In a recent interview on the Cameron Mills Show, Rick Pitino said he really wanted the 1996 SEC Tournament championship game to Mississippi State.
Pitino felt the loss would bring his team back down to earth and allow them to refocus for the NCAA Tournament, which they won in impressive fashion.
Here is an excerpt of Pitino’s comments from 247 Sports:
I really wanted to lose that game. I didn’t, obviously, lose on purpose,” Pitino said. “But I benched Antoine Walker and he didn’t do anything that wrong. He said something like, ‘I didn’t think it was a bad shot’ and I took him out and benched him.