| # | Name | Pos | Class | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (School) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Stanley Milward (L) | C | Jr. | 6-5 | - | Lexington, KY (Senior) | - |
| - | Cecil Combs (L) | F | Jr. | 6-4 | - | Lexington, KY (High) | - |
| #2 | Louis McGinnis (L) | F | So. | 5-9 | - | Lexington, KY (High) | - |
| #17 | Carey Spicer (L) | F | So. | 6-1 | - | Lexington, KY (Senior) | All-American [Helms]; All-Southern Conference; |
| #6 | Paul McBrayer (L) | G | Jr. | 6-4 | 155 | Lawrenceburg, KY (Kavanaugh) | - |
| #21 | Jake Bronston | G | So. | 6-0 | 165 | Lexington, KY (Senior) | - |
| - | Lawrence McGinnis (L) | G | Jr. | 6-0 | - | Lexington, KY (Senior) | - |
| - | Hays Owens (L) | F | Jr. | 5-7 | 138 | Lexington, KY (Senior) | - |
| #18 | Bill Trott | G | So. | - | - | Evansville, IN (Central) | - |
| - | Claire Dees (L) | G | Sr. | 6-1 | - | Oblong, IL (High) | - |
| - | Elmer Gilb (L) | F | Sr. | 5-8 | - | Newport, KY (High) | - |
| - | Fred McLane | F | Jr. | 5-11 | - | Newport, KY (High) | - |
| - | Len Miller | G | Jr. | 5-11 | - | Lexington, KY (Senior) | - |
| Schedule | Player Statistics |
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1928-29 Squad |
Seated (l to r): Len Miller, Bill Trott, Elmer Gilb, Lawrence Crump, Lawrence McGinnis, Louis McGinnis, Hays Owens, Unidentified |
Season Review - VARSITY BASKETBALL by Wayman Thomasson (Kentuckian)
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Southern Tournament
Post-season dope about Kentucky's basketball team administered to the public by Morgan Blake, Ed Danforth, and other famous Southern sports writers, pronounced the Wildcat team the class of the South in elite circles, but also a team which was incapable of rising to great heights in tournament play. The Wildcat team plays orthodox basketball, and previous tournaments have proven the fact that an unconscious flip and run game fits best in the excitement and strain of a long tournament. In the first game, Kentucky was slow to start, but defeated Tulane decisively, 29 to 15. The Big Green earlier had won from the Wildcats in New Orleans. In the second game Kentucky met her old rival, Georgia, a team the Wildcats have never failed to play in a Southern tournament. Kentucky had defeated them for the championship in 1921. Georgia won the game after the final gun had cut short Kentucky's final desperate rally, two points short of victory. The score was 26 to 24.
Kentucky 35 - Eastern Normal 10
Going astray from their usual habit of playing Berea in the opening struggle, the Wildcats took an easy game from the Eastern Teachers as Coach Mauer used every member on his squad in the game. Spicer, Dees, Owens, Bronston, and Gilb had just reported from the football squad and they saw very little action.
Kentucky 43 - Miami 48
This was one of the most exciting games of the season. Most of the students had gone home for the Christmas holidays and a smaller crowd than usual was on hand to see the 'Cats struggle through three overtime periods before they subdued Miami. At the end of the regular playing time the teams were deadlocked. With only a few seconds to play in the first overtime period Miami was leading by two points. A foul was called on a Red player and Lewis McGinnis with unflagging courage put both free throws through the basket to tie the score. Again in the second period Miami was leading by two points and Combs slipped through to score a field goal. In the third period a Kentucky player shot a foul and the Wildcats maintained the one point lead to the end.
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Kentucky 15 - North Carolina 26
After a wonderful game against Miami the 'Cats were hailed as a great team. They came on the floor and conducted themselves like a third-rate high school team. It was by far the worst game of the year, and "Spooks" Milward, lanky center, goes the only praise due any of the Kentucky players during the game. The 'Cats were sluggish and could never get going. It was a startling reversal of form over the last game, and North Carolina led all the way.
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One of the greatest victories of the season was won at South Bend, Indiana, and marked Kentucky's return to form. Captain McGinnis and Paul McBrayer played the game of their lives to hold the sharpshooting Irish down to 16 points. Notre Dame later defeated Penn, the Eastern champion. "Spooks" Milward continued his consistent playing by leading his team in scoring and Lewis McGinnis played one of the best defensive games of the year. Kentucky took the lead at the start and won going away. According to Coach Mauer it was one of the most remarkable performances his team has shown.
Kentucky 19 - Georgia Tech 23
It was Kentucky's time to lose again. A great game against Miami, a terrible exhibition against North Carolina, a remarkable performance at South Bend, and now a game in Atlanta, where the Wildcats got more shots and made less than they did in any other game during the year. "Spooks" Milward was still in top form, and Carey Spicer, who replaced Combs in the final minutes, gave some indications of rounding into form after a strenuous football season.
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Kentucky 35 - Tennessee 29
Back to Knoxville from Atlanta, and Spicer did come into his own. Working almost perfectly that night, he led his team to a brilliant victory. He and Paul McBrayer deserve a large amount of the credit for that wonderful game against Tennessee.
