In Western Massachusetts, on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, there sits a massive 26-floor complex called the W.E.B. DuBois Library. In the basement of DuBois, as it’s colloquially referred to by budding Minuteman scholars, is a computer lab named after current Kentucky basketball coach and former coach of such stars as Marcus Camby and Derek Kellogg – current UMass basketball coach. It’s called the Calipari Library Instruction Room and PC Lab.
John Calipari coached UMass Basketball to its most prolific and winningest season back in 1996, earning a preseason ranking by the Associated Press of number three overall and in-season ranking of number one. On this day in Boston history – Massachusetts history really, but here in Boston we pulled pretty hard for the maroon and white – the winningest season in UMass basketball history came to an unsatisfying end.
According to Mass Moments, which in the spirit of the currently ongoing collegiate basketball tournament brought this infamous day to our attention, UMass was bested by the University of Kentucky of all schools (the program of which Calipari now helms) by a score of 81 to 74.
The 19888-1989 season proved to be a turning point in UMass basketball. Calipari took to the Curry Hicks Cage, a.k.a “The Cage” where the likes of hall of famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving once ran the hardwood and inherited a team that had just come off a dismal 10-17 season. With his miraculous reversal of the direction of the team and with each ‘W,’ Calipari further solidified his place in UMass lore.
But Calipari departed UMass after his only Final Four appearance and allegations of illegal conduct for his star athlete, Camby. The future NBA Defensive Player of the Year unlawfully accepted cash gifts from agents as well as other items. Camby departed for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, Calipari to the New Jersey Nets.
Though UMass was forced to vacate its Final Four appearance and fork over its $151,617 tournament revenue due to Camby’s actions – Calipari wasn’t implicated – the school still proudly hangs its Final Four banner on display in the Mullins Center in protest of the verdict unpopular with some of the UMass community.
During the record-setting 1996 season, UMass racked up an unparalleled 26-game win streak.
image via StadiumJourney
