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Legendary basketball coach Joe B. Hall, who led Kentucky to 1978 title, dies at 93

Louisville Courier Journal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Joe B. Hall, who coached the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team to three Final Fours and the 1978 national championship but could never escape the shadow of his predecessor, the legendary Adolph Rupp, died Saturday morning. He was 93.

Hall led the Wildcats to 297 wins over 13 seasons from 1972 to 1985 and to its first title without Rupp.

But fans never fully embraced Hall and routinely second-guessed and even savaged him on sports talk radio.

Even after after he led UK to its fifth national crown at the Final Four in St.