Gardner Webb blows UK off the Court in Rupp

Uh, Laettner stomped Aminu Timberlake, a black dude.

 

It's Gardner-Webb.

Also, I'll be covering UK's next game at Rupp. I don't think they expected to have two weeks off between games. They were supposed to go to New York to play or something. Can't wait to see the reaction of the fans.

 

Gardner-Webb is just coming off an NCAA probation for a grade-tampering scandal that led to the resignation of the school's president.

So entering the game, G-W was Kentucky's equal in the pulling-shit department.

 

Small bit of clarification (I know, why let the truth get in the way?) That call never would have come from Hburg. Harrodsburg High (RIP) long produced athletic talent well beyond what a school that size should have, including Craig Yeast and Dennis Johnson as well as several others.

Nicholasville? That I would have believed.

 

FINE!!!

 

Gardner Webb?!?!

So, which is bigger, Gardner Webb winning at Kentucky in hoops, or App. State winning in the football Big House?

Gardner Webb?!?!

 

Appy State. Low-level Division I teams do this from time-to-time. A FCS team had never won in a ranked team's house.

 

True. I still think App. State is bigger. Still, Ky getting hammered at home like this is an eye opener.

 

App State is bigger, no doubt. In my mind, this was probably the equivalent of a 15 beating a 2 in the NCAA tournament.
Sure, GWU was picked to finish eighth in the ASun, but yeah, the football game was a much, much bigger deal.

 

App St. was bigger if only because it takes a lot more for a low-level football team to beat a high-level team. You're talking 85 guys on Michigan against however many a D-1AA team carries, instead of 13 on 13. And in basketball, if one or two guys get hot and the other team isn't ready to play or comes out cold, upsets tend to happen more often.

Still, Kentucky had no business losing that game. The Wildcats have plenty of excuses for why they shouldn't win the UNC, Indiana or Louisville games and for why they should struggle in conference play. But I'm not sure there is ever a legit excuse for losing to a team like Gardner-Webb, especially on your own floor.

 

2006 Massey Ratings
FBAL: Michigan 8, Appy State 44 (right behind Florida St. and ahead of Miami-FL and Missouri)
BBAL: Kentucky 17, Gardner-Webb 315

People had heard of Appy State. It had a decent RPI when I-A and I-AA are combined. They'd probably win the Sun Belt Conference.

No one had heard of Gardner Webb.

And unlike Appy State, Gardner Webb dominated Kentucky. I don't think the game was ever in doubt.

Kentucky's only two losses that would even compare would be Penn State (a major conference school that made it to the Sweet 16) and Western Kentucky (which won at Louisville the year before and had an NBA quality center in Chris Marcus before he became prone to injuries).

And unlike Michigan, UK had three games to prepare (cruised in two scrimmages, won convincingly the night before against Central Arkansas).

As much as UK fans don't want to admit it, there is no excuse for losing to Gardner-Webb.

 

Appy might want to win the Southern Conference before we declare them winners of the Sun Belt.