The 1927‑28 Kentucky Wildcats basketball season is remembered as the moment the program shed a dismal 3‑13 record from the year before and began a resurgence that would carry the team through the late 1980s.
A Turning Point for Kentucky Basketball
Under first‑year head coach John Mauer, the Wildcats assembled a near‑all‑new roster and opened the campaign with a victory over the Clemson Tigers before dropping their first game to Miami (OH). A four‑game winning streak followed, highlighted by a 48‑18 triumph in which Irvine Jeffries poured in 22 points on his debut against Tennessee.
Jeffries and Cecil Combs emerged as the offensive leaders, averaging 11.5 and 10.3 points per game respectively, while the team’s defense proved stifling in a 33‑16 win over the Georgia Bulldogs. The Wildcats rode that momentum into the Southern Conference Tournament, scoring 56 points against South Carolina and posting a 33‑16 shutout of the Georgia Bulldogs before falling to Mississippi in the semifinals.
The season closed with a 12‑6 overall record and a 30‑20 win over Centre College to cap the regular slate. Mauer’s early success laid the groundwork for Adolph Rupp, who would later extend the dynasty that Mauer had begun.
Several players from the squad went on to notable careers beyond college. Jeffries left basketball after one season to pursue baseball, later coaching in the minor leagues. Combs became an All‑SEC selection and enjoyed three solid years with the Wildcats. Paul Jenkins transitioned into coaching and eventually served as an athletic director in Florida, while June Lyons appeared in only three games before moving on.