UK coaches have served as father figures to many players — on and off the court — for decades
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
College coaches are charged with more than just teaching their respective sports. They also serve as mentors to student-athletes, many of whom are thousands of miles away from home.
Throughout history, the University of Kentucky has had some coaches who have served as a father figure to their players and juggled managing the team on and off the court and the field with...
Jamie Vaught: Tubby Smith says senior leadership propelled ‘Comeback Cats’ to 1998 NCAA title
Editor’s Note: For the next few months during our national coronavirus crisis, longtime sports columnist Jamie H. Vaught will be writing about the ex-Wildcats who were featured in one of his first four books on UK basketball, using excerpts that were published in his out-of-print volumes. His latest and fifth book, titled “Chasing the Cats: A Kentucky Basketball Journey,” was released in late...
UK grad Chad Sanders plays big role with NBA’s Toronto Raptors, learned ‘a lot from Mr. Wildcat’
By Carl Nathe
University of Kentucky
“Don’t have a one-track mind … you might choose a path you weren’t planning on taking, and your passion could become a career.”
These words of advice for young college students come from University of Kentucky alumnus Chad Sanders, 32, general manager (GM) for the G League team Raptors 905, affiliate of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, who are currently...
Former UK coach Tubby Smith tees it up in Barbasol Pro-Am in brief return to Bluegrass
Tubby Smith watches his tee shot from the No. 11 tee box during a Pro-Am event ahead of the Barbasol Championship Wednesday at Champions at Keene Trace. (Kentucky Today/Keith Taylor)
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
NICHOLASVILLE (KT) — Tubby Smith was happy to be back in the Bluegrass even if it was for a brief period to time.
“It was fun and we had a good time,” said Smith who played alongside...
Full field of 132 golfers are set to compete for Barbasol Championship
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
The field is set for the Barbasol Championship.
Davis Love III, Brittany Lincicome, and Billy Horschel will be among the 132 players who will be vying for the title when the event tips off Thursday and concludes on July 22 at Champions at Keene Trace in Nicholasville.
Hall of Famer Love III has won 21 times on TOUR including the 1997 PGA Championship, tops the field...
ESPN documentary series SEC Storied shines spotlight on inspirational career of C.M. Newton
Featuring one of the towering figures in Southeastern Conference history, the latest chapter in ESPN Films’ SEC Storied series is “Courage Matters – The C. M. Newton Story.”
Premiering Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on SEC Network, the film explores the story of Newton’s influence on the basketball world, a career spanning seven decades as an innovator and an advocate for the advancement...
Jamie Vaught: Big Blue Madness officially kicks off the excitement for hoops-crazy Kentucky fans
This week is a very exciting time for college basketball fans, especially in hoops-crazy Kentucky.
As you know, UK is having its annual huge showcase called the Big Blue Madness on Friday night, officially tipping off its 2016-17 campaign, and the rabid fans will be there early to check on the players for the Wildcats’ men and women teams. If you can’t make it, you can watch the 7 p.m. event on...
Former Wildcat Josh Carrier added to women’s basketball staff at Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky University head women’s basketball coach Camryn Whitaker rounded out her coaching staff, announcing the hire of Josh Carrier as an assistant coach.
Carrier is responsible for recruiting, scouting, coaching the wing players and will coordinate game scheduling for the Norse.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Josh and his family to Northern Kentucky University,”...
Keith Taylor: Father-son combos not a new trend at UK; Game times set for first three football games
Brad Calipari won’t be the first player to play for his father at Kentucky.
Three others — Herky Rupp, Sean Sutton and Saul Smith — also played for the Wildcats, with Smith enjoying a successful career from 1997-2001. Smith was a part of the Wildcats’ 1998 national championship team. Smith finished his career with 364 assists (10th in school history) and played in 143 games in his career.
Saul...
Keith Taylor: Following in Calipari’s footsteps, Tubby Smith can achieve success at Memphis
John Calipari once called Memphis home. Now, a former Kentucky coach is taking up residence in the birthplace of Rock and Roll.
Looking for a proven leader to take the Tigers back to national prominence, the Tigers called on former Wildcats coach Tubby Smith to lead the way Thursday, ending the search for Josh Pastner’s replacement.
Former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith was hired as coach at Memphis...
Keith Taylor: Future UK guard Fox impresses at Hoop Summit; former Wildcat Booker on fire for Suns
Two future Kentucky Wildcats — De’Aaron Fox and Wenyen Gabriel — participated in the Nike Hoop Summit last weekend and helped lead the United States to a 101-67 win over the World Select team.
Fox, who likely will take over at point guard for John Calipari’s Wildcats next season, scored nine points and dished out a team-high five assists. He also collected a pair of steals and played...
Former Kentucky standout Allen Edwards named head basketball coach at Wyoming
Allen Edwards, a member of two national championship teams while playing at Kentucky, will be the 21st head basketball coach at the University of Wyoming, athletics director Tom Burman announced.
Edwards assumes control of the Cowboys after serving as an assistant under Larry Shyatt the previous five seasons. With 12 appearances in postseason tournaments and 14 conference championships, Edwards has...
Jamie Vaught: EKU’s McHale excited to bring Colonels’ fast-paced offensive attack to Rupp Arena
Last April, when Dan McHale was hired to take over Eastern Kentucky University’s hoops program as the new head coach, he promised an exciting brand of fun, fast-paced basketball.
“We are going to bring excitement to McBrayer Arena with a fast-paced style of play,” said McHale, who came to the Richmond school from Minnesota where he was an assistant coach under Richard Pitino for two...
Jamie Vaught: C.M. Newton to be honored at SEC Tourney as Alabama’s Basketball Legend
C.M. Newton recruited Wendell Hudson to Alabama in 1969 and he was the school’s first African American scholarship athlete (UA Athletics Photo)
C.M. Newton has seen a lot of SEC basketball tournaments during his long career.
He participated in the conference tourney as a UK player (in 1951 before it was discontinued after the 1952 season and later revived in 1979) and as the head...
Jamie Vaught: A former rival, LSU’s Dale Brown now marvels at Cats’ consistency
A trivia question for you. Can you name a former college basketball coach who has defeated Kentucky more than anyone else in history?
You say Dean Smith. Wrong. You say Ray Mears. Wrong. You say Bobby Knight. Wrong again.
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The correct answer is Dale Brown, whose LSU teams defeated the Wildcats 18 times against 33 losses. (Florida’s Billy...
Billy Reed: No win mark for Krzyzewski,
but Duke game still a signature moment
Everybody in these parts was hoping that Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski would be going for career victory 1,000 when his Blue Devils met Louisville at noon Saturday in the KFC Yum Center.
Alas, N.C. State and Miami ruined that party by handing the Blue Devils back-to-back losses that left fans everywhere wondering about what was supposedly the only team in the nation that could almost match Kentucky...
Billy Reed: No win mark for Krzyzewski, but Duke game still a signature moment
Everybody in these parts was hoping that Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski would be going for career victory 1,000 when his Blue Devils met Louisville at noon Saturday in the KFC Yum Center.
Alas, N.C. State and Miami ruined that party by handing the Blue Devils back-to-back losses that left fans everywhere wondering about what was supposedly the only team in the nation that could almost match Kentucky...
