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Top Moments from 2024 Big Blue Madness

Top Moments from 2024 Big Blue Madness

by Tim Letcher

A new era in Kentucky basketball tipped off on Friday night, as the UK men’s and women’s basketball teams participated in the 2024 version of Big Blue Madness. New UK head coaches Mark Pope and Kenny Brooks introduced their teams to the crowd of more than 20,000 fans inside Rupp Arena.

There were many memorable moments from this year’s Madness. Here’s a look at some of the highlights.

Surprise Visitor

As the evening came to a close, a number of UK basketball legends came on the floor. Names from Cliff Hagan to Kyle Macy to Jack Givens to Jeff Sheppard came on the floor along with Kentucky’s eight national championship trophies.

Then, unannounced, former UK head coach Rick Pitino walked onto the floor and was shown on the video board in Rupp Arena. The coach who led the Cats to the 1996 NCAA title was greeted with a standing ovation before addressing the crowd and praising Pope.

GlassFloor

The floor for this year’s Madness was unlike any before it. ASB GlassFloor provided the playing surface for the event, and it was a crowd pleaser. The floor changed colors and designs throughout the evening, providing an aesthetic unlike anything Kentucky basketball fans have ever seen.

The floor drew rave reviews from the fans in attendance. There were audible cheers from the crowd when the floor went through its transitions. Videos were also able to be shown on the floor, in addition to the multiple basketball floor layouts.

Cats in the Stands

The UK men’s basketball players were introduced in a different manner on Friday. Rather than making an immediate appearance on the Rupp Arena floor, the players were placed in various sections throughout the arena, where they were able to share high fives and selfies with the crowd before making their way to the court.

Pope was introduced in the same manner. The UK head coach started on the last row of section 224, making his way to the bottom of the section, where he unzipped his jacket to reveal that he was wearing a number 41 jersey which, of course, was his number when he played at UK in the 1990s.

Kentucky Cats

While all of the men’s basketball players received a very warm welcome from the Big Blue Nation, a pair of freshmen may have gotten the loudest cheers.

Those two freshmen, unsurprisingly, were Kentucky natives Trent Noah (Harlan) and Travis Perry (Eddyville). Noah, who made a name for himself in last year’s KHSAA Sweet 16, and Perry, Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball for 2024, are sure to be crowd favorites.

Perry Wins Three-Point Contest, Chandler Wins Dunk Contest

Speaking of Noah and Perry, they were the finalists in Friday’s three-point shooting contest. Perry had 25 points in the first round and Noah had 22. They edged out Koby Brea (21), Jaxson Robinson (21), Ansley Almonor (18) and Kerr Kriisa (18).

In the finals, Noah made all five shots on his final rack to notch a score of 26. However, Perry was able to best that by one point, with a winning score of 27.

In the dunk contest, Lamont Butler took a lob at the rim from Amari Williams for a two-hand slam, but freshman Collin Chandler did a two-hand reverse slam to lead after the first round. Butler came back with a double-clutch reverse slam in the second round. However, with Chandler wearing a vintage Mark Pope jersey, the freshman jumped over his head coach, and wife Leanne, taking a lob from Perry and slamming it home to claim the title.

Brooks Makes an Entrance

Brooks was introduced and proceeded to make his way through the back hallways of Rupp Arena, where he was greeted by a number of dignitaries, including Pope, the Wildcat and Scratch mascots, as well as the UK Cheerleaders and Dance Team.

Brooks and his coaching staff would make their way onto the court, where Brooks received a rousing ovation from the crowd.

Women’s Team Shows Skills

With almost an entirely new roster, the UK women’s basketball team showed the Big Blue Nation what they’ve got on Friday night. Amelia Hassett and Teoni Key won the skills challenge, edging Clara Silva and Cassidy Rowe.

In the three-point contest, Amelia Hassett lit up the first round with 21 points, with Dazia Lawrence had 17. However, in the finals, Lawrence got hot, including hitting both shots from super long range, to post 23 points, compared to just 12 for Hassett.

Cheerleading

The 24-time national champion UK cheerleaders performed a difficult, high-energy routine on Friday. The cheerleaders used a combination of athleticism and technique to execute the routine. UK Cheer will go for championship number 25 in January at the UCA Championships in Orlando.

Dance Team

The UK Dance Team, under the direction of new head coach Janet Brock, also performed on Friday night. The UKDT lit up the crowd with an outstanding routine that electrified the crowd. The UK Dance Team will compete for a national championship at the UDA Nationals in January in Orlando.

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