# 1998–99 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1998–99 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented University of Kentucky in the 1998–99 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Tubby Smith and the team finished the season with an overall record of 28–9.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Non-conference Regular season ||||||
| Nov 17, 1998* | No. 4 | Eastern Kentucky | W 99–64 | 1–0 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Nov 19, 1998* | No. 4 | Mercer | W 82–51 | 2–0 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Nov 23, 1998* | No. 4 | vs. Wright State | W 97–75 | 3–0 | Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nov 26, 1998* | No. 4 | vs. Colorado | W 64–52 | 4–0 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Nov 27, 1998* | No. 4 | vs. Pittsburgh | L 56–68 | 4–1 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Nov 28, 1998* | No. 4 | vs. No. 10 UCLA | W 66–62 | 5–1 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Dec 1, 1998* | No. 8 | vs. No. 7 Kansas Great Eight | W 63–45 | 6–1 | United Center Chicago, Illinois |
| Dec 5, 1998* | No. 8 | Miami (FL) | W 74–65 | 7–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Dec 8, 1998* | No. 5 | vs. No. 11 Indiana | W 70–61 $^{OT}$ | 8–1 | Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky |
| Dec 12, 1998* | No. 5 | No. 2 Maryland | W 103–91 | 9–1 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Dec 19, 1998* | No. 3 | vs. Georgia Tech | W 80–39 | 10–1 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia |
| Dec 22, 1998* | No. 3 | vs. No. 2 Duke | L 60–71 | 10–2 | Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| Dec 26, 1998* | No. 3 | at Louisville | L 74–83 | 10–3 | Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky |
| Dec 29, 1998* | No. 7 | Tennessee State | W 97–47 | 11–3 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| SEC Regular season ||||||
| Jan 2, 1999 | No. 7 | Florida | W 93–58 | 12–3 (1–0) | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 24, 1999* | No. 13 | Vanderbilt | W 88–63 | 22–7 (11–4) | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 28, 1999 CBS | No. 13 | at Tennessee | L 61–68 | 22–8 (11–5) | Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| SEC tournament ||||||
| Mar 5, 1999* JP Sports | No. 14 | vs. Ole Miss Quarterfinals | W 83–73 | 23–8 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia |
| Mar 6, 1999* JP Sports | No. 14 | vs. No. 4 Auburn Semifinals | W 69–57 | 24–8 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia |
| Mar 7, 1999* CBS | No. 14 | vs. No. 22 Arkansas Championship game | W 76–63 | 25–8 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 12, 1999* | (3 MW) No. 8 | vs. (14 MW) New Mexico State First round | W 82–60 | 26–8 | Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Mar 14, 1999* CBS | (3 MW) No. 8 | vs. (6 MW) No. 22 Kansas Second round | W 92–88 $^{OT}$ | 27–8 | Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Mar 19, 1999* CBS | (3 MW) No. 8 | vs. (10 MW) Miami (OH) Regional Semifinal – Sweet Sixteen | W 58–43 | 28–8 | Edward Jones Dome St. Louis, Missouri |
| Mar 21, 1999* CBS | (3 MW) No. 8 | vs. (1 MW) No. 2 Michigan State Regional Final – Elite Eight | L 66–73 | 28–9 | Edward Jones Dome (42,519) St. Louis, Missouri |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. MW=Midwest. ||||||