Kentucky 27 - Tennessee 22
On the next night, the teams came to Lexington together for a return engagement on the Wildcat floor, and Spicer still hadn't cooled off. He stayed hot and won another game for Kentucky, but only after the Volunteers had thrown a scare into the Wildcats. With the score 25 to 12, Coach Mauer decided to give Spicer a much-needed rest. His removal seemed to be the signal for Tennessee's final desperate move. They made ten points before Kentucky could get hold of the ball. The gun ended the tussle before Tennessee could attempt another comeback.
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WAYMAN H. THOMASSON Director of Publicity at the University, track man par excellence, and sports editor of the "Kentucky Kernel" and the 1929 "Kentuckian". |
Kentucky 26 - Alabama 27
Alabama brought all the Tide football players to Lexington to take this game. A new referee completely lost control of this game and it turned into a brawl. Alabama played these tactics the better and the Tidemen won by one point as Kentucky came back strong. at the finish. With one minute to go, Hays Owens went into the game and played brilliantly, but the 'Bama players managed to "freeze' the ball the remainder of the game and the imbroglio ended as it began, with a determined knot of-players wrestling on the floor for the possession of the ball.
Kentucky 25 - Mississippi Aggies 23
This game was played in Jackson, Miss., and it was the 'Cats' first game on a five-day Southern trip. Kentucky had the upper hand from the start and although the game was close, "Spooks" Milward and Paul McBrayer left the decision in no doubt by coming through with baskets when needed.
Kentucky 33 - Mississippi Aggies 14
The 'Cats played the Aggies two nights in succession. In the last game Kentucky's sustained attack and cool execution of a planned attack took the Aggies unaware and the team which played in the finals of the Southern tournament last season was no match for Carey Spicer and Big McGinnis as they snowed the Mississippians under with a storm of field goals.
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Kentucky 22 - Tulane 34
The Wildcats spent a pleasurable Sunday in New Orleans. They played the Big Green team from Tulane Monday night on an undersized floor under the most trying conditions. This game rivaled the Alabama game for roughness, and Coach Mauer used eleven men in the contest in an attempt to remedy the situation. Tulane could not be beaten on their own floor, and the 'Cats were whipped front the start.
Kentucky 31 - Washington and Lee 30
The Notre Dame game might have been the best Coach Mauer ever saw his team play, but the Kentucky fans are still talking about Paul McBrayer and the night he whipped five consecutive fields goals into the basket from past the foul line to give Kentucky a ten-point lead on the most famous team in the Southland. Washington and Lee had not lost a game and had made no less than 42 points on any of their victims. The W. and L. guards hung back, and the Wildcats' delayed offense functioned perfectly. The Generals never threatened until the last of the game. As the game ended they were closer to the 'Cats than they were at any other time during the game.
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E. C. "TOOTS" KNADLER Stellar basketball forward and football player, who died November 29, 1927. "Toots" was outstanding on the campus, and was beloved by all for his manly character and personality. |
Kentucky 47 - Centre 11
This was the happiest victory of the season. Centre came to Lexington with a great record. The 'Cats sent them home decisively spanked and the "Praying- Colonels" lost consistently the rest of the season. Centre was unable to score a field goal the first half, and the Wildcats scored at will. It was the greatest victory a Kentucky team had scored over Centre since 1927, when Coach Gamage's football team did nut allow a first down and whipped the Colonels 53 to 0.
Kentucky 35; 32 - "Ole Miss" 30; 24
Kentucky took a doubleheader in easy fashion from the 1928 Southern champions. The Mississippians shot wildly from all angles. Instead of the ball going through the hoop, as it did in the tournament last year, when "Ole Miss" eliminated Kentucky, the ball hit all over the backboard, and showed no tendency towards falling in. "Pisgah" Combs, after a long lay-off, returned to the game and played wonderful basketball. Captain McGinnis also played two of the best games of his career, and made one of the most amazing crip-shots ever seen on the local court. Going at full speed at right angles to the basket, he tossed the ball at the backboard. It hit below the basket, but the speed of McGinnis and the "english" on the ball caused it to spin neatly into the basket just before the husky captain careened into the brick wall at the extremity of the court. He came back smiling and unhurt.
Freshman Basketball
With the guiding hand of Coach M.E. Potter at the helm, the University of Kentucky "Wearers of the Green" sailed to the 1928-29 state freshman basketball championship with color flying.
Only one squall threatened to upset the craft of the Kentucky frosh, but this was quickly quelled with a deluge of victories.
The hardest tilt of the season was the 15-14 affair with Easter Normal's freshmen, which, however, went into Kentucky's win column. Among the teams defeated by the champion frosh were Wesleyan frosh, Georgetown frosh, Eastern frosh, Lexington High, Lee's Institute, the Goldbergs, and others.
A 20-18 victory by the Louisville freshmen was the only reverse, but the poor showing made by the Falls City team in most of its other contests proved that its win over Kentucky was not a true indication of the comparative worth of either team.
The numeral men were John Walker, William Kleiser, A.H. Kendall, Clarence Phillips, William Townsend, George Roberts, Kenneth Kistner, French Smoot, Eisel B. Little, George Yates, John Drury, Cecil Bell, John Thorn, Graham Benson, J.D. Bradley, and Dallas Wade. Leonard Weakley was manager of the team.
The season record of the frosh follows:
The final game with Eastern State Normal's frosh was the tilt which decided the state title. Eastern had made a strong record throughout the year, and had lost only by one point to the Kittens in the first game. However, the Kittens upset the 'dope and bearded the Eastern frosh in their den, 28-11, thus clearing up their record in very satisfactory manner.
