SEC Tournament Memories, the Good and the Bad

As we patiently await the start of the 2013 SEC tournament, enjoy a look back at some SEC tournament memories from the recent past: 2012 Kevin Stallings was in tears afterwords in New Orleans, as Vanderbilt knocked off the Cats in the SEC championship game. Vandy would eventually hang a banner for this, while Kentucky would return to New Orleans at the end of the season to capture a much bigger prize. Looking back at these highlights, it's amazing how good the 2012 Cats looked even in defeat. 2011 Darius Miller wins SEC Tournament MVP as he, Josh Harrelson, DeAndre Liggins, Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb and co. ride momentum into Kentucky's first Final Four appearance since 1998 with an SEC Tournament Championship in Atlanta. 2010 Down by three points with just seconds to go in the SEC championship game against Mississippi State, Eric Bledsoe makes his first free throw and misses the second on purpose. It is rebounded by John Wall, who misses a game-winning three-point attempt, but DeMarcus Cousins is there for the put back and the team goes nuts. The game was sent into overtime on this play, but some fans (and players), got caught up in the moment and thought the game was won right then and there. 2008 Kentucky lost to Georgia in their only game in the tornado-effected 2008 SEC Tournament, but as ugly as the loss may have been, the game wasn't the big story. We've talking about the new documentary of this bizarre situation a lot recently, but here is an old news clip from the scene on the campus of Georgia Tech. 2007 Jodie Meeks was on the free throw line with a chance to seal the game for Kentucky. He made his first free throw, and his second attempt would have made it a four-point game with only enough time for one more possession in the game. But Sheray Thomas was called for a lane violation and Jodie didn't get to shoot his second free-throw. Mississippi State then made a three to send the game into overtime and eventually won the game. 1996 Like 2012, the Cats took a loss in the SEC Championship finals in 1996, but came back from it stronger than ever to go on one of the most dominating NCAA Tournament runs in history. Mississippi State would also go on to the Final Four that season. 1995 Defending National Champion, No. 5 Arkansas missed free throws down the stretch and blew a 19-point lead as Kentucky clawed its way back to the lead in the final minute. Also, Tom Hammond refers to the Georgia Dome as the "Atlanta Dome" and a young Dave Baker talks to Rick Pitino about the Cats having nine lives.