1954 LSU-Kentucky game makes 'Top 60' at Vandy's Memorial Gym

This season is the 60th in Memorial Gym's history. This week Vanderbilt's athletic webpage has had 12 different games played there each day as a top game. LSU and UK didn't play in '53-'54 but finished the SEC season unbeaten. They played a one game playoff at Vanderbilt for the SEC's automatic bid (just one bid at a time, that would last through 1974)

25) March 9, 1954 MBB: UK beats LSU in SEC playoff game

In a rare playoff game at a neutral site, Kentucky defeated LSU, 63-56, in front of a sold-out crowd on March 9, 1954.

The playoff took place after LSU had refused to play Kentucky during the regular season and ended up tying atop the SEC standings.

Although the game was played at a neutral site, it looked very much like a Kentucky home game with an estimated 95% of the fans in attendance pulling for the Wildcats.

Wrote the Nashville Banner's Dudley Green about the Kentucky fan base: "Nashville fans received their first introduction to Kentucky supporters. The local fan flock marveled at the Wildcat fanaticism. Never has the Memorial Gymnasium resounded as it did when the UK cheerleaders asked, 'All for Kentucky stand up and holler.' "

Despite Kentucky's decisive advantage in the seats, the Wildcats were unable to put much distance between themselves and LSU.



Kentucky led 32-28 at halftime, but the game was tied after three quarters and it was the first time all season that kentucky had to come from behind to win.

"We were losing our poise," Kentucky Head Coach Alolph Rupp said. "until we went into our all-court press. It upset LSU so, we gained the upper hand in short order."

Maybe even more rare than the existence of the playoff game was what took place after Kentucky won. By winning the game, Kentucky were extended the bid to play in the NCAA Tournament, but the Wildcats declined the bid and LSU ended up representing the SEC in the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky declined to accept the bid because of the ineligibility of Cliff Hagan, Frank Ramsey and Lou Tsioropoulos to participate. The three players had finished their work for a degree and as postgraduates were eligible for SEC play, but ineligible for NCAA competition.

Kentucky issued the following statement after the game:

The University of Kentucky basketball team has just won the championship of the Southeastern Conference. Each and every member o this team meets in full the eligibility rules of the Conference. Unhappily, Conference rules are not identical with NCAA tournament rules and the NCAA has refused to permit three members of Kentucky's team to participate in the NCAA tournament.

The Athletics Board and athletics officials at the University of Kentucky doubt that in the absence of the three boys, its team would be the strongest in the Southeastern Conference. Accordingly, the Athletics Board has unanimously voted that the University of Kentucky withdraw from the NCAA tournament and request the Conference to designate some other team to represent this district.

With Kentucky refusing the invitation, LSU Head Coach Harry Rabenhorst accepted it.

"Don't you think we did the right thing in withdrawing from the NCAA tournament? Our conference should send the most representative team, and without our three boys, we were not that." Rupp said. After the game, Rupp had to be treated for nervous exhaustion and was taken to his hotel room where visitors were barred.

Frank Ramsey led Kentucky with 30 points and Bob Pettit led LSU with 19 points. Kentucky finished the season 25-0, while LSU was 21-3 overall.

"I thought Ramsey was the difference," Rabenhorst said. "I'm proud of my boys. They played their hearts out. With a break or two, we might have won. But it was Ramsey who broke our back. I've always contended he was one of the greatest players in the country. His play bore that out."

There were 7,500 fans packed into Memorial Gym for the game in which each school received $8,000 for the playoff. Vanderbilt got 10 percent of the gross receipts, plus program and concession rights.



(6) Cliff Hagan and (50) Bob Pettit. Two of college basketball's best players at the time,not just SEC. Note LSU's 'T-shirt' jerseys.