For the first time in multiple generations of this Bluegrass clash, both Louisville and Kentucky have first-year coaches pacing the respective sidelines. Mark Pope’s Wildcats open as big home favorites against Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals on Saturday night. Let’s jump into all the action!
Louisville at No. 5 Kentucky
Venue: Rupp Arena — Lexington, Ky.
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET Saturday
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Kentucky is a wagon thus far. It leads the country in points per game and sits third in total rebounding. The sole blemish is a four-point loss at Clemson, while it already touts a pair of top-10 wins over Duke and Gonzaga. In last weekend’s thrilling Battle in Seattle, these Wildcats were down 16 at half and 18 in the second period, only to force a tie off Andrew Carr’s jumper with less than a minute to play. UK ended up eking out a win in overtime, terminating Gonzaga’s streak of 175 straight wins when leading by double digits at halftime.
Currently, six Wildcats average double-digit scoring. Otega Oweh is putting up 15.6 points in under 26 minutes of floor time. Koby Brea leads the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage — you have to double-take at his 56 percent clip. This offense lets it fly from 3, stays busy off the ball, and big man Amari Williams is a skilled passer from the key. The fifth-year Williams transferred from Drexel and leads the team in rebounding, blocks and defensive rating.
Louisville will be motivated against its instate rival, but this team is leaving something to be desired at 6-4. The Cardinals are 59th in KenPom rating and lost forward Kasean Pryor last week to an ACL tear. Chucky Hepburn, a senior who played the last three years at Wisconsin, leads this group in minutes, points, assists and steals. James Scott has started Louisville’s last two games and leads all Division-I in shooting at 90.6 percent (!) on 2-pointers across 20.3 minutes per game.
It’s truly a new age for this rivalry — Aidan McCool is the only Louisville player who was on the team last year, and Kentucky’s entire rotation was brought in from the transfer portal.
As of Saturday morning, the Wildcats are double-digit favorites. Ninety-eight percent of moneyline bettors like the favorite, and 60 percent of spread bettors are laying the points with Kentucky.
Louisville at Kentucky odds
All-time head-to-head: Kentucky leads 39–17. It’s convincingly won the last two meetings and has claimed five of the last six overall.
Recent close games head-to-head:
- 2020 — Kentucky 59, Louisville 62
- 2019 — Louisville 70, Kentucky 78 (OT)
- 2016 — Kentucky 70, Louisville 73
- 2015 — Louisville 73, Kentucky 75
More college basketball coverage
Under Mike Woodson, is Indiana basketball still stuck in past or finding way forward?
BYU’s Egor Demin is the best passer in college basketball, and he’s only getting started
(Photo of Amari Williams: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
