With the surge of basketball fever, on this date in 1980 LSU won the SEC-T

for so far the only time -- pre 1954, or since the renewal in 1979.

Tremendous game at the Civic Center in Birmingham with LSU winning 80-78. A freak snow storm hit Birmingham that morning effectively shutting down the town and after about 14,000 had seen Ole Miss vs Kentucky and Alabama vs LSU the night before, only about 8,000 made it to the game -- mostly UK and LSU fans staying at the Hyatt across the street.

This was the height of this series where "LSU vs Kentucky" was mentioned as one of the best rivalries in the country at the time. LSU had downed UK at Rupp earlier that year 65-60 and six days earlier Kyle Macy drilled a shot at the buzzer to give Kentucky a 76-74 win and SEC regular season title.

LSU led 34-31 at haltime and oddly enough, even though LSU won by only two, Kentucky could never tie it and LSU was in "control" of a two point win about as much as you could be. Not only was this a big win in securing the tournament title and easing the pain of the prior week's loss, but it helped erase the humiliating loss to Kentucky on the same court in 1979 in the tourney semifinal 80-67 which wasn't nearly that close. DeWayne Scales who allegedly listen to outside sources instead of the LSU staff in '79, scored 26 points in the win.

In the second year of seeding in the NCAA tournament, both LSU and Kentucky received One Seeds making the SEC the first team to have two One seeds.



Note the "Louisiana State" on the jerseys used in 1979-80 and 1980-1981.