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90 Kentucky Wildcats Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

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1 The creation of the bounce pass revolutionized basketball, creating a new way to move the ball and initiate offense. This former Kentucky head coach is credited with popularizing the bounce pass.
Answer: John Mauer

    Your options: [ John Mauer ] [ George Buchheit ] [ Adolph Rupp ] [ Ray Ecklund ]
  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
2 In Rupp's first game on December 18, 1930, Kentucky defeated which team?
Answer: Georgetown (KY)

The Wildcats smashed Georgetown by a score of 67-19. This was the first of 10 consecutive wins that Rupp would get to start his career.
    Your options: [ Georgetown (D.C.) ] [ Georgetown (KY) ] [ Bowling Green (KY) ] [ Bowling Green (OH) ]
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: Adolph Rupp Era
3 What team did Kentucky beat on February 18, 1903, to get its first ever win?
Answer: Lexington YMCA

Kentucky won 11-10, in the second game of the season. They also suffered losses to Georgetown (KY) College and Kentucky State Universtiy.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
4 What Wildcat's number was 11 in the 1990s?
Answer: Sean Woods

Sean Woods was one of the four famous senior that played at Kentucky in the earlier 1990s.
  From Quiz: Kentucky by the Numbers
5 What year did women first have a basketball team at the University of Kentucky?
Answer: 1902

The first team of women was in 1902. The following year,1903, the men organized a team. At that time the college was known as Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
6 Who won a National Title for the Cats in his first season as head coach in 1998?
Answer: Tubby Smith

Orlando "Tubby" Smith came to coach for the Cats when Rick Pitino left to coach for the Boston Celtics. UK fans have enjoyed the wonderful coaching ever since then.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball
7 Despite not winning the National Title, Kentucky posted the best record in college basketball in 1954. What was their record?
Answer: 25-0

Kentucky declined the offer to play in the NCAA Tournament. Adolph Rupp was quoted with, "We're not going because I'm not going to take a bunch of turds like you to the NCAA".
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball History
8 What was the margin of victory in both '96 and '98 NCAA title games for the Kentucky Wildcats?
Answer: 9

Kentucky beat Syracuse in the 1996 game in the Meadowland 76-67, and beat Utah in 1998 at the Alamo Dome 78-69.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
9 Kentucky's basketball program began in 1903, but its first official coach arrived in 1910. Who was this coach, who had a 4-8 season in 1910?
Answer: Edwin R. Sweetland

  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
10 What postseason tournament did Kentucky participate in during Rupp's first year?
Answer: Southern Conference Tournament

Kentucky lost to Maryland by 2 points in the Southern Conference Championship. Kentucky became part of the SEC two years later.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: Adolph Rupp Era
11 Who was Kentucky's first official head basketball coach?
Answer: Edwin R. Sweetland

Sweetland became the first official head basketball coach in 1910. He coached in 1910 and in 1912. Iddings coached in 1911, and Tigert coached in 1913. Mustaine was the first manager/athletic administrator of the program.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
12 Which UK player who played the the late 1980s, wore the number 4?
Answer: Derrick Miller

Derrick Miller led the Wildcats in scoring his senior year at the University of Kentucky.
    Your options: [ Kenny Walker ] [ Derrick Miller ] [ Sam Bowie ] [ Jim Master ]
  From Quiz: Kentucky by the Numbers
13 During which years did Adolph Rupp coach at the University of Kentucky?
Answer: 1930 -1972

The Baron coached from 1930 to 1972. His record was 876-190. (.822)
    Your options: [ 1945 - 1975 ] [ 1930 -1972 ] [ 1903 - 1971 ] [ 1925 - 1970 ]
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
14 Whose record did Rajon Rondo break by making 87 steals in the 2004-05 season?
Answer: Wayne Turner

First, Rondo broke the record for most steals made by a freshmen. Then, he decided to break the record for most steals in a season, previously set by Wayne Turner.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball
15 Kentucky had the 2nd most National Titles with 7 in the 20th century. Who was 3rd with 5?
Answer: Indiana

UCLA was 1st with 11, followed by UK with 7, Indiana with 5, Duke and UNC tied with 3.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball History
16 Who was the first player in University of Kentucky basketball history, to wear the number 27?
Answer: Wallace Jones

Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones was the first player in Kentucky Basketball history to wear the number 27. He was an All-American in Baseball, Basketball, and Football.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
17 Believe it or not, many of UK's head coaches were not born in Kentucky. Who was the first Kentucky-born head coach at UK?
Answer: James Park

  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
18 What team did Kentucky defeat in 1948, to win its first NCAA Championship?
Answer: Baylor

Kentucky won by a score of 77-59. The other 3 teams were the teams that Rupp defeated in his other 3 NCAA championships.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: Adolph Rupp Era
19 Who was the first All-American to play at Kentucky?
Answer: Basil Hayden

Hayden was a Helms All-American for Kentucky in the 1920-21 season. He averaged 9.7 points per game. He came back to coach the Wildcats to a 3-13 record in 1927.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
20 Which two players shared the number 32?
Answer: Richie Farmer and Jared Prickett

