Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Kentucky Wildcats

The Cardinals face the Wildcats in the annual Battle of the Bluegrass.

No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats (8-2, 0-0 SEC) at Louisville Cardinals (5-6, 0-1 ACC)

- Tipoff: Thursday, December 21 at 6:00 p.m. EST
- Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
- How To Watch: ESPN
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Kentucky -13.5
- All-Time Series: Kentucky leads 38-17
- Last Meeting: Kentucky won 86-63 on Dec. 31, 2022 (Rupp Arena - Lexington, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• G Skyy Clark (6-3, 205, So.)
• G Ty-Laur Johnson (6-0. 160, Fr.)
• G/F Mike James (6-5, 200, R-So.)
• G Tre White (6-7, 205, So.)
• F Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (6-10, 240, Jr.)

Kentucky

• G D.J. Wagner (6-4, 192, Fr.)
• G Antonio Reeves (6-6, 195, 5th)
• G Justin Edwards (6-8, 203, Fr.)
• F Tre Mitchell (6-9, 231, Gr.)
• F Aaron Bradshaw (7-1, 226, Fr.)

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Wildcats, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Kentucky

Game Notes

Louisville

• Louisville head coach Kenny Payne spent 10 seasons as an assistant coach and later associate head coach at Kentucky from 2010-20 under coach John Calipari. The Wildcats went a combined 295-73 during Payne’s time with the program, reaching six NCAA Elite Eights and four Final Fours, and claiming the 2012 national championship.
• Payne’s son, Louisville graduate senior guard/forward Zan Payne, previously spent four seasons at Kentucky. After missing the first two years due to injury, Payne played in 11 total games during his final two seasons as a Wildcat.
• Kentucky freshman guard D.J. Wagner is the grandson of Louisville’s Director of Player Development and Alumni Relations Milt Wagner. Milt’s son and D.J.’s father, Dajuan, played for Calipari at the University of Memphis.
• No. 9 Kentucky will be the second ranked team that Louisville has played this season following No. 19 Texas. The Cardinals are 62-77 against top-25 teams over the last 14 years. They’ve won 23 of their last 58 games against top-10 teams.
• Over the last two games, junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is averaging 20 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line (20-25). He ranks 33rd in the country in total rebounds (101).
• After allowing UMBC and Chattanooga to make 25 of 55 combined 3-pointers (45.5%) in the first two games, the Cardinals have held their last nine opponents to a combined 41-for-175 from 3-point range (23.4%). As of Tuesday, Louisville ranked 34th in the country in 3-point defense at 28.7% overall.
• Last game: Louisville was able to snap a three-game losing streak, winning 85-63 over Pepperdine. It marked the largest margin of victory in the Kenny Payne era.
• KEY FIRST HALF RUN: Beginning at 14:17 and elapsing 10 and a half minutes, Louisville used a 22-9 run to take control of the game with a lead of 35-18 with 3:47 to go in the half.
• KEY SECOND HALF RUN: After the Waves came within seven at 45-38, Louisville went on a 18-3 run, resulting in a 63-41 lead for the Cardinals.
• UofL shot 32 of 66 (48.5%) from the field, 9 of 16 (56.3%) from 3-point range, and 12 of 26 (75.0%) from the free-throw line.
• The 85-63 win was the Cardinals’ largest margin of victory since defeating Southeastern Louisiana 86-60 on December 14, 2021.
• The Cards won the rebound battle 43-27, their largest margin of victory in that category this season.
• Louisville recorded 15+ offensive rebounds for the third time this year, with the first two instances coming vs. UMBC (20) and Chattanooga (17).
• The 9 for 16 shooting from outside the arc is the first time the Cards have shot over 50% from three-point range this season.
• Louisville totaled more bench points (25-13), points in the paint (40-22), and second chance points (17- 7) than Pepperdine.
• Brandon Huntley-Hatfield tied his career-high with a second consecutive 20-point outing on 6 for 11 from the field and 8 for 11 from the free throw line. Huntley-Hatfield snatched 12 rebounds, including six offensive boards, to add to two assists, two blocks and a team-high +36 in his 31 minutes on the floor. The forward tallied his second straight and fourth career double-double.
• Mike James recorded 19 points on 7 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 4 from outside the arc. James also contributed six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 30 minutes of play.
• Curtis Williams totaled a career-high 16 points on 6 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from the three-point line. Williams added one rebound, one assist and one steal to his ledger in 23 minutes of action.
• Tre White rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points on 5 of 7 from the floor. White additionally had six rebounds, three assists and two steals in his 33 minutes.

Kentucky

• Separated my a mere 80 miles, Kentucky and Louisville are the bluebloods of the Bluegrass State. They have combined for more than 4,000 wins, 11 on-court national championships and 27 Final Fours, including a combined six since 2011. Countless All-Americans have put on uniforms for the two schools.
• Despite an off night vs. UNC Wilmington, to say that Kentucky is clicking offensively through the first 10 games of the season would be an understatement. The Cats scored at least 81 points in each of their first seven games for the first time since the 1970-71 season. UK has scored at least 81 points in all but one game this season.
• UK is averaging 90.2 points per game for the season. That ranks sixth in the country.
• Kentucky scored a Calipari-era record 118 points against Marshall.
• The Wildcats also put up a Rupp Arena-record 69 points in the opening half against the Thundering Herd.
• They're playing at a fast pace, averaging just 15.2 seconds per possession which ranks 19th in the country.
• UK is logging 17.50 fast-break points per game. That mark is the best in the Southeastern Conference and the 11th best in the nation.
• Kentucky made at least 12 3-pointers in four straight games (Kansas, Stonehill, Saint Joseph's, Marshall) for the first time since December of 1989. UK has made at least eight in every game but one this season.
• The Wildcats are averaging 10.4 made 3s per game. That is the 15th-best nationally.
• It's 3-point percentage (.408) ranks fifth in the country.
• UK has six players averaging double-figure points.
• The Wildcats rank third in the country with a 2.03 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Kentucky is dishing out 19.1 assists per game, ranking 11th in the country in that category. Four players have 35 or more assists (3.6per game) thus far.
• Per KenPom, UK's offensive efficiency ranks 15th.
• Aaron Bradshaw has quickly made his presence felt. In UK's win over Penn in just his second-career game. Bradshaw registered game highs in points (17) and rebounds (11) to go along with three blocked shots and a steal.
• Rob Dillingham has scored in double figures in nine games and averages 14.4 points per game. Against UK's three ranked opponents this season, Dillingham is averaging 15.7 points per game and 4.3 assists.
• Justin Edwards nearly had his first career double-double with 16 points and seven rebounds in a come-from-behind win over A&M-Commerce at home. Edwards has six double