The 1922-23 season was a dismal one for the Kentucky Wildcats. They struggled to score points and finished with a 3-10 record overall. It was a setback, but it would be one of the last losing seasons for the program for quite some time.
Coach George Buchheit knew the offense had to be better. They scored a total of just 285 points in their 13 games in the previous season. That’s just 21 points per game, and a big reason why they won just three games.
The 1923-24 season would prove to be a notable for many reasons. It would be a bounce back year, and a credit to the job Buchheit had done in Lexington. It would also be Buchheit’s final season coaching the Wildcats. He would leave to coach the Duke Blue Devils after the season.
The 1923-24 season is the focus of the next in our series of articles looking back at the history of Kentucky Wildcats basketball. It was a return to form for the program after a difficult season before.
George Buchheit’s last run
Buchheit was hired prior to the 1919-20 season, and quickly became a huge success. He led them to their most successful season to day in his second season, and his five year run ended with a 44-27 record.
The 1923-24 season was his last before he headed for Duke, but he would leave on a positive note. He wouldn’t be able to repeat his successes with Duke, however. In four seasons there, he went 25-36.
Some new foes
This season saw Kentucky play several notable opponents for the first time in school history. They’d play neighboring West Virginia for the first time, then Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech as well. Then, they’d close the season with their first ever matchup with the North Carolina Tarheels.
