Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt: a bigger rivalry than you think!

When you think of Kentucky's most anticipated games on the hardwood each season, you think of games like Louisville, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida. Indiana has been a traditional rival as well over the years and Duke has given us both of our greatest and worst memories from the NCAA Tournament. There's another team that Kentucky has been playing nearly every season since 1912 that many of us don't even consider a huge rival, but they certainly are. I highly doubt that many UK fans circle the dates of both of the Vanderbilt basketball games each season as huge games on their calendars while looking through the upcoming schedule in October. However, through the years, the home-and-away series with Vanderbilt in the SEC East has had the most overall importance to success of a basketball season at Kentucky.

Two conference games with Vandy each year has traditionally held more significance on an overall season's success more so than any other rivalry game, including Louisville. A single game in the month of December really only serves as bragging rights for UK fans. In 1998, Kentucky lost to Louisville in December of Tubby Smith's first season but ended up cutting down the nets in April. On the contrary, they were able to run away with a last second victory at Memorial Gym that season against Vanderbilt. When it comes to winning SEC Championships and earning a high seed in the NCAA tournament, the Vanderbilt games are always crucial. On rare occasions, it has even been the difference between dancing and playing in the NIT.



You can go as far back as 1961, for example, when Mississippi State won the regular season SEC crown. In those days you had to win the conference regular season championship to even make the tournament. Mississippi State refused their invitation to the tournament that year because they had a policy against competing against African Americans. This actually forced a one game playoff between the two team's that were tied for 2nd: UK and Vanderbilt, with the winner going to "the big dance". The game was played on a neutral court in Knoxville. Kentucky won and advanced into the NCAA Tournament.

More recently, the Cats were off to a horrible 6-7 start in 2008 in Billy Gillispie's first year. The season seemed like it was lost before conference play had even began, but it was the Vanderbilt game at home that completely changed that season. Kentucky was 6-7 with losses to Gardner Webb and San Diego. Now, they had to open up the SEC slate against 16-0 and #13 ranked Vanderbilt. The Cats pulled it off in front of a frenzy crowd at Rupp in double overtime. They then proceeded to go 12-4 in conference play to miraculously make the NCAA Tournament despite the 6-7 start. The second game with Vandy at Memorial Gymnasium, however, was one of the most embarrassing losses in UK history, as they lost 93-52 in front of a nationally televised ESPN audience. The first win over Vanderbilt though was just enough for the Cats to earn a 16th straight NCAA Tournament birth. It was the signature win of that season and changed everything.

Both Vanderbilt games were also very memorable in the 2003 season. Tubby Smith's Cats' had faced early struggles that season. They had lost 3 early games and even lost an exhibition game to Team Nike. They were just starting to find their niche in SEC play, however, they were trailing Vanderbilt by 14 points early on. They were able to cut the deficit to 8 points at halftime, but the last 20 minutes of the game at Memorial Gymnasium is what really sparked that team into eventually winning 26 games in a row. The Cats' suffocating defense caused havoc for the Commodores in the 2nd half. Kentucky outscored Vandy 46-16 in the second half and ended up winning the game by a score of 74-52. Later that season, there were heavy hearts in Rupp for one of the most memorable UK Senior Day game's in history. The Cats slaughtered Vandy 106-44 while honoring would-be UK player John Stewart, a UK signee that tragically collapsed and died in a high school game after he had committed to play for the Cats.

You don't have to think back too far at all to remember the thrilling game this past season at Memorial when John Wall blocked a potential game winning shot with less than 10 seconds to go. Vanderbilt was able to get the ball back for a second shot at the win at the buzzer. John Calipari admittedly called a stupid timeout which allowed Kevin Stallings to set up another potential game winner, but A.J. Ogilvy's final attempt fell just short and the Cats escaped Nashville with a huge win. The first Vanderbilt game in 2010 was pivotal as well, coming right off the heels of the young Cats' first loss of the season at South Carolina. They now had to play a ranked Vanderbilt team with Lebron James watching over them in the first row of Rupp, but the Cats took care of business and won by double digits over a ranked team and maintained their lead in the SEC East.

The Kentucky-Vanderbilt rivalry is more than just a few great games over the years. Believe it or not, the Commodore's have given UK the most trouble, especially on the road, than any other team. UK's 25 losses at Memorial Gymnasium (23 against Vandy) are the most losses the Cats have had in any building in history outside of Lexington. They've lost 4 straight years in that building on two different occasions, from 1988-1991 and more recently from 2006-2009. Vandy has also beaten Kentucky four times while UK has been ranked #1 in the country, including in the 1951 SEC Tournament Championship Game in Louisville. No other program has beaten Kentucky as many times while ranked #1. Kentucky's rivalry with the closest SEC school to the state's border is one of the most under appreciated rivalries in all of college basketball.

Now, let's not get carried away though. I just realized that I was supposed to make fun of Vanderbilt in this piece and all I've done is compliment them and our rivalry with them. Comparing Vanderbilt and Kentucky as a whole is like comparing the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees since 1908. It would also be about as ridiculous as naming Kevin Stallings SEC Coach of the Year last season over John Calipari (wait...that actually happened, never mind). I mean, they pride themselves on academics but I doubt they have anyone with a GPA higher than Brandon Knight's 4.3. We even have them beat there! UK has beaten them a measly 133 times. Vandy has only made it past the Sweet 16 once (the elite 8 in 1965). They've won only one SEC Tournament Title (in 1952) compared to UK's 26. They've won 3 SEC Regular Season Titles compared to UK's 44. And the only two hot girls that have ever gone to school there will end up looking like this when they lose to us for the 134th time next year.