2008–09 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

The 2008–09 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represents the University of Kentucky in the college basketball season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Billy Gillispie, who was in his second and final year as coach. The Wildcats play their home games at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The team's season started with a controversial early Midnight Madness event on October 10, 2008 which is not the traditional date for celebration that coincides with the first day of NCAA-sanctioned regular practice sessions that occurred on October 17, 2008.

2008–09 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
NIT, Quarterfinals
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern
2008–09 record22–14 (8–8 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaRupp Arena
2008–09 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
East
South Carolina106 .625  2110  .677
Tennessee106 .625  2113  .618
Florida97 .563  2511  .694
Vanderbilt88 .500  1912  .613
Kentucky88 .500  2214  .611
Georgia313 .188  1220  .375
West
No. 21 LSU133 .813  278  .771
Auburn106 .625  2412  .667
Mississippi State97 .563  2313  .639
Alabama79 .438  1814  .563
Ole Miss79 .438  1615  .516
Arkansas214 .125  1416  .467
† SEC Tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

On March 15, 2009, the Wildcats accepted a bid to the 2009 National Invitation Tournament, ending a streak of 17 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship dating back to 1992.[1]

Roster

2008–09 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
F 1 Darius Miller 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)223 lb (101 kg) FrMason County Maysville, Kentucky
G 2 Matt Scherbenske 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)165 lb (75 kg) JrOak Hill Academy (VA)/Oral Roberts Lexington, Kentucky
G 3 Kevin Galloway 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)215 lb (98 kg) JrSacramento/Southern Idaho Sacramento, California
F 5 Ramon Harris 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)218 lb (99 kg) JrWest Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska
G 10 Landon Slone 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)188 lb (85 kg) FrPaintsville Paintsville, Kentucky
G 11 Adam Delph 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)161 lb (73 kg) FrPleasure Ridge Park Louisville, Kentucky
G 12 Mark Krebs 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)207 lb (94 kg) JrNewport Central Catholic Newport, Kentucky
G 13 Michael Porter 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)198 lb (90 kg) JrModesto Christian Modesto, California
G 14 Mark Halsell 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)182 lb (83 kg) SoSt. Charles/Southwestern Illinois St. Charles, Missouri
F 15 A.J. Stewart 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)218 lb (99 kg) SoArlington Country Day Jacksonville, Florida
F 21 Perry Stevenson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)215 lb (98 kg) JrLafayette Lafayette, Louisiana
G 23 Jodie Meeks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)208 lb (94 kg) JrNorcross Norcross, Georgia
G 25 Donald Williams 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)205 lb (93 kg) FrProgressive Christian Academy Baton Rouge, Louisiana
G 30 Dwight Perry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)187 lb (85 kg) JrSouthern Durham, North Carolina
F 33 Matt Pilgrim  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)233 lb (106 kg) JrBridgton Academy/Hampton Cincinnati, Ohio
G 34 DeAndre Liggins 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)202 lb (92 kg) FrFindlay Prep (NV) Chicago, Illinois
C 43 Jared Carter 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)277 lb (126 kg) SrScott County Georgetown, Kentucky
F 54 Patrick Patterson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)235 lb (107 kg) SoHuntington Huntington, West Virginia
C 55 Josh Harrellson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)265 lb (120 kg) SoSt. Charles/Southwestern Illinois St. Charles, Missouri
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