Prickett was a part of the 1994 final four team, and Farmer was on the team that fell to Duke in the Elite 8 in 1992.
    Your options: [ Scott Padgett and Jared Prickett ] [ Richie Farmer and Jared Prickett ] [ Ron Mercer and Tony Delk ] [ Mark Pope and Richie Farmer ]
  From Quiz: Kentucky by the Numbers
21 Who was the first team to lose to Adolph Rupp and his Kentucky Wildcats?
Answer: Georgetown College

December 18, 1930, Kentucky posted the first win for Adolph Rupp. A 67-19 victory over Georgetown College.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
22 Who led the UK record for most points in a college career with 2,138 points set in 1970?
Answer: Dan Issel

Dan Issel scored 2,138 points in 83 games with an average of 25.7 points per game.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball
23 Who set a team record for rebounds, and scoring 2138 points as a Wildcat?
Answer: Dan Issel

Dan Issel was UK's all-time leading scorer with 2,138 points when he left the school. The amazing thing was that he did that in 3 seasons with no 3-point shot.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball History
24 In the first 34 times the Kentucky Wildcats have faced their rivals, the Louisville Cardinals, how many times have the Kentucky Wildcats beat the Louisville Cardinals?
Answer: 23

Kentucky and Louisville first played each other in 1913, with Kentucky winning. Louisville had never won 3 in a row in the series.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
25 In the 1953-54 season, Kentucky went 25-0 in the regular season, but did not participate in the NCAA Tournament. Why did they not participate?
Answer: Kentucky declined a bid, because graduate students couldn't play in the tournament

Kentucky had graduate students on the roster, and wasn't going to play without these graduate students.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: Adolph Rupp Era
26 Kentucky had one tie during its first 28 years, a 21-21 draw against Kentucky Wesleyan in 1918. What was the reason for the tie?
Answer: An error by the scorers

A scorer's error was discovered after the game, which left the game in a tie. Also, overtime periods did not exist at the time, and Patrick Campbell didn't step on the line, because the 3-point shot didn't exist either!
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
27 What team did the Kentucky Wildcats beat in the final game to win the 1948 NCAA championship?
Answer: Baylor

Kentucky beat Baylor 58-42 to win their first NCAA championship.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
28 Who was the UK player to be named All-American in 2003?
Answer: Keith Bogans

Keith Bogans led his team in 2002-03 to 26 consecutive wins. They went on to be the top rated team in the NCAA tournament, only to lose to Marquette (and Dywane Wade) in the Elite Eight.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball
29 What was Rick Pitino's record in overtime with the Kentucky Wildcats?
Answer: 1 win - 7 losses

Rick Pitino didn't win too many close ones: 12/23/1989 SW Louisiana L 113-116 OT.
3/28/1992 Duke L 103-104 OT
4/3/1993 Michigan L 78 - 81 OT
1/8/1994 Georgia L 90 - 94 OT
3/12/1995 Arkansas W 95 - 93 OT
11/15/1996 Clemson L 71 - 79 OT
2/4/1997 South Carolina L 79 - 84 OT
3/31/1997 Arizona L 79 - 84 OT
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
30 Which man won two NCAA Championships at UK: one as a player at UK and one as a head coach?
Answer: Joe B. Hall

    Your options: [ Joe B. Hall ] [ John Calipari ] [ Rick Pitino ] [ Eddie Sutton ]
  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
31 What was Kentucky's best season (best winning percentage) during the program's first 28 years?
Answer: 1.000

Kentucky went 9-0 in 1912. This team was coached by Edwin R. Sweetland.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
32 What team did Kentucky beat in 1949 to win their second NCAA championship?
Answer: Oklahoma A & M

Kentucky defeated Oklahoma A & M to win the championship 46-36. Their first was in 1948.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
33 What was Tubby Smith's record in his first season as head coach for UK?
Answer: 35-4

Tubby won the National Title in his first year as head coach for UK.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball
34 Who was the MVP of the Southeast Region in the 1998 NCAA tournament?
Answer: Wayne Turner
  From Quiz: Kentucky Basketball History
35 Who scored 64 points versus the Kentucky Wildcats in one single game?
Answer: Pete Maravich

Pistol Pete Maravich scored 64 points versus Kentucky in 1970, but the Kentucky Wildcats beat his team of LSU 121-105.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
36 Who coached UK's first undefeated team?
Answer: Edwin R. Sweetland

  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
37 Rupp's 1965-66 Kentucky team was nicknamed "Rupp's Runts" because of a lack of size on the team. Who was the tallest player on that team?
Answer: Cliff Berger

Berger seldom played that year, and was their only player over 6'6".
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: Adolph Rupp Era
38 Who was Kentucky's most successful coach during the program's first 28 years?
Answer: Ray Ecklund

Ecklund went 15-3 in his one year as Kentucky's head coach.
  From Quiz: Wildcats Basketball: The Early Years
39 What year did Kentucky defeat Kansas State to win their third NCAA championship?
Answer: 1951

Kentucky defeated Kansas State 68-58 for championship number three. Numbers one and two were 1948 and 1949.
  From Quiz: Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
40 Legendary UK coach Adolph Rupp retired from his position in 1972. Why did he retire?
Answer: Forced retirement

  From Quiz: Kentucky Coaches Crazy Quiz!
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