| # | Name | Pos | Class | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (School) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | Milt Ticco (L) | F-C | Sr. | 6-3 | 190 | Jenkins, KY | All-American [Pic Magazine (3rd)]; All-SEC [Second Team]; All-SEC Tournament; |
| #15 | Melvin Brewer (L) | C | Sr. | 6-5 | 194 | New Albany, IN (High) | All-SEC Tournament; |
| #8 | Marvin Akers (L) | F | Sr. | 6-3 | 190 | Jeffersonville, IN (High) | All-SEC [First Team]; All-SEC Tournament; |
| #35 | Mulford Davis (L) | F | So. | 6-1 | 185 | Elwood, IN (High) | - |
| #26 | Ken Rollins (L) | G | So. | 6-0 | 175 | Wickliffe, KY (High) | - |
| #18 | Paul Noel (L) | F | Fr. | 6-4 | 185 | Midway, KY (High) | - |
| #16 | Ed Lander (L) | C | Jr. | 6-3 | 188 | Lexington, KY (Lafayette) | (Broke leg "incomplete fracture" in game vs. Alabama on 6-FEB-1943); |
| #6 | Clyde Parker (L) | G | So. | 6-0 | 185 | Chrisney, IN (High) | - |
| #19 | Jim Weber | F-C | So. | 6-6 | 210 | Pettisville, OH (High) | - |
| #3 | Wilbur Schu | F | Fr. | 6-4 | 180 | Versailles, KY (High) | - |
| #20 | Tom Moseley | G | Fr. | 6-3 | 180 | Lexington, KY (Lafayette) | - |
| - | Bill Hamm | F | - | 6-3 | 175 | Hamilton, OH (High) | - |
| - | Carl Althaus (L) | C | Jr. | 6-4 | 198 | Louisville, KY (Manual) | (Left for military service day before SEC Tournament); |
| #14 | Bill Barlow (L) | F | Jr. | 6-2 | 170 | North Vernon, IN (High) | - |
| Schedule | Player Statistics | Game Statistics |
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1942-43 Squad |
Front Row (l to r): Carl Althaus, Ray Turley, Bob Atherton, Art Fish, Tom Moseley |
Season Review - BASKETBALL (Kentuckian)
Although winding up on top of the conference with 8 wins against a lone setback, the Wildcats failed to retain the title by dropping to the Volunteers of Tennessee in the finals of the SEC tourney in Louisville by a count of 33-30. Before reaching the finals, the 'Cats whipped Tulane 48-31, eased by Georgia 59-30, and out-distanced Mississippi State 52-43. Minus the services of Ken Rollins, who developed into one of the neatest performers of the season, and handicapped by an injured arm of big Mel Brewer, the Baronites were outplayed by a revenge-seeking pack of Volunteers, who during the season had dropped two tilts to the 'Cats.
The Wildcats started the season with only three lettermen on the squad, and during the Christmas holidays were treated by Ohio State and Indiana as if they didn't have any experience, although in both contests the 'Cats led most of the way. But it's the final count that is registered in the won-loss columns. Then came the new year and with it came an improved quintet as they started bowling over opponents as had the Wildcat teams of the past. The basketeers took a jaunt down South and found the teams just as genial as the Southern hospitality.
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A week later the team met an undefeated Notre Dame five, one of the greatest that he had ever coached, according to the late George Keogan, and upset the apple cart in probably the greatest performance of the year. All was not joy, though, because this was the peak of Kentucky's playing and not once during the remainder of the season did they resemble the same outfit.
A week later, the 'Cats dropped their only conference setback of the season. Then up until tournament time the only Wildcat defeat of the month of February was at the hands of DePaul. The team terminated the season with Great Lakes and with thirteen wins out of eighteen tilts.
Co-captains Marvin Akers and Melvin Brewer were selected on the all-SEC team. Milton Ticco made the second team and Kenny Rollins, Muff Davis, and Paul Noel, freshman, gained honorable mention. Akers polled 180 out of a possible 200 votes for the berth.
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KENTUCKY 45, WASHINGTON U. 38
Kentucky Kage Kats slowed down the fast-breaking Washington University Bears and went on to win its second victory of the season, 45-38. The first win was over the Reserves earlier in the season.
At the start the boys of Adolph Rupp were hotter than a tank in Tunisia, and were leading 6-0 at the end of two minutes of play. Center Mel Brewer paced the 'Cat attack with 13 points. Bloom blossomed out with 14 for the visitors.
