Crossing a new millennium: Cats pummel Drexel for 2,000th win

Confetti rained down from the ceiling of Rupp Arena and history was made.

The UK men’s basketball program holds claim to numerous records. Now they can say they’re the only program to have 2,000 wins. The Cats (12-0) beat the visiting Drexel Dragons 88-44 in front of 24,354 fans hoping to see history made.

“That was for the greatest fans in college basketball history,” said UK head coach John Calipari at midcourt of Rupp Arena following the game. “We weren’t a part of many of those 2,000 wins and that was to drag us across the line before that other blue team got there. This is a special moment for this program and this school and this state. This is the Commonwealth’s team.”

What started with an 11-10 win over the Lexington YMCA on Feb. 18, 1903, has since developed into the winningest college basketball program of all-time. On Monday night, the Cats put on a show for the fans in demolishing Drexel from start to finish.

The Cats jumped out to a quick 15-3 lead less than five minutes into the game. By the 13:39 mark, Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint had called two timeouts and the lead had stretched to 28-7.

“At the beginning of the game we got to them,” Calipari said. “It’s really the first game this year that we got an opponent down and just kept going.”

For UK, it was a game that had been highlighted on the schedule from the beginning of the year. For Calipari, it had been highlighted from the day after he took the job, though he said he didn’t think it would come so quickly into the season.

After the game, former players and coaches applauded the current Cats and the milestone victory. Former UK head coach Joe B. Hall thanked his predecessor Adolph Rupp for establishing the program and setting a winning standard. He also had some words for the current team.

“I’ve seen teams progress,” said Hall to the Rupp Arena faithful that stayed for the celebration. “But this team is coming along faster than you (Calipari) led us to believe … We’re so proud of this group and Coach Calipari. Thank you, Coach.”

The Cats have played for 107 years and claim to have the greatest tradition of all the programs in the sport. Against Drexel the young Cats showed their potential, and freshman forward DeMarcus Cousins had one of his better games of the season.

In only seven minutes of playing time in the first half, Cousins scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. For the game, the man they call “Boogie” scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul stripe.

“Not only did he start strong, but I want you to understand he got punched in the head one time, he got ripped, he got arms jerked out, we’re up 45 and they don’t call the foul which they should have but you’re not going to call a foul when you’re up 45 and he never responded in a negative way,” Calipari said. “I told him after the game, ‘you have grown son, you have grown.’ ”

Fellow freshman John Wall scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and dished out seven assists. Not wanting to be left out, junior forward Patrick Patterson scored 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

“I just want to say, I want to thank all of you for supporting us these years and these past three years I’ve been here,” said Patterson at midcourt to the crowd. “It’s been a roller coaster but this year’s a lot of fun.”

The Cats were never threatened in the second half as they scored the half’s first ten points and stretched the lead to as much as 51.

The UK players each received commemorative ticket stubs after the game that had the date and 2,000 wins on it. Junior forward Josh Harrellson said he believed the fact that this game was for win No. 2,000 played to the Cats’ advantage in pumping them up and everything throughout the day went well.

Calipari told the crowd after the game that this win was just one step in what they were trying to do this season and that they were making him proud.

“This is one of those things that separates this program from all others,” Calipari said.

Click to purchase a commemorative poster