Untitled Document

BIG BLUE FANS FOR

BASKETBALL

YEAR BY YEAR WITH THE CATS

1953-54
25-0
SEC Champions
UKIT Champions
Ranked 1st AP, 2nd UPI
Declined NCAA Berth
Helms championship

The Celtics drafted UK's Big Three of Cliff Hagan, Frank Ramsey, and Lou Tsioropoulus the previous year when UK had to cancel the season. Hopes were high for an undefeated season and a national championship when the news broke in late Feb that the Big Three would not be eligible for the NCAA tournie because they were graduate students. Had The Studious Three as they became known dropped out of school for a semester during the canceled season, they would've been eligible. The irony is the NCAA was inadvertently encouraging student athletes to drop out of school. LSU coach Harry Rabenhorse called Ramsey the best guard in the country. Hagan set a single game UK scoring record and Tsioropoulus was the defensive stopper. Ramsey and Hagan made All America for the second time.

The 1953-54 season also saw the debut of the UKIT. Here is what Russell Rice wrote about this milestone event.

"The policy was to invite the best teams, beginning with the NCAA and NIT champions, and to split profits equally among the participating teams. The first tournament netted LaSalle, UCLA, and Duke more than 10,000 dollars each, making it the richest holiday classic in the nation. Kentucky defeated LaSalle for the championship." From Big Blue Machine by Russel Rice

Contributed by Larry Butler

Interview with Frank Ramsey by Celtic Nation

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