1998 NCAA? Division I Men?s Basketball Championship Kentucky vs. Utah March 30, 1998 ? San Antonio, Texas Trailing at half-time, Kentucky?s Wildcats were hard pressed to maintain their new nickname, ?The Comeback Cats.? N... more »o team had won the final with a trailing margin of more than 8 points throughout the history of the tournament, and Kentucky was behind by 10. The Wildcats accomplished what no other team had done in a final game before. Finding new life in the second half as the Utes were wearing down, Kentucky won by 9 for a final score of 78-69. Kentucky Coach Orlando ?Tubby? Smith earned not only his first title, but also was named NCAA?s winningest first-year coach at any school. Jeff Sheppard, University of Kentucky, was named Most Outstanding Player.« less