Louisville and Kentucky Meet Saturday in Bluegrass Showdown
December 30, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2011
FREE AUDIO
Rick Pitino on Kentucky following Georgetown game
GAME NOTES
Louisville Game Notes 
| Kentucky Game Notes
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In what can be argued as one of college basketball's most intense and storied rivalries, Louisville and Kentucky will meet on Saturday in Lexington, Ky., for a 12:05 p.m. tip at Rupp Arena. The contest will be televised nationally on CBS, with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Clark Kellogg (color) calling the action.
"Well, we've got to watch a lot of film," Pitino said on preparing for Kentucky following the Georgetown loss. "Our guys haven't seen Kentucky play. I don't think they realize how good they are. They are a terrific basketball team and they are very tough to guard. I've seen them a few times and they are very tough to guard in so many different ways. They are great on the break. They are a very good team defensively and that causes a lot of offense, so we've got to really study. It's more about personnel than it is any sets."
The series between the two programs dates back to 1913, with a total of 42 games taking place since that time. The teams have split the last four contests following Kentucky's win last year at the KFC Yum! Center. The matchup also features two highly successful coaches, as both Louisville head coach Rick Pitino - Pitino coached at UK from 1989-97, including guiding them to a national championship in 1997 and a national runner-up finish in 1997 - and Kentucky head coach John Calipari have taken three teams to the Final Four.
Louisville enters the game ranked No. 4 in both major polls, coming off its first loss of the season. The loss not only snapped the Cardinals' 12-game winning streak to open the season, but also ended Louisville's 20-game home win streak - tied for the sixth longest in school history.
Kyle Kuric led the Cardinals (12-1) with 17 points on five 3-pointers the last time out, a 71-68 loss to No. 12 Georgetown. Peyton Siva added 15 points, six assists and five steals, and Russ Smith came off the bench to chip in with 14 points. For the game, the Cardinals shot 41.7 percent (25-of-60) and collected 13 steals. The Hoyas, who shot 7-of-11 from 3-point range, received a game-high 20 points from Markel Starks. Otto Porter had 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Hollis Thompson chipped in 10 points in the win.
Kentucky owns an identical 12-1 overall mark and is ranked third in both major polls. The Wildcats recorded their 43rd-straight home win by defeating Lamar - an opponent Louisville defeated earlier this year - by a score of 86-64. Five different UK players scored in double figures, with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist registering a team-best 18 points. Anthony Davis was the lone player on the court to earn a double-double, as he went for 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Wildcats shot 49.1 percent (26-of-53) from the field and 50 percent (7-of-14) from beyond the arc.
The Wildcats are under the direction of third-year head coach Calipari, who's 76-13 at Kentucky. He's guided the program to consecutive NCAA appearances. Kentucky was picked to win the SEC in the conference's preseason coaches' poll, with three players selected to the SEC Coaches preseason all-SEC teams. Doron Lamb leads the team with 15.8 points per game, while Davis is averaging a double-double of 11.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
GAME FACTS - Louisville at Kentucky
Date: Saturday, Dec. 31
Time: 12:05 p.m.
Site: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky. (23,000)
TV: CBS will televise the game nationally, with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Clark Kellogg (color) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD (790 AM; 101.7 FM) will broadcast the game on radio, with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (color) calling the action. The game also will be available on Westwood One, with Dave Ryan (play-by-play) and Pete Gillen (color) calling the action.
SIRIUS: Game will be available on SIRIUS Channel 91.
Series History: Kentucky leads the all-time series, 28-14 (11-7 in Louisville, 15-5 in Lexington, 2-2 neutral).
Officials: Tony Greene, Jamie Luckie, Michael Stephens
Next U of L Game: Tuesday, Jan. 3 at St. John's, Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y., 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