2008 signees

2008–09 schedule and results

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 3, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Missouri-Saint Louis W 111–53  0–0
Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
November 7, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Ouachita Baptist W 94–72  0–0
Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
Non-Conference Regular Season
November 14, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
VMI L 103–111  0–1
Rupp Arena (22,579)
Lexington, KY
November 18, 2008*
9:00 pm, ESPN
at No. 1 North Carolina L 58–77  0–2
Dean Smith Center (21,538)
Chapel Hill, NC
November 22, 2008*
12:00 pm, FSN South
Delaware State
2008 Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational
W 71–42  1–2
Rupp Arena (21,594)
Lexington, KY
November 24, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Longwood
2008 Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational
W 91–57  2–2
Rupp Arena (20,105)
Lexington, KY
November 28, 2008*
11:59 pm, ESPNU
vs. Kansas State
2008 Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational
W 74–72  3–2
Orleans Arena (5,000)
Las Vegas, NV
November 29, 2008*
10:30 pm, ESPN2
vs. West Virginia
2008 Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational
W 54–43  4–2
Orleans Arena (5,500)
Las Vegas, NV
December 3, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Lamar W 103–61  5–2
Rupp Arena (21,350)
Lexington, KY
December 6, 2008*
5:00 pm, ESPN
No. 22 Miami (FL) L 67–73  5–3
Rupp Arena (24,109)
Lexington, KY
December 7, 2008*
3:00 pm, FSN South
Mississippi Valley State W 88–65  6–3
Rupp Arena (21,476)
Lexington, KY
December 13, 2008*
4:00 pm, CBS
Indiana W 72–54  7–3
Rupp Arena (23,767)
Lexington, KY
December 20, 2008*
12:00 pm, FSN South
Appalachian State W 93–69  8–3
Freedom Hall (10,173)
Louisville, KY
December 22, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Tennessee State W 102–58  9–3
Rupp Arena (21,958)
Lexington, KY
December 27, 2008*
3:00 pm, FSN South
Florida Atlantic W 76–69  10–3
Rupp Arena (24,018)
Lexington, KY
December 29, 2008*
7:00 pm, FSN South
Central Michigan W 84–52  11–3
Rupp Arena (22,944)
Lexington, KY
January 4, 2009*
4:30 pm, CBS
at No. 18 Louisville
Battle for the Bluegrass
L 71–74  11–4
Freedom Hall (20,078)
Louisville, KY
SEC Regular Season
January 10, 2009
2:00 pm, Raycom
Vanderbilt W 70–60  12–4
(1–0)
Rupp Arena (24,249)
Lexington, KY
January 13, 2009
9:00 pm, ESPN
at Tennessee W 90–72  13–4
(2–0)
Thompson-Boling Arena (20,474)
Knoxville, TN
January 18, 2009
9:00 pm, Raycom
at Georgia W 68–45  14–4
(3–0)
Stegeman Coliseum (9,090)
Athens, GA
January 21, 2009
9:00 pm, Raycom
Auburn W 73–64  15–4
(4–0)
Rupp Arena (22,760)
Lexington, KY
January 24, 2009
3:00 pm, Raycom
at Alabama W 61–51  16–4
(5–0)
Coleman Coliseum (15,316)
Tuscaloosa, AL
January 27, 2009
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 24 at Ole Miss L 80–85  16–5
(5–1)
Tad Smith Coliseum (6,852)
Oxford, MS
January 31, 2009
3:00 pm, Raycom
No. 24 South Carolina L 77–78  16–6
(5–2)
Rupp Arena (24,322)
Lexington, KY
February 3, 2009
7:00 pm, Raycom
Mississippi State L 57–66  16–7
(5–3)
Rupp Arena (21,940)
Lexington, KY
February 10, 2009
9:00 pm, ESPN
Florida W 68–65  17–7
(6–3)
Rupp Arena (24,355)
Lexington, KY
February 14, 2009
1:00 pm, CBS
at Arkansas W 79–63  18–7
(7–3)
Bud Walton Arena (19,041)
Fayetteville, AR
February 17, 2009
9:00 pm, ESPN
at Vanderbilt L 64–77  18–8
(7–4)
Memorial Gymnasium (14,316)
Nashville, TN
February 21, 2009
1:00 pm, CBS
Tennessee W 77–58  19–8
(8–4)
Rupp Arena (24,394)
Lexington, KY
February 25, 2009
7:00 pm, Raycom
at South Carolina L 59–77  19–9
(8–5)
Colonial Life Arena (16,035)
Columbia, SC
February 28, 2009
4:00 pm, CBS
No. 18 LSU L 70–73  19–10
(8–6)
Rupp Arena (24,411)
Lexington, KY
March 4, 2009
8:00 pm, Raycom
Georgia
Senior Night
L 85–90  19–11
(8–7)
Rupp Arena (23,889)
Lexington, KY
March 7, 2009
2:00 pm, CBS
at Florida L 53–60  19–12
(8–8)
O'Connell Center (12,131)
Gainesville, FL
SEC Tournament
March 12, 2009
1:00 pm, Raycom
vs. Ole Miss
SEC Tournament First Round
W 71–58  20–12
St. Pete Times Forum (N/A)
Tampa, FL
March 13, 2009
1:00 pm, Raycom
vs. No. 16 LSU
SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
L 58-67  20–13
St. Pete Times Forum (N/A)
Tampa, FL
National Invitation Tournament
March 17, 2009*
9:30 pm, ESPN
UNLV
NIT First Round
W 70–60  21–13
Memorial Coliseum (8,327)
Lexington, KY
March 23, 2009*
7:00 pm, ESPN
at Creighton
NIT Sweet Sixteen
W 65–63  22–13
Qwest Center Omaha (16,984)
Omaha, NE
March 25, 2009*
7:00 pm, ESPN2
at Notre Dame
NIT Quarterfinals
L 67–77  22–14
Edmund P. Joyce Center (7,636)
Notre Dame, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

Season honors and awards

All-SEC

Team Player Position
FirstJodie MeeksGuard
FirstPatrick PattersonForward
All-SEC

SEC Player of the Week

Date Player Position
12/1 [2]Jodie MeeksGuard
12/22 [3]Jodie MeeksGuard
12/29 [4]Patrick PattersonForward
1/19 [4]Jodie MeeksGuard
2/16 [5]Jodie MeeksGuard
SEC Player of the Week

SEC Freshman of the Week

Date Player Position
12/8 [6]DeAndre LigginsGuard
SEC Freshman of the Week

Pre-Season All-SEC

Team Player Position
FirstPatrick PattersonForward
SecondJodie MeeksGuard
All-SEC

Class of 2009 signees

The signees who formed the 2009-10 recruiting classes are considered one of the best all-time recruiting classes [7]

References

  1. Kentucky-UNLV Preview Article from ukathletics.com, retrieved 03-19-2009. Archived 2009-06-02.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2008-12-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2008-12-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2009-02-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2008-12-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. DeCourcy, Mike (19 May 2009). "With Wall Kentucky could have all-time recruiting class". SportingNews.com. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
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