1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

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.

1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Runner-up SEC tournament champions
National Championship Game, L 79-84OT vs. Arizona
Conference	Southeast Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 2
AP	No. 5
Record	35–5 (13–3 SEC)
Head coach	Rick Pitino (8th season)
Assistant coaches	Jim O'Brien Winston Bennett Delray Brooks
Home arena	Rupp Arena

1996–97 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
East
No. 6 South Carolina	15	–	1		.938			24	–	8		.750
No. 5 Kentucky†	13	–	3		.813			35	–	5		.875
No. 17 Georgia	10	–	6		.625			24	–	9		.727
Vanderbilt	9	–	7		.563			19	–	12		.613
Florida	5	–	11		.313			13	–	17		.433
Tennessee	4	–	12		.250			11	–	16		.407
West
Ole Miss	11	–	5		.688			20	–	9		.690
Arkansas	8	–	8		.500			18	–	14		.563
Auburn	6	–	10		.375			16	–	15		.516
Alabama	6	–	10		.375			17	–	14		.548
Mississippi State	6	–	10		.375			12	–	18		.400
LSU	3	–	13		.188			10	–	20		.333
† 1997 SEC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll

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

1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown G/F 3 Allen Edwards 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) — Jr Miami, FL G 4 Steve Masiello 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) — Fr White Plains, NY G 5 Wayne Turner 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) — So Boston, MA C 13 Nazr Mohammed 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) — So Chicago, IL G 21 Cameron Mills 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) — Jr Lexington, KY G/F 23 Derek Anderson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) — Sr Louisville, KY G 25 Anthony Epps 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) — Sr Lebanon, KY F 32 Jared Prickett 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) — Sr Fairmont, WV G/F 33 Ron Mercer 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) — So Nashville, TN F 34 Scott Padgett 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) — So Louisville, KY C 42 Jamaal Magloire 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) — Fr Toronto	Head coach Rick Pitino Assistant coach(es) Jim O'Brien Winston Bennett Delray Brooks Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt

