Full-Court Pressure: A Year in Kentucky Basketball

Pitino's ( Born to Coach ) reputation as a leader able to resuscitate moribund teams grew from his work in college ball with Boston University and Providence College and in the pros with the New York Knicks. When he was named head coach at the University of Kentucky in 1989, he faced a special problem: found guilty of numerous recruiting and other violations, the university had received a severe two-year penalty from the National Collegiate Athletic Association that forbade post-season play and live TV broadcasts. In three years, Pitino took the team from a win-loss record of 14-14 to a much-improved 22-6 and, in its first year off probation, a dazzling 29-7. Aided by Weiss, coauthor of Time Out, Baby , Pitino tells the story of that '91-'92 season, when Kentucky almost made it to the Final Four, edged out by a single point scored by eventual champion Duke. More than an account of a team and its season, the book provides an absorbing look at a state where basketball is virtually a religion. (Oct.)