As we celebrate La Familia’s run in The Basketball Tournament, which ended Friday night in the final four, we are looking at some of the players’ best moments during their time with the Kentucky Wildcats.
One player in particular, Aaron Harrison, was part of two of the most memorable teams of the last 25 years: the 2013-14 Kentucky team that made an improbable run to the championship game and the 2014-15 team that nearly went undefeated.
In just the fourth game of his Kentucky career, Harrison put up his collegiate career high of 28 points, hitting four 3-pointers and shooting nearly 60% from the field against Robert Morris.
Of course, this was a revenge-esque type of game after the Wildcats lost to the Colonials in an upset of the 2012 NIT opener, winning 87-49.
As you may remember, the 2014-15 “Platoon” Kentucky team was one of the most dominant teams in college basketball history. After completing a perfect regular season, winning the SEC Tournament, and winning their first three tournament games by an average margin of 25 points, the Wildcats faced off against Notre Dame in the Elite Eight.
The game was very competitive throughout, entering halftime tied. In the second half, the Irish led for more than 10 minutes, extending their lead to six points, the largest of the game. However, the Wildcats had an answer and went on an 11-4 run to take the lead with a little more than three minutes left thanks to this deep 3-pointer by Harrison.
The 2013-14 Kentucky team was frustrating to watch in the regular season. Bringing in one of the best recruiting classes ever, including five top-10 and six five-star prospects overall, the talent was there. However, inconsistency plagued them for much of the season.
It felt like things reached a tipping point when the Wildcats lost to a South Carolina team that had finished second to last in the SEC to start March.
In the postgame press conference, Aaron Harrison remained confident in his teammates’ ability to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.
With just a 1-5 record against ranked teams throughout the season, many weren’t sure how far Kentucky could advance in the NCAA Tournament, especially as an 8-seed. Meaning, they would have to play a 1-seed in the second round.
Against the odds, in one of the most exciting runs in College Basketball history, the Wildcats beat the No. 1 overall seed and undefeated Wichita State and hit three game-winning 3-pointers to advance to the National Title game.
You know who hit all three, Aaron Harrison. These shots will remain one of the most exciting moments in program history for decades to come.
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