Top 10 All-Time Greatest Moments of 'The Phat 5' of College Basketball Kentucky, N. Carolina, UCLA, Kansas and Duke at 500

(PRWeb) December 1, 2006 -- "The Phat 5" of College Basketball Kentucky, N. Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Duke are celebrating 500 years of combined play during the 2006-07 season. In honoring "The Phat 5" Dunkadelic Inc. has constructed a list of the Top 10 All-Time Greatest Moments. There are 5 games for the NCAA National Championship, 4 games "Phat 5" vs. "Phat 5", 3 regular-season played games, 2 games played during NCAA Tournament (not for NCAA Championship), 1 game that would change college basketball forever.


Number 1: March 19, 1966 Texas Western vs. Kentucky "The Game that Changed College Basketball" Kentucky had 4 NCAA Championships and ran a program without African American players. This was the first game to feature an all-white starting 5 vs. an all-black starting 5 for the National Championship. Texas Western won 72-65 to change college basketball recruiting. It's also the game that sparked the "No Dunk Rule" in college basketball that lasted 9 years from 1967-76.

Number 2: March 28, 1992 Duke vs. Kentucky " The Greatest Game Ever Played" Duke was the defending National Champions, Kentucky was on the way back as an National power. Both teams shot a combined 63% from the floor in game that seemed like a heavyweight battle between Ali-Frazier. Duke the #1 seed in the East, Kentucky #2 in the East. Duke won 104-103 in OT on a 15 ft. buzzer-beater with 2.1 seconds remaining to advance to the Final Four and to repeat as National Champions.

Number 3. January 20, 1968 UCLA vs. Houston "The 8th Wonder in World Thriller" This was the first regular-season nationally televised game ever played in front of world record crowd of 52,693 fans. UCLA ranked #1 was led by Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Houston ranked #2 was led by Elvin Hayes "The Big E." Both programs had consecutive game streaks UCLA 47-straight games and Houston 48-straight home games. Houston won 71-69 with Hayes scoring 39 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. UCLA would get revenge by beating Houston in the Final Four 101-69. They would beat another "Phat 5" program N. Carolina 78-55 to win the National title.

Number 4: March 29, 1982 N. Carolina vs. Georgetown "The Shot" North Carolina came in as the #1 seed in the East and Georgetown came in as the #1 seed in the West. UNC had lost the National Championship the year earlier to Indiana 63-50 (IU is the 6th rated program of All-Time). With time running out and down one point freshman Michael Jordan hit the game winning 17ft. jump-shot to give Dean Smith his first NCAA National title and the schools first Championship in 25 years (1957). John Thompson became the first African American coach to lead a team to the Final Four and National Championship game.

Number 5: March 23, 1957 N.Carolina vs. Kansas "The Triple OT" N. Carolina came in ranked #1 and Kansas came in ranked #2. It was the first time that 2 "Phat 5" programs would play one another for the National Championship. Kansas was led by phenom Wilt Chamberlain who was the most dominant big-man since George Mikan of the Minneapolis Lakers (DePaul '46). UNC won the game 54-53 in 3 OT. The '57 game remains today as the only 3OT in NCAA Championship history.

Number 6: January 19, 1974 UCLA vs. Notre Dame " Luck of the Irish." The UCLA Bruins were riding a 88-game winning streak. The Bruins had the game in hand leading 70-59 with 3.5 minutes remaining. Notre Dame scored 12 consecutive points to win 71-70 and end the longest consecutive win streak in NCAA basketball history. The UCLA streak of 88-games began 3 years earlier after a loss to Notre Dame in 1971.

Number 7: March 31, 1975 UCLA vs. Kentucky "The Wizards Last Dance" A classic match-up of 2 "Phat 5" programs. Legendary Coach John Wooden announced before the National Championship game that he would retire from coaching. UCLA would send the "Wizard of Westwood" off as a Champion beating Kentucky 92-85. UK was now being coached by Joe B. Hall.

Number 8: March 30, 1991 Duke vs. UNLV " Blue Devil's Revenge" Duke came into the the national semi-final with memories of a year before being beat 103-73 by the same UNLV squad. The 103 points and 30 point defeat are both National Championship records. UNLV was undefeated and riding a 45-game win streak. Duke shocked the world by beating the Runnin' Rebels 79-77. They would move on and meet "Phat 5" program Kansas in the National Championship winning 72-65.

Number 9: December 17, 2001 Duke vs. Kentucky "Phat 5 Jimmy V. Classic" Duke was the defending National Champion ranked #1, Kentucky was ranked #7. The week before Christmas Duke and Kentucky gave the basketball world a classic for the ages. Duke won the game 95-92 in overtime. This game was an instant classic and was shown on ESPN Classic network multiple times.

Number 10: April 4, 1988 Kansas vs. Oklahoma " How You Like Me Now" Kansas came into the 1988 NCAA Tournament unranked and seeded #6. KU and Oklahoma were part of the Big 8 Conference (now the Big 12). OU had beaten Kansas twice during the regular season. The NCAA Championship game was tied 50-50 at the half. Kansas stunned the favorite Oklahoma Sooners and won the National Championship 83-79. Kansas was coached by Larry Brown (Brown played his collegiate basketball for Dean Smith at N. Carolina). 1988 was the year that "The Phat 5" started their consecutive Final Four streak of 19 years 1988-Present (one or more "Phat 5" programs at the Final Four every year since 1988).

"The Phat 5" of College Basketball Stat of the Week:
The UCLA Bruins are celebrating their 88th year of play 1920-2006-07, Lew Alcindor led UCLA to an 88-2 record during his 3-year career from 1966-69, Notre Dame ended the 88-game winning streak of UCLA on January 19, 1974.

For more information or interview request on the Top 10 All-Time Greatest Moments of "The Phat 5" or the Final Four streak contact Derrick E. Vaughan 443-851-5244.

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