| Wins against Kentucky - 0 | Losses against Kentucky - 1 |
Alma Mater: Louisiana Tech [1967]
Hometown: Ruston, LA
Date Born: November 25, 1945
Date Died: March 10, 2006
Overall Record: 129-59 [6 Seasons]
| Date | Matchup | UK Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/17/1988 | Marshall at Kentucky | W | 91 - 78 | UKIT [Consolation] |
Obituary - Associated Press (March 12, 2006)
SHREVEPORT, La. -- Rick Huckabay, who coached Marshall University to three NCAA tournament appearances, died Friday of lung cancer. He was 60.
Mr. Huckabay died in a Shreveport hospital, according to his friends, including former Louisiana Tech women's coach Leon Barmore and state Representative Billy Montgomery.
Mr. Huckabay was diagnosed with cancer in August. In September, doctors found both kidney and lung cancer. Mr. Huckabay had a kidney removed and continued to coach basketball at Simsboro High School in northern Louisiana until he became too weak to attend games.
''He really fought it," said Barmore. ''For a while there, he thought he had it beat."
Mr. Huckabay, who started his career as a high school coach in Louisiana, was an assistant at Louisiana State University under Dale Brown. He went from there to Marshall, where he guided the Thundering Herd to a 129-59 record from 1983 to 1990.
He was forced to resign on April 6, 1990, as the university investigated allegations of NCAA violations. The NCAA later placed the Marshall basketball program on probation for two years because of 10 infractions the school acknowledged.
Mr. Huckabay never made it back to the college ranks after leaving Marshall.
The rest of his career was spent in high schools, where he had always had success.
A funeral service was scheduled for today in Alexandria, La.
