With recent threads about Calipari, it reminded me....

[NMSooner'80]

The game between UMass and OU back in '93 was a great game to see in person at the LNC. That was the last season that I lived in the state.

I think the final was 93-83, and that final margin was OU's largest lead of the game. I also remember that Jeff Webster hit a fadeaway three-pointer to beat the shot clock at a key moment in the game. Another oddity was that it wasn't televised on any network. Too bad - because it was a highly entertaining game.

Still think that OU team was worthy of an at-large, except for a couple of late-game meltdowns in the non-conference (most notably the BYU game in a tournament). It might have also come down to a game no one thought they'd win but almost did - the game at Duke in early January.

That season was also the last time I got to see Bedlam men's basketball in person. The "Jethro" chants were hilarious, even though Reeves did have a great game.

Anyway, the UMass team included future college coach Tony Barbee, but I don't think that Camby got there until the next season.

 

[cvangild]

Was Lou Roe on that UMASS team, or had he already graduated?

I remember the Duke game very well!! Angelo Hamilton's 360 was awesome...even though Duke Vitale ripped him for it. That was a great comeback that came up just short.

 

[okienole3]

We played them two years in a row at the LNC. The game the first poster was talking about was the 1992-93 season. Lou Roe was on that team, Camby was not. The next year 1993-94 UMASS was loaded. Roe was back. Plus, they had a freshman Camby and Edgar Padilla, along with Donta Bright. Derrick Kellog was on both teams.

I was 13-14 at that time. We had season tickets and lived near the LNC. I would walk to games with my buddies. I still have the program from one of those two games somewhere. We also got some autographs afterwards. I need to try and find that program.

I have a good Calipari story. One spring, a buddy of mine worked in the PR department for the Yankees during Spring Training. He told me a story of how he was in the press box one game and a guy walked up and was trying to get someone's attention. He walked out to see what he needed and the guy introduced himself by saying "I'm John Calipari, I used to coach the Nets." It was early on in his tenure at Memphis and they were in town to play South Florida. I guess he was trying to see if Torre wanted tickets to the game. We still get a kick out of it. Anytime Calipari's name comes up, we make sure to mention how he used to coach the Nets.

 

[NMSooner'80]

I didn't see the game in November of '93 - had just moved to Albuquerque. But that was also a close game, and OU wasn't nearly as good that season (Tubbs' last year). I'd forgotten about Derek Kellogg, too, in the '92-93 season meeting.

 

[WaymanFan]

I didn't see the game in November of '93 - had just moved to Albuquerque. But that was also a close game, and OU wasn't nearly as good that season (Tubbs' last year). I'd forgotten about Derek Kellogg, too, in the '92-93 season meeting.

I looked at the '92-93 season as Billy's only real bad coaching job in his 14 years at OU (much less talent on the '93-94 team). Beating UMass, winning in Lawrence (haven't done that since '93) and taking the two-time defending National Champions to OT in Cameron were the highlights. With those highlights, one has to wonder what this team was doing in the NIT...hence the poor coaching job.

 

[CobraKai]

I looked at the '92-93 season as Billy's only real bad coaching job in his 14 years at OU (much less talent on the '93-94 team). Beating UMass, winning in Lawrence (haven't done that since '93) and taking the two-time defending National Champions to OT in Cameron were the highlights. With those highlights, one has to wonder what this team was doing in the NIT...hence the poor coaching job.

I remember that Duke game. Wasn't that the game when Angelo Hamilton had the steal and 360 dunk?

 

[NMSooner'80]

I remember that Duke game. Wasn't that the game when Angelo Hamilton had the steal and 360 dunk?

That's the one. Hamilton also picked Bobby Hurley's pocket late in regulation, with the score tied but didn't get a shot off in time. I was watching it with my dad in Crested Butte (on a ski trip), and I also still remember how Dook Vitale declared that game "over" when his beloved Blue was up by 20. :facepalm