948-49 Kentucky Wildcats

With most of the Fabulous Five returning, the Kentucky Wildcats were favorites to win the 1949 National Championship and they did so without fail. Back-to-back National Champions for the Kentucky Wildcats thanks to the playing of the National Player of the Year Alex Groza, All-American Ralph Beard, All-American Wallace Jones and the fourth part of the four who returned of the Fabulous Five, Cliff Barker. This was also the first year that former Kentucky Wildcats player and coach, Joe B. Hall, was on the roster for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats took on the Oklahoma A&M team in Seattle, Washington to win their second National Championship, just one year after winning their first.

It wasn’t unusual to see both of these teams in the National Championship contention. Oklahoma A&M had previously won back-to-back National Championships in 1945 and 1946.

The teams featuring players from the Fabulous Five were the building blocks towards success for the Kentucky Wildcats.

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