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Louisville-Kentucky Postgame Notes
December 31, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2011
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Louisville Postgame Notes
Louisville vs. Kentucky
December 31, 2011
Louisville 62, Kentucky 69
Attendance: 24,387
TEAM
- This is the second-straight contest that Louisville (No. 4/4) and Kentucky (No. 3/3) entered the Battle of the Bluegrass ranked. Prior to last year's meeting, in which Louisville was ranked No. 22/20 and Kentucky was No. 11/12, the 2005 contest was the last time both teams were ranked. This is the first time in series history both teams have met while ranked in the top five.
- The two teams played on New Year's Eve for the fourth time in the history of the series, which Kentucky now leads 29-14. U of L has dropped three of the four Dec. 31 matchups. This was the first New Year's Eve contest played in Lexington.
- Louisville-Kentucky New Year's Eve games
12.31.88 - Louisville 97, Kentucky 75 (Louisville, Freedom Hall)
12.31.96 - Kentucky 74, Louisville 54 (Louisville, Freedom Hall)
12.31.10 - Kentucky 78, Louisville 63 (Louisville, KFC Yum! Center)
12.31.11 - Kentucky 69, Louisville 62 (Lexington, Rupp Arena)
- Against top 25 opponents, Louisville is 23-16 over the last four years, including a 19-13 mark during the regular season.
- Louisville's eight blocked shots were the most by a UK opponent and the Cardinals' 12 steals matched the most by a Kentucky opponent (Lamar had 12 on Dec. 28).
- Louisville held Kentucky without a 3-pointer in the second half, as the Wildcats went 0-for-7 from beyond the arc in the period. Louisville became the third team to achieve the feat after Loyola and Indiana accomplished it earlier this year. For the game, the Wildcats went 3-of-16, their worst percentage of the season.
- Kentucky's offense struggled against the Louisville defense in other facets as well. UK's 69 points were the second fewest this season only to its 62 against Indiana; the Wildcats' 17 made field goals were the fewest of the season and its field goal percentage of 29.8 (17-of-57) was also its worst output of the year.
PLAYER
- Russ Smith became the first Cardinal to reach double digit points (13) in the first half versus Kentucky since David Padgett registered 10 first-half points against the Wildcats on Dec. 16, 2006.
- Smith had a career-best 30 points, giving him double-digit point totals in six-straight games and seven of the last eight overall. It's the most by a Cardinal since Preston Knowles drained 31 last year against Morgan State on Dec. 27, 2010.
- Smith's 30 points came in just the 30th game of his Louisville career. The last Cardinal to have a 30-point outing fewer games into his career was Dwayne Morton, who had 33 against Morehead State on Dec. 19, 1991, in his fifth career game.
- His 30 points were the most by a Kentucky opposing player since Vanderbilt's John Jenkins dropped 32 on Feb. 12, 2011. It's the most by a nonconference player versus the Wildcats since Indiana's Maurice Creek registered 31 on Dec. 12, 2009.
- Smith's 10 made field goals are the most since Kyle Kuric made 11 against Providence on March 2, 2011.
- Gorgui Dieng recorded at least four blocks in a game - he finished with six - for the sixth time this season (season best is six vs. Memphis) and 11th time for his career (career best of seven vs. FIU on Dec. 1, 2010, and vs. Gardner-Webb on Dec. 18, 2010).
- Chris and Russ Smith and Jared Swopshire each registered three steals. The last time a trio of Cardinals registered at least three steals was versus Morehead State in the NCAA Tournament last year on March 17, 2011.
Players Mentioned
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