Schedule

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
11/4/1996*		Athletes in Action	W 79–62		Rupp Arena  Lexington, KY
11/20/1996*		Australia	W 84–51		Rupp Arena  Lexington, KY
Regular season
11/15/1996*	No. 3	vs. No. 20 Clemson BCA Classic	L 71–79 OT	0–1	RCA Dome (32,250) Indianapolis, IN
11/28/1996*	No. 8	vs. No. 12 Syracuse Great Alaska Shootout	W 87–53	1–1	Sullivan Arena (8,285) Anchorage, AK
11/29/1996*	No. 8	vs. Alaska Anchorage Great Alaska Shootout	W 104–72	2–1	Sullivan Arena (8,285) Anchorage, AK
11/30/1996*	No. 8	vs. College of Charleston Great Alaska Shootout	W 92–65	3–1	Sullivan Arena (8,285) Anchorage, AK
12/3/1996*	No. 8	vs. Purdue Great Eight	W 101–87	4–1	United Center (20,171) Chicago, IL
12/7/1996*	No. 6	vs. No. 8 Indiana	W 99–65	5–1	Freedom Hall (20,074) Louisville, KY
12/9/1996*	No. 6	Wright State	W 90–62	6–1	Rupp Arena (23,127) Lexington, KY
12/14/1996*	No. 3	Notre Dame	W 80–56	7–1	Rupp Arena (24,152) Lexington, KY
12/21/1996*	No. 3	vs. Georgia Tech Delta Air Lines Classic	W 88–59	8–1	Georgia Dome (27,842) Atlanta, GA
12/23/1996*	No. 3	UNC Asheville	W 105–51	9–1	Rupp Arena (23,891) Lexington, KY
12/28/1996*	No. 3	vs. Ohio State Rock and Roll Shootout	W 81–65	10–1	Gund Arena (20,562) Cleveland, OH
12/31/1996*	No. 3	at No. 16 Louisville	W 74–54	11–1	Freedom Hall (20,075) Louisville, KY
01/04/1997	No. 3	Tennessee	W 74–40	12–1 (1–0)	Rupp Arena (24,091) Lexington, KY
01/07/1997	No. 3	Mississippi State	W 90–61	13–1 (2–0)	Rupp Arena (24,038) Lexington, KY
01/09/1997*	No. 3	Canisius	W 68–45	14–1	Rupp Arena (22,883) Lexington, KY
01/11/1997	No. 3	Ole Miss	L 69–73	14–2 (2–1)	Tad Smith Coliseum (8,195) Oxford, MS
01/14/1997	No. 3	at No. 24 Georgia	W 86–65	15–2 (3–1)	Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) Athens, GA
01/18/1997	No. 5	Auburn	W 77–53	16–2 (4–1)	Rupp Arena (24,169) Lexington, KY
01/22/1997	No. 3	vs. Vanderbilt	W 58–46	17–2 (5–1)	Riverfront Coliseum (17,121) Cincinnati, OH
01/26/1997	No. 3	at Arkansas	W 83–73	18–2 (6–1)	Bud Walton Arena (20,320) Fayetteville, AR
01/29/1997	No. 3	at Florida	W 92–65	19–2 (7–1)	Stephen C. O'Connell Center (11,629) Gainesville, FL
02/01/1997	No. 3	Georgia	W 82–57	20–2 (8–1)	Rupp Arena (24,197) Lexington, KY
02/04/1997	No. 3	at No. 25 South Carolina	L 79–84 OT	20–3 (8–2)	Frank McGuire Arena (12,575) Columbia, SC
02/06/1997*	No. 3	Western Carolina	W 82–55	21–3	Rupp Arena (22,134) Lexington, KY
02/09/1997*	No. 3	No. 18 Villanova	W 93–56	22–3	Rupp Arena (24,277) Lexington, KY
02/12/1997	No. 4	LSU	W 84–48	23–3 (9–2)	Rupp Arena (23,981) Lexington, KY
02/15/1997	No. 4	Florida	W 85–56	24–3 (10–2)	Rupp Arena (24,191) Lexington, KY
02/19/1997	No. 3	Alabama	W 75–61	25–3 (11–2)	Coleman Coliseum (13,736) Tuscaloosa, AL
02/22/1997	No. 3	at Vanderbilt	W 82–79	26–3 (12–2)	Memorial Gymnasium (15,311) Nashville, TN
02/25/1997	No. 3	at Tennessee	W 74–64	27–3 (13–2)	Thompson-Boling Arena (20,241) Knoxville, TN
03/02/1997	No. 3	No. 6 South Carolina Homecoming	L 66–72	27–4 (13–3)	Rupp Arena (24,326) Lexington, KY
SEC Tournament
03/07/1997 , JPS	(E2) No. 6	vs. (W3) Auburn Quarterfinals	W 92–50	28–4	The Pyramid (20,000) Memphis, TN
03/08/1997 , JPS	(E2) No. 6	vs. (W1) Ole Miss Semifinals	W 88–70	29–4	The Pyramid (20,000) Memphis, TN
03/09/1997 , CBS	(E2) No. 6	vs. (E3) No. 24 Georgia Championship	W 95–68	30–4	The Pyramid (19,423) Memphis, TN
NCAA tournament
03/13/1997*	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (16 W) Montana First Round	W 92–54	31–4	Huntsman Center (13,832) Salt Lake City, UT
03/15/1997*	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (8 W) Iowa Second Round	W 75–69	32–4	Huntsman Center (14,387) Salt Lake City, UT
03/20/1997* , CBS	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (4 W) No. 12 Saint Joseph's Sweet Sixteen	W 83–68	33–4	San Jose Arena (18,543) San Jose, CA
03/22/1997* , CBS	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (2 W) No. 2 Utah Elite Eight	W 72–59	34–4	San Jose Arena (18,543) San Jose, CA
03/29/1997* , CBS	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (1 MW) No. 3 Minnesota Final Four	W 78–69	35–4	RCA Dome (47,028) Indianapolis, IN
03/31/1997* , CBS	(1 W) No. 5	vs. (4 SE) No. 15 Arizona National Championship	L 79–84 OT	35–5	RCA Dome (47,028) Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

Rankings

Main article: 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