KENTUCKY 52, INDIANA 58
Indiana's Hoosier Hot Shots, after trailing for the first 29 minutes, finally climbed on the firewagon and outdistanced the Wildcats, 58-52, before 5,000 fans at Louisville's Armory. The Hoosiers sliced the Wildcat lead to 33-31 with 14 minutes to play. After the 'Cats pushed their advantage to 36-31, Indiana started rolling. Brewer and Ticco led the 'Cat point getters with 10 points apiece while Hamilton with 18 and Ward Williams, brilliant soph center, with 15, paced the McCrackenmen.
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KENTUCKY 40, OHIO STATE 45
Before a capacity crowd that jammed into every available space of Alumni gym, the Wildcats faltered in the stretch and were defeated, 45-40, by a gallant band of Buckeyes from Ohio State. The Bucks were paced by a couple of forwards, Fred Miller and little Max Gecowets, who scored 14 and 11 points respectively, but it was Dick Shrider, Buckeye guard, that dealt the 'Cats the knockout blow when the chips were on the line.
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KENTUCKY 64, FORT KNOX 30
After playing a listless first half, the 'Cats came back strong in the second canto to derail a band of Fort Knox Armoraiders 64-30, before a scant crowd of 1,500. Milt Ticco, curly-topped forward, took charge of th eheavy artillery and wound up the evening with eight direct hits and a free toss for a total of 17 points. Pvt. george Adams, six-foot, three-inch center, led the Armoraiders with 14 in addition to playing a bang-up rebounding game.
KENTUCKY 43, XAVIER 38
A sellout crowd jammed every corner of Xavier's huge fieldhouse to watch the 'Cats top Xavier, after the Baron yanked Akers in favor of Ace Parker and Paul Noel for Davis, and went ahead t squeeze out a 43-38 margin. The game was close all the ay, except for a brief spurt by the 'Cats after the start of the second half, when they ran up a 10-point lead. The 'Cats led, 22-19, at the intermission. Milt Ticco led the barrage with 15 tallies. Heywood led the Musketeers with 9 points.
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KENTUCKY 30, TENNESSEE 28
To the top of the Southeastern Conference cage standings went Kentucky's Wildcats as they edged the Vols in the last few minutes of play. The 'Cats had to overcome a 16-8 intermission lead and this they did by scoring 22 points to the Vols' 12. Kentucky had the best of it at the free throw lane, converting eight and missing only seven, while the Vols made 10, but were unsuccessful a like number of times. Nineteen personals were called on the winners and 14 on Tennessee. Milt Ticco, veteran forward, tallied 12 markers while Paul Herman, Vol captain, led his mates with 11.
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KENTUCKY 60, GEORGIA 28
After a brief parry in the opening minutes of the fracas, the Baron's blue-clad cagers were off to the races. The Baron used his entire traveling squad of 12 players in rolling up the huge score. All but two of the 'Cats contributed to the point-making. The Bluegrassers held a 22-14 count at the half. Muff Davis, soph forward, led the offensive flurry with 12 points, followed by Ticco, who netted eight.
KENTUCKY 38, GEORGIA TECH 37
Accuracy at the free throw line was the difference, the Big Blue making all their six tosses, while the Engineers converted only five in 11 tries. The timer's gun didn't end the game, since an extra five-second period was ordered by Referee Bowser Chest because of a timing error. The Kentuckians had erased an intermission lead of 26-24 to register their third straight conference win. Ticco and Brewer matched high point honors with 10 apiece. Charlie Scruggs, guard, played a wonderful floor game for the Jackets.
KENTUCKY 60, NOTRE DAME 55
Although three starters fouled out, the Wildcats wouldn't give up and determined to "win this one" if humanly possible. For almost 40 minutes, the 'Cats and the Irish waged a see-saw duel that will probably go down as the greatest game ever played in Louisville's Armory. The 'Cat win broke the Irish seven game winning streak. Unable to penetrate the Irishs' inner defense, the Baronites converted heaves from far out on the court. No one can be singled out for individual honors, although Akers and Ticco racked up 17 and 16 points respectively. Meanwhile Rensberger and Faught ran up 17 and 16 markers for the Irish.
KENTUCKY 39, VANDERBILT 38
Led by a diminutive forward, the Commodores almost slipped a defeat on the Ruppmen. Scobey, who measures only five feet, nine inches, tossed in 14 points and stood out in floor play. Once in the last minute of play he stole the ball from a Kentucky player and tallied a two-pointer for the game's last bucket. Davis was replaced in the line-up by Noel, freshman, because of a cold. Ken Rollins' floor-work was the only stand-out thing of the whole 'Cat five. Vandy led at the half, 18-17. Rollins and Akers led the 'Cat attack with 10 apiece, while Scobey tallied 14 for Vandy.
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KENTUCKY 32, ALABAMA 41
The Tide handed the 'Cats their first conference defeat of the season. For the victors, it was perfect teamwork and clever guarding, similar and superior to that which enabled them to defeat Georgia Tech the week before, that gained the triumph. Eleven minutes after the beginning of the first half, the Wildcats drew up to a 9-8 count, the closest they came during the game.
KENTUCKY 54, VANDERBILT 43
Only in the first few minutes of the fray did Vandy ever hold a lead, for the 'Cat combine went in front after five minutes and stayed there. Rebounding played a large part in Kentucky's success, as Mel Brewer drew the crowd's plaudits with his stellar floor work. The 'Cats executed many set plays in the contest while Vandy cashed in on fast breaks. Brewer and Davis led the affair with 12 points per man. Ticco and Rollins came next in order with 11 and 10. For the losers, Olsen racked up 18 markers and little Scobey followed with 10.
KENTUCKY 67, ALABAMA 41
Led by Kenny Rollins' perfect floor work and Muff Davis' 19 points, Kentucky avenged their first licking at the hands of the Tidemen. The game was rougher than usual, with a total of 38 fouls being called in the fray. Kentucky, picking the Tidemen up all over the floor, gave the 'Bamans little elbow room to throw at the bucket. Meanwhile the Baronites were shaking loose for many points from the set plays. Davis led the attack and was followed by Ticco's 14 markers. Homer led the losers with 14.
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KENTUCKY 48, XAVIER 36
Three minutes remained in the first period when the Ruppmen went in front to stay. With the count knotted, Davis dropped in a crip and Rollins added another to make the score 20-16 at the half. The Muskies never came closer than seven points of Kentucky's lead in the second half, but they staged a last-ditch scoring spree by tossing in seven in the final three minutes of play, but fell short of overtaking the 'Cats. Ticco led the affair with 10 tallies, while for the losers O'Hara registered 11.
KENTUCKY 53, TENNESSEE 29
With Ticco racking up six points in the first two minutes of play, the Vols were never any closer during the whole affair. It took about the middle of the first half for the Vols to penetrate the 'Cat defense for a marker. The 'Cats kept the Vols so bottled up with a shifting man-to-man defense that they couldn't get at the bucket. It was a sell-out crowd of some 3,500 fans who saw the decisive defeat of the Tennesseeans. It was the worst defeat that Johnny Mauer took since handling the reins at Knoxville. Ticco led with 17 points, followed with Rollins and Davis scores of 10 each.
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Head Basketball Coach |
The victory was Kentucky's eighth in nine conference starts and gave the Wildcats the scheduled season title. Brewer also stood out in all-round floor play, rebounding in meteoric fashion and tipping in unsuccessful attempts. He began to look like the Brewer of old. Akers was reinserted into the starting lineup for the first time in several games. Davis led the scorers with 14, followed by Brewer and Akers who massed 13 and 10 respectively. Broyles led the Engineers with 8 points.
KENTUCKY 44, DEPAUL 53
With their six-foot, eight-inch center, George Mikan, knocking Kentucky's shots away from the basket, DePaul's Demons built up a first half lead and coasted to a 53-44 win over the 'Cats. Some 16,000 fans witnessed the fray in the Chicago Stadium. The 'Cats were unable to score a field goal in the first six minutes. After awhile the Ruppmen began to move, pulled to a 30-16 edge at half-time, but this was as close as they came to defeating the Demons. Mikan got 18 for DePaul while Ticco accounted for 13.
KENTUCKY 39, GREAT LAKES 53
Facing an array of former college stars, the Wildcats were completely outclassed in the Louisville Armory. The Navy men were a smooth-going outfit, raking in points aplenty in the first half. The Lakes team had a potent group of substitutes which determined the completeness of the defeat. Rebounding was at a standstill in this tussle. Noel, Akers, and Brewer were high men for the Ruppmen with 8 apiece. Bob Davies led the gobs with 12 points. Again Kenny Rollins and Muff Davis exhibited finesse a-la-king.
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