Hall, who led Kentucky to 1978 NCAA title, dies

Joe B. Hall, who succeeded the legendary Adolph Rupp and guided Kentucky to a national championship in 1978, has died in Lexington, Ky., at 93.

Hall and current Wildcats coach John Calipari were close, with Hall a frequent presence at Kentucky practices and games. The retired coach would sometimes provide the “Y” when cheerleaders spelled out the state name during timeouts.

Calipari, who led Kentucky to the program’s eighth national title in 2012, called Hall “my friend, my mentor and an icon in our state and in our profession” in a series of tweets. He said he visited Hall this past week and added that the coach squeezed his hand tightly as Calipari prayed for him.

A moment of silence was held for Hall in Rupp Arena before Kentucky faced Tennessee on Saturday. Spectators applauded during a video tribute that included interviews with the coach before fading to black with the words “Joe B. Hall Forever a Wildcat.”

Hall went 297-100 in 13 years with Kentucky. Born 20 miles north of the Lexington campus, the former UK player and longtime assistant to Rupp assumed the monumental task of succeeding his boss in 1972 after Rupp was forced to retire because he turned 70. Led by Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Conner and Rick Robey, Kentucky reached the Final Four in 1975, its first appearance since 1966. The Wildcats lost the championship game 92-85 to UCLA in coach John Wooden’s final game with the Bruins.

Three years later, Hall and Kentucky won the program’s fifth NCAA title, and first in 20 years, by beating Duke 94-88 in St. Louis behind 41 points from Jack “Goose” Givens. The title came less than four months after Rupp’s death at 76.

Hall also reached the Final Four in 1984, losing to John Thompson’s Georgetown, which went on to win the title behind Patrick Ewing, in the national semifinals. Hall retired a year later at age 57.