Kentucky takes on Hampton in Round of 64
The Kentucky Wildcats huddle during a open practice prior to the game against the Hampton Pirates at KFC Yum! Center on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 in Louisville , Ky. Kentucky, the overall number 1 seed, opens its NCAA tournament Thursday at approx. 9:40 EST. Photo by Michael Reaves
March 19, 2015
The field is set and the route to history is paved; UK’s quest for a season-ending 40-0 record begins on Thursday against Hampton University.
No. 1 overall seed UK enters the NCAA Tournament undefeated, the first Power 5 conference team to do so since Indiana during the 1975-76 season. Indiana would later win the national championship that year, finishing 32-0.
Hampton, who entered the tournament as a 16-seed after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, defeated Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Manhattan College 74-64 Tuesday to earn a spot in the Round of 64. Hampton had a sub-.500 record before defeating Manhattan, becoming the seventh team with a losing record to win its first game of the NCAA Tournament.
The Cats are 34-point favorites over the Pirates for Thursday’s game. No 16-seed has ever defeated a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, going 0-120 all-time.
Tip-off is set for 9:40 p.m.
