

Joe B. Hall
Joe B. Hall is one of the most respected and beloved figures in Kentucky basketball history—both for the enormous shoes he stepped into and for the legacy he carved out on his own.
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Joe Beasley Hall served as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats from 1972 to 1985, taking over immediately after the legendary Adolph Rupp retired. It was one of the toughest follow-up jobs in college sports, but Hall embraced it with pride, humility, and fierce loyalty to the program he grew up loving.
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A Kentucky native and former UK player under Rupp, Hall understood the culture, the passion of the fanbase, and the high expectations that came with leading the Wildcats. His coaching style blended discipline with adaptability, and he played a major role in modernizing Kentucky basketball during a transformative era.
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He retired with a record of 297–100, three Final Four appearances, and one unforgettable national championship.
1978
Kentucky 94-Duke 88
Player | Field goals | Field goal attempts | Field goal % | Free throws | Free throw attempts | Free throw % | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO | Player fouls | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jack Givens | 18 | 27 | 67 | 5 | 8 | 63 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 41 |
Rick Robey | 8 | 11 | 73 | 4 | 6 | 67 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
Kyle Macy | 3 | 3 | 100 | 3 | 4 | 75 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
James Lee | 4 | 8 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
Truman Claytor | 3 | 5 | 60 | 2 | 4 | 50 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Mike Phillips | 1 | 4 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
Jay Shidler | 1 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Fred Cowan | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Chuck Aleksinas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
LaVon Williams | 1 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Dwane Casey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Jack Givens had an insane game, leading Kentucky over Duke with 41 points! Watch his championship highlights here.