Kentucky Wildcats Tickets Setting Records, Gaining Honors

It’s not something you get to read about your favorite team every day but if you’re a devoted fan of the Kentucky Wildcats, you’re ecstatic to know that they’re being honored for a feat that many teams can only dream about. It was January 4, 1943 and the Wildcats were on a winning streak. It’s still an NCAA record today. By the time the streak ended on January 8, 1955, the Wildcats had won 129 games. Ripley’s Believe It or Not accepted a submission by John Carpenter, a native of Kentucky, who provided a comic that was featured on www.comics.com and in newspapers all over the country. The black and white comic rendition will become a part of the gallery of unusual facts and strange events that Ripley’s Believe It Or Not gathers.

The current Wildcats may be in a different class altogether. The University of Kentucky Athletic Association is partnering with DISH Network Corporation to given the Wildcats historic path to 2,000 NCAA victories beginning on February 10. “It is a great honor to partner with DISH Network during the University’s historic journey to reach 2,000 victories in men’s basketball,” Jason Schlafer said. Schlafer is the University of Kentucky’s Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing. The Wildcats fans can search Facebook to follow along with the historic journey by way of the Internet. The historic event will be a part of the game against Florida on the same night.

Present coaches for the Wildcats include head coach Billy Gillespie, assistant coach Jeremy Cox, assistant coach Glynn Cyprie, assistant coach Tracy Webster and director of basketball operations Alvin Brooks. Gillespie is the 21st coach as of April 2007 and he comes to the table with some pretty big shoes to fill but he’s no stranger to success bringing a wealth of experience from his three seasons of head coaching experience at Texas A&M.

Games left to be played in the 2008-2009 season will put the Wildcats on the floor in competitions against Florida on February 10, Arkansas on February 14, Vanderbilt on February 17, Tennessee on February 21, South Carolina on February 25, LUS on February 28, Georgia on March 4 and Florida again on March 7. Fans and opponents alike can expect to meet senior Jared Carter (43) from Georgetown Kentucky, freshman Adam Delph (11) from Louisville Kentucky, junior Kevin Galloway (3) from Sacramento California, freshman Mark Halsell (14) from St. Charles Missouri, sophomore Josh Harrellson (55) from St. Charles Missouri, junior Ramon Harris (5) from Anchorage Alaska, junior Mark Krebs (12) from Newport Kentucky, freshman DeAndre Liggins (34) from Chicago Illinois, junior Jodie Meeks (23) from Norcross Georgia, freshman Darius Miller (1) from Maysville Kentucky, sophomore Patrick Patterson (54) to Huntington West Virginia, junior Michael Porter (13) from Modesto California, junior Matt Scherbenske (2) from Lexington Kentucky, freshman Landon Slone (10) from Paintsville Kentucky, junior Perry Stevenson (21) from Lafayette Louisiana, sophomore A.J. Stewart (15) from Jacksonville Florida and freshman Donald Williams (25) from Baton Rouge Louisiana.