# 1979–80 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1979–80 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky during the 1979–80 college basketball season.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| November 17* 1:00, TVS | No. 2 | vs. No. 3 Duke | L 76–82 $^{OT}$ | 0–1 | Springfield Civic Center Springfield, MA |
| November 30* no, no | No. 2 | vs. Bradley Great Alaska Shootout | W 79–58 | 1–1 | Buckner Fieldhouse Anchorage, AK |
| December 1* no, no | No. 2 | vs. Alaska Great Alaska Shootout | W 97–68 | 2–1 | Buckner Fieldhouse Anchorage, AK |
| December 2* no, no | No. 2 | vs. Iona Great Alaska Shootout | W 57–50 | 3–1 | Buckner Fieldhouse Anchorage, AK |
| December 8* no, no | No. 5 | Baylor | W 80–46 | 4–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| December 10* no, no | No. 5 | South Carolina | W 126–81 | 5–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| December 12* no, no | No. 5 | at Kansas | W 57–56 | 6–1 | Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS |
| December 15* no, no | No. 5 | No. 1 Indiana Indiana–Kentucky basketball rivalry | W 69–58 | 7–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| December 17 no, no | No. 5 | at Georgia | W 95–69 | 8–1 (1–0) | Omni Coliseum Atlanta, GA |
| December 21* no, no | No. 3 | California UK Invitation Tournament | W 78–52 | 9–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| December 22* no, no | No. 3 | No. 9 Purdue UK Invitation Tournament • Final | W 61–60 | 10–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| December 29* no, no | No. 2 | vs. No. 3 Notre Dame | W 86–80 | 11–1 | Freedom Hall Louisville, KY |
| January 2 9:00 p.m., Chesley-TPC | No. 2 | Auburn | W 67–65 | 12–1 (2–0) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| January 5 no, NBC/TVS | No. 2 | at Tennessee | L 47–49 | 12–2 (2–1) | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, TN |
| January 9 no, no | No. 4 | at Ole Miss | W 79–73 | 13–2 (3–1) | Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, MS |
| January 12 no, no | No. 4 | Alabama | L 64–78 | 13–3 (3–2) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| January 17 9:00 p.m., Chesley-TPC | No. 6 | at Florida | W 76–63 | 14–3 (4–2) | Florida Gymnasium Gainesville, FL |
| January 19 no, no | No. 6 | Vanderbilt | W 106–90 | 15–3 (5–2) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| January 23 no, no | No. 5 | at Mississippi State | W 89–67 | 16–3 (6–2) | Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, MS |
| January 26 no, no | No. 5 | Georgia | W 56–49 | 17–3 (7–2) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| January 28 9:00 p.m., Chesley-TPC | No. 5 | No. 11 LSU | L 60–65 | 17–4 (7–3) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| January 30 no, no | No. 3 | at Auburn | W 64–62 | 18–4 (8–3) | Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum Auburn, AL |
| February 2 no, no | No. 3 | Tennessee | W 83–75 | 19–4 (9–3) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| February 6 no, no | No. 5 | Ole Miss | W 86–72 | 20–4 (10–3) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| February 9 no, no | No. 5 | at Alabama | W 72–63 | 21–4 (11–3) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| February 13 no, no | No. 5 | Florida | W 95–70 | 22–4 (12–3) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| February 15 no, no | No. 5 | Vanderbilt | W 91–73 | 23–4 (13–3) | Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, TN |
| February 17* no, no | No. 5 | at UNLV | W 74–69 | 24–4 | Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV |
| February 20 no, no | No. 3 | Mississippi State | W 71–65 | 25–4 (14–3) | Rupp Arena Lexington, KY |
| February 24 2:30, NBC | No. 3 | at No. 5 LSU | W 76–74 | 26–4 (15–3) | Pete Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, LA |
| SEC Tournament ||||||
| February 28 9:00, Chesley-TPC | (1) No. 2 | vs. (9) Auburn Quarterfinals | W 69–61 | 27–4 | Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (13,429) Birmingham, AL |
| February 29 9:00, Chesley-TPC | (1) No. 2 | vs. (5) Ole Miss Semifinals | W 70–67 | 28–4 | Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (13,482) Birmingham, AL |
| March 1* 8:30, Chesley-TPC | (1) No. 2 | vs. (2) No. 5 LSU Championship | L 78–80 | 28–5 | Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (8,400) Birmingham, AL |
| NCAA Tournament ||||||
| March 9* 3:00 PM, NBC | (1 ME) No. 4 | vs. (8) Florida State Second round | W 97–78 | 29–5 | E.A. Diddle Arena (12,100) Bowling Green, KY |
| March 13* 9:37 PM, NBC | (1 ME) No. 4 | vs. (4 ME) No. 14 Duke Sweet Sixteen | L 54–55 | 29–6 | Rupp Arena (23,380) Lexington, KY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Standard Time. ||||||