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Down by 31, Kentucky Rallies, Wins

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From Associated Press

Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino knew it was the best comeback he had ever seen.

It was even better than that.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Feb. 17, 1994 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday February 17, 1994 Home Edition Sports Part C Page 6 Column 1 Sports Desk 2 inches; 51 words Type of Material: Correction
College basketball--The Associated Press reported erroneously Tuesday that Kentucky pulled off the greatest comeback in college basketball history, trailing LSU by 31 points before winning, 99-95. The report was based on an incorrect entry in the NCAA Record Book. Research by Duke officials showed that Tulane led Duke by 32 points before losing a game in 1950.

Pitino’s 11th-ranked Wildcats pulled off the greatest comeback in college history, rallying from a 31-point deficit Tuesday night to beat Louisiana State, 99-95.

That broke a record set on Dec. 30, 1950, when Duke rallied from a 56-27 halftime deficit to beat Tulane, 74-72.

“I can’t believe it,” Pitino said.

Walter McCarty hit a three-pointer with 19 seconds to play and gave the Wildcats a 96-95 lead, their first since 1-0. McCarty had 23 points for Kentucky (19-5, 8-3 Southeastern Conference), which had lost two in a row.

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Freshman Ronnie Henderson scored 36 points and Clarence Ceasar added 32 for the Tigers (11-10, 5-7).

LSU missed 11 free throws in the last 12 minutes (13 for 24) while Kentucky shot almost nothing but three-pointers, sinking 12 of 23 in the second half to rally from a 68-37 deficit.

“When it went to 30, we just wanted to make it respectable and not lose our confidence,” Pitino said. “I told them during a timeout, ‘It’s not going well for us. Everything’s going well for them. . . . All you can do is show your character.’ ”

That wasn’t enough for Kentucky guard Travis Ford, who had 10 points, 12 assists and one big motivational speech.

“I pulled everyone together and I said, ‘We’re down 31 and we’re not leaving this building without a win,’ ” Ford said. “ ‘We’re going to win this game no matter what. I’ll stay here all night.’ And everyone said, ‘You’re right,’ and everyone stepped up their play.”

LSU called a timeout after McCarty’s shot, but Jamie Brandon missed a layup with less than five seconds to play. Tony Delk made one free throw and Ford added two more to give Kentucky its first victory in Baton Rouge in five tries since 1988.

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LSU led, 48-32, at halftime and used an 18-0 run to take a 31-point lead before the second half was five minutes old, but Kentucky scored 24 of the next 28 points. The Wildcats cut the lead to 82-74 on McCarty’s steal underneath and dunk with 6:25 left.

Ford made it a six-point game with a scoop shot.

Jeff Brassow cut it to 91-87 with a three-pointer with 2:22 left.

Brassow hit his fourth three-pointer, this one from 22 feet with a hand in his face, to make it 93-90. Ceasar hit two more free throws to make the lead five.

Delk’s three-pointer made it 95-93 and set up McCarty’s last-minute heroics and LSU’s historic frustration.

“I coached about 200 NBA games and I’ve coached about 16 years of college and I have never, ever seen a comeback on the road like that in my life,” Pitino said. “Nothing has ever come close to this.”

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