No NCAA Tourney this year,but on this date in 1986 LSU beat Kentucky to go to Final Four

That damn Dale Brown sucked though.

Sincerely,

Rantards

PS - I remember watching this game like it was yesterday. I was nine years old. We were supposed to go to church that afternoon, but my parents let me skip and watch the game instead.

The Nikita Wilson last second missed shot happened in ‘87 against Louisville, correct?

I was thinking Ben McDonald was on that team, but he didn't play until the next season.

Loved that team and loved Dale Brown. Great time to be an LSU basketball fan.

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Anthony Wilson buzzer beater against Memphis St.

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Dana Kirk was pissed after that game.

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But somehow,someway #11 seed LSU defeated #1 seed Kentucky after having beaten #6 seed Purdue,#3 seed Memphis State and #2 seed Georgia Tech.

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Part of that "someway" was LSU got the benefit of two home games in the first 2 rounds despite being an 11 seed. It wasn't long thereafter the NCAA went to all neutral sites in the tournament. Starting with the 1988 tournament. Make no mistake, LSU's run to the Final Four as an 11 seed (still tied for the lowest in history) and the bitching that ensued was the catalyst for the change. Go back and watch the Purdue and Memphis St. games. The PMAC was a madhouse. If the shoe where on the other foot I would be, understandably, pissed if I were the higher seeded teams and had to pay the lower seed on their homecourt. It's not hyperbole to say that LSU's run in 1986 changed the history of the NCAA Tournament.

The 1986 run was unexpected euphoria. Capped off by beating hated Kentucky to reach the Final Four. Side note, if you watch the video from that game it looks like LSU assistant coach, Ron Abernathy (who was from Kentucky) gets into it with the Kentucky coaches in hand shake line. Anyone know what that was about?

LSU damn near repeated the feat in 1987. The loss to Indiana in Elite Eight was equal parts infuriating and crushing because the Final Four was in the Super Dome that year. Can you imagine how crazy the Dome would have been with LSU in the Final Four? Remember, this was at a time football had not won a championship in 30 years and was going through the up and down 80's. No one gave a shite about baseball...if they even knew LSU had a baseball team. So seeing LSU play for a National Championship in Louisiana would have been a spectacle!

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Part of that "someway" was LSU got the benefit of two home games in the first 2 rounds despite being an 11 seed

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Kentucky advanced to the 1984 Final Four having played the Mideast Regional at Rupp Arena.

Remember, while not their "home court" LSU did beat #2 Georgia Tech at the Omni in Atlanta. Just up the road from "The Flats."

Yes, but LSU but in that bid several years early,too. The NCAA didn't select LSU and say,"by the way, they will play their games in the first and second rounds at home."

Syracuse hosted 1st and 2nd round games that same season and lost badly to Navy. As for #1 seed Alabama playing in Birmingham, #9 seed Auburn also played in Birmingham this year.

I just don't see the need to try to diminish LSU's accomplishments that year only because they were allowed to take advantage of NCAA rules that had been in existance since the tourney's inception.

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on this date in 1986 LSU beat Kentucky to go to Final Four

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and I was there. My parents moved to Georgia when I was a sophomore at LSU in 1984, so my dad and I got tickets and saw that game at the old Omni in downtown Atlanta.

Incredible game and great memory. Ricky Blanton waving his arms coming down the court after a big basket with 15 second left!!