It was an exciting week on the campus of the University of Windsor as the Department of Athletics and the Lancer Men's Basketball program hosted Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Wildcats and their #1 recruiting class in the nation were featured in a three-game exhibition series in Windsor which was part of the 6th annual OUA/NCAA Tip-off Classic.
Festivities kicked off on Sunday night in front of an overflow capacity crowd of 2,500 fans at the St. Denis Centre.
Approximately 2,000 Kentucky fans travelled to Windsor from near and far (including Anchorage, Alaska and Bradenton, Florida) to catch their beloved Wildcats battle the Windsor Lancers and Western Mustangs as part of the tour.
The event was an incredible success as the Windsor community and Kentucky fans from all over the United States enjoyed three very entertaining basketball games in mid August.
“This year's OUA/NCAA Tip-Off Classic featuring the Kentucky Wildcats was another tremendous event at the University of Windsor,” commented Marketing Manager Eric Vandenbroucke. “The warm hospitality shown by our staff, volunteers and community combined with the passion of the Kentucky fans made for a very memorable three days here in Windsor.”
The three-game Canadian exhibition tour by Kentucky began to take shape last fall when the Lancer coaching staff made contact with the Wildcats about the possibility of heading north for their pre-season exhibition training.
According to NCAA rules, teams are only allowed to travel internationally once every four years. For the Wildcats, it was their first ever trip to Canada for basketball.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari was thrilled with the Canadian tour and thought it was a great opportunity to gain 10 extra days of practice and help blend his six freshmen into the Kentucky fold.
“This was a great trip to Canada and we just got a lot of work done,” said Coach Calipari. “I'd recommend this trip to anybody. Why would I want to go to Spain now or Greece and play their national team? I needed to learn about my team and I did that here in Windsor.”
For Kentucky fans, the trip was also a great experience. They got to interact with the team and the players and they sat up close and personal inside the cozy St. Denis Centre Fieldhouse for three great games. Unlike Rupp Arena which holds 24,000 fans, the St. Denis Centre's 2,500 capacity meant everyone had a great seat for the action.
“It's like Christmas came early,” commented one Wildcat fan. “Kentucky basketball in August is the best present anyone could ask for!”
A gift they enthusiastically applauded with a standing ovation each time the Wildcats stepped onto the court.
For Lancer head coach Chris Oliver, he knew exactly what to expect and told his team to savour the moment.
“What an experience to be part of an event like this,” Oliver said. “We brought a lot of people to our community who wouldn't normally be here and we put on a great showcase of collegiate basketball.”
Fifth-year Lancer Monty Hardware shared a similar sentiment when describing what Sunday's game meant to him. “This was probably one of the biggest games that any of us have played our entire lives,” he said.
Windsor fifth-year forward Isaac Kuon called it a, “dream come true” to play Kentucky. “We admire those guys,” Kuon said. “Growing up, that was a team we all definitely dreamed of being able to play someday.”
The games were broadcast live on the Fox Sports Network in twenty-two states across the U.S. and helped build the profile of both programs.
“All three games were on national television, so that's like a six-hour infomercial for our schools,” commented Calipari. “To buy that kind of time on television would cost you millions of dollars.”
Coach Oliver couldn't have agreed more. “During the game, I got emails and texts from players in the United States who are interested in finding out more about our program,” Oliver added.
On the court, each game provided fans with exciting basketball and highlight reel moments to remember.
The Lancers held the lead three separate times in the opening half on Sunday night, including a 33-30 lead with six minutes to go in the half. However, Kentucky's size and depth eventually wore Windsor down as the Wildcats cruised to the 95-62 victory.
In game two on Monday night, the Wildcats faced the Lancers' arch-rivals, the Western Mustangs, and earned their second consecutive win, 96-68.
To close out the series, Kentucky again proved why they are expected to compete for an NCAA National Championship this season as they captured their third straight victory with a 104-75 win over the Lancers.
When people look back on this year's edition of the OUA/NCAA Tip-Off Classic, it's unlikely they'll remember the final scores of the games. What they'll remember will be the fun and hospitality that was shared in the City of Roses and on the campus of the University of Windsor and the experience of three truly entertaining days of basketball in August.
An experience all involved would gladly repeat.
