I've bleed blue for 50+years, i was 5, when this game happened. I remember my dad and older brothers watching this game. Wasn't a good day! Western beat breaks of Kentucky in this day, what a team! Big guy for western was tough!!! Great gaurd okay, fast and played as 1.
Interesting tidbit: Western Kentucky's last regular season loss that year came against Austin Peay, 96-94. The APSU center that outrebounded Jim McDaniels is today one of the world's most famous RU-vid stars, Hickok45. Coach "Hickok" was my junior high basketball coach and English teacher in 1973-74, his first year as a teacher/coach. Had Hickok's multiple injuries not prevented him from playing his senior year at Peay, he would have been on the team that had Fly Williams and made the Sweet 16.
This was a great WK team. If Jerome Perry is not injured, they may have won the whole thing ( Title ) Villanove game was one of the All Time Best College games ever. Howard Porter of Villanova told me, That he always like big Jim and the WK players, He Meet them in the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburg in High School. Thanks for this upload - Great stuff
@Steve R, I've been a born and raised Kentucky Wildcat fan my whole life but my oldest son went to Western Kentucky over in Bowling Green to get his four years degree. I've actually always liked the Hilltoppers a whole lot too, just never rooted for them against the Cats. I was 10 years old when this game happened, and I remember that whole day my father talking about how he was worried that UK didn't have anyone who could stop Big Jim McDaniels defensively. I remember my father talking about it having been only 7 or 8 years prior to this that Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith had integrated WKU's basketball team, and of course Tom Payne had integrated UK's.
@@GBeret83 a local player from Havertown Pa. played for Kentucky in the early 70's ( Ray Edelman ) , a wonderful high school player. HS All American in fact.- But this WK team was loaded with talent Jim Rose , BIg Mac, glover. Baily and Dunn were a great lineup, As I have said on another You tube comment, with Jerome Perry ( Injured and missed the entire season) they could have won the Title. But Howard Porter of Villanova was a Great Pleayer and Nova was loaded as well with talent. - great to comment woth you. Stay Healthy
@@GBeret83 The Western Kentucky program was very good in recruiting Clem Haskins and Dwight smith ( Played with Alcindor in Milwaukee ( champs in 1970 )
@@eskiasmcdaniels5648 Yes a great upload. I wish their was more 1968 thru 1973 college games on you tube.Big Mac was an All Time Great college Player. The Palestra has a big photo of him in their lobby ( with many other all time greats ) as a tribute to great visiting players.
This WKU team was one of the very best college teams ever from the state. But their legacy collapsed after Jim McDaniels was exposed by the Kentucky Colonels ABA front office as having made negotiations with an agent while at the final 4 in Houston. The agent sent hand written notes by Jim to the Colonels which had the stationary of the Houston hotel. The date written down was before his college amateur status ended on the Sunday of the stay. The NCAA then found that Howard Porter of Villanova had done the same thing, so WKU and Villanova vacated their 2nd and 3rd place finishes. John Wooden's UCLA team had no problem covering up Sam Gilbert's grifting to his players, so they didn't suffer the same fate. Life is unfair.
Yes , your comment is so spot on. Gilbert and Wooden and their AD JD Morgan were all Crooks and paying players for many years at UCLA glad to see your comment , Thanks
@@patrickdaly5068 Bill Walton said the school should have all but two titles taken away (presumably his two?). He sometimes speaks impulsively, but he may be right.
Kentucky's guards could not handle the full court press of Western. Lots of size on the flooor with UK playing Payne and Andrews together, and McDaniels of Western Ky. Rose of Western was a very good guard.
Showing a game Kentucky playing a mid major we are a tough team we are Kentucky we are going to show everyone how to beat a small school because we can't do it anymore
