On Saturday night, Kentucky will honor the 1966 team on the 60th anniversary of its national runner-up season during halftime of the Mississippi State game. Among the Rupp’s Runts expected to be in attendance is Pat Riley. The basketball legend was the starting forward for the 1966 team, which went 27-2, winning the SEC regular-season title and falling to Texas Western in the national championship game. Riley won SEC Player of the Year that season, leading Kentucky with 21.9 points per game, one of four Cats from the squad to earn All-American honors.
That was just the start of Riley’s road to superstardom.