Kentucky
Kentucky basketball long has made SEC Tournament its personal domain. Here are the numbers
Kentucky coach Mark Pope welcomed back to Rupp Arena by Wildcats fans
Former Kentucky basketball player and new head coach Mark Pope is announced at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Sam Upshaw Jr.
LEXINGTON — To the shock of absolutely no one who follows college basketball even casually, Kentucky leads the way in nearly every category imaginable in the SEC Tournament.
Most titles. Most championship game appearances. Most overall wins in the event.
But in recent years, it’s been a dry spell. For UK fans accustomed to their beloved program turning the conference tournament into something akin to the “Kentucky Invitational” over the years, it feels like a lifetime has elapsed since they last saw the Wildcats lift the SEC Tournament trophy.
Mark Pope aims to lift Kentucky back to that status — which he pronounced the day he was officially introduced as his alma mater’s new coach.
“We’re here to win banners in Nashville,” Pope said last April to raucous roars in front of the capacity crowd at Rupp Arena, referring to the country music capital that has become the SEC Tournament’s home base a half-dozen times the past decade, “because you guys turn out in Nashville like nobody else.”
As the Wildcats gear up for another run at the SEC Tournament crown at Bridgestone Arena, here are tidbits to know about the program’s storied history in the event:
Officially, UK claims 31 SEC Tournament championships. But the Wildcats actually have won the event 32 times. Kentucky’s title in the 1988 tournament later was vacated by presidents of the other league schools because the Wildcats had used an ineligible player, Eric Manuel.
Even with the vacated title, UK laps the competition in terms of most conference tournament championships.
Here’s the rest of the multi-time champions:
- Alabama: 8
- Tennessee: 5
- Florida: 4
- Auburn: 3
- Mississippi State: 3
- Georgia: 2
- Ole Miss: 2
- Vanderbilt: 2
Arkansas and LSU each have won the tournament once. Missouri, South Carolina and Texas A&M have never won the title, while newcomers Oklahoma and Texas are competing in the tournament for the first time.
Putting Kentucky’s dominance in perspective another way: The Wildcats have won the championship game 32 times; the rest of the SEC combined has 32 victories in the title contest.
The Wildcats have made it to the SEC Tournament’s title game 42 times, winning it on 32 occasions. (With the vacated 1988 championship, that figure drops to 31.) Three other schools have reached the final at least 10 times: Alabama (15), Tennessee (13) and Florida (11).
UK’s last SEC Tournament title was in 2018, when it beat Tennessee in the championship game in St. Louis. That capped a run of four straight league tournament crowns for then-coach John Calipari and the Wildcats.
It doubles as UK’s most recent appearance in the conference tournament championship contest.
Since then, the Wildcats are 2-5 in the SEC Tournament, going one and done in the event three times, including each of the last two seasons (2023: lost to Vanderbilt; 2024: lost to Texas A&M).
Kentucky is 135-30 all time in the conference tournament. Its 135 victories are a record. As is its 81.8% win rate. (Tennessee is second in wins, with 74; Alabama is second in winning percentage at .570.)
Six different coaches have led the Wildcats to conference tournament glory.
Not surprisingly, it’s led by Adolph Rupp, who won the event 13 times between the inaugural edition in 1933 and the final tournament in 1952. (He likely would have won far more SEC Tournaments had the league not put the event on hiatus until it returned in 1979).
Calipari won the event six times with UK. Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith each brought home the trophy five times. Eddie Sutton accomplished the feat on two occasions, while Joe B. Hall cut down the nets in 1984.
Here’s the list of most SEC Tournament titles by coach, with UK coaches in bold:
- 1. Adolph Rupp: 13 (1933, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952)
- 2. John Calipari: 6 (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- T3. Rick Pitino: 5 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997)
- T3. Wimp Sanderson, Alabama: 5 (1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991)
- T3. Tubby Smith: 5 (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004)
- 6. Billy Donovan, Florida: 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2014)
- T7. Nate Oats, Alabama: 2 (2021, 2023)
- T7. Bruce Pearl, Auburn: 2 (2019, 2024)
- T7. Eddie Sutton: 2 (1986, 1988*)
- T7. Rick Stansbury, Mississippi State: 2 (2002, 2009)
*title later vacated
Since the league first began handing out an MVP award at the SEC Tournament, a Kentucky player has picked up the trophy 19 times. UK guard Travis Ford won the award in 1993 and 1994.
He remains the only player in history to win the conference tournament MVP more than once.
The following list reflects the Wildcats who own single-game marks at the SEC Tournament in various statistical categories:
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Health officials are warning residents about a rise in Cyclospora cases, a parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis and can leave people sick for weeks.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health reported 67 cases between June 14 and July 2 — nearly double the approximately 35 cases the state typically sees in an entire year. While cases normally rise in the spring and summer months, Kentucky is among several states seeing a larger-than-typical increase.
Cases likely undercounted, health official says
Cassie Prather of the Woodford County Health Department said the reported numbers are likely an undercount.
“At this point, we have an underreported number of cases because a lot of people will deal with this and their immune system can kick it in a few days,” Prather said. “For those with a suppressed immune system it can lead to quick dehydration or even a hospital visits if they’re dealing with symptoms that don’t go away for 3-5 days.”
How the parasite spreads
People can become infected after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Fresh produce has been linked to outbreaks in the United States, but the CDC says it is still working to pinpoint the cause of the current increase.
Symptoms and timeline
Symptoms often begin about a week after exposure but can appear as soon as two days or more than two weeks later. The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. People may also experience stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, and weight loss. Symptoms can last weeks and sometimes return after improving.
“You’re going to endure stomach cramps, nausea, sometimes you can have a low-grade fever with that,” Prather said.
Prevention guidance
Public health experts urge people to follow food-safety guidelines to reduce the risk of cyclosporiasis and other intestinal illnesses. That includes washing hands with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.
Health officials say people whose symptoms last more than a few days, keep returning, or cause signs of dehydration should contact a healthcare provider for evaluation and possible testing.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
What is going on with Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health?
The 84-year-old senator is still hospitalized after nearly three weeks, according to staff. Staff members still have not said why he was admitted.
Like many Kentuckians, I have been following the recent questions surrounding Senator Mitch McConnell’s health and ability to carry out the responsibilities of his office. Every elected official deserves privacy regarding personal medical matters. But when legitimate questions arise about an officeholder’s ability to serve, the public deserves transparency.
Unlike the presidency, the Constitution provides no mechanism for addressing the incapacity of a sitting member of Congress. That makes accountability even more important. At a time when every vote and committee decision can have significant consequences, Kentucky cannot afford uncertainty about whether one of its two senators is fully able to represent the Commonwealth.
Governor Beshear, Senator Rand Paul and Kentucky’s six members of the U.S. House should insist on transparency on behalf of their constituents. Kentuckians deserve an honest assessment of whether Senator McConnell is able to fulfill the duties of the office to which he was elected.
If he is well enough to continue serving, that should be communicated clearly. Weeks of unanswered questions are not fair to Senator McConnell, nor are they fair to the people he was elected to serve. I hope my fellow Kentuckians will join me in urging our elected officials to be transparent and put the interests of Kentucky first.
— Kate Caverno, 40245
By West Kentucky Star staff
Jul. 07, 2026 | 10:07 PM
| PADUCAH
The US 51/Cairo Bridge will remain closed for a period of time.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced Tuesday the connector between Wickliffe and Cairo was closed Monday as crews conducted a special inspection and identified a problem with a bearing pad on the Kentucky approach.
A bearing pad shifted out of place, causing the bridge deck to become misaligned by approximately two to three inches at an expansion joint. A repair is needed.
Bearing pads function like cartilage between joints, supporting steel beams while accommodating the bridge’s natural expansion and contraction.
There are no concerns about the bridge’s overall structural integrity.
The repair will require crews to lift a heavy section of the bridge deck to replace the bearing pad. State engineers are working with the contractor and design team to finalize a repair plan as quickly as possible.
There is currently no estimated timeline for reopening the bridge. Motorists should continue to use alternate routes and expect the bridge to remain closed until the necessary repairs have been completed.
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