Perhaps the most famous and legendary basketball arena in the world is Madison Square Garden. With its collection of basketball events and historic moments, there is really no else like it. “It’s going to be an epic clash in Madison Square Garden for Christmas,” stated Mark Pope, head coach of Kentucky. It’s what you live for, after all.
In Kentucky sports history, Madison Square Garden has a special place. It is the location of the precise moment that Kentucky basketball became blue blood, and the hue has never returned. In 1948, head coach Adolph Rupp raised the championship trophy during the first National Championship, which was held there.
On March 23, 1948, Kentucky won their first national championship with a 58-42 victory over the Baylor Bears. The Madison Square Garden, where they won the national championship, is sometimes referred to as the Old Madison Square Garden. Basketball fans will quickly point out that it was not the current building or location of the Madison Square Garden. This Old MSG is the third installment of the Madison Square Gardens name, and it is not even the oldest. There used to be three, but the current one is the fourth. In any case, Kentucky captured its first of eight banners at Madison Square Garden, regardless of the location or venue.
The history of the Kentucky Wildcats in Madison Gardens is legendary. They have won in both of the gardens where they played basketball, which is one of their commonalities. In the Old Madison Square Garden, they are 24-10, and in the one we all think of today, they are 14-6.
Nothing compares to the epic national championship held in the Old Madison Square Garden, but they also won other exciting competitions, including two Olympic Trials victories. In the new Madison Square Garden, they have won the Champions Classic, NIT titles, and other arbitrary contests.
They now have the opportunity to play Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic this coming weekend. At 5:30 p.m. EST, CBS will broadcast that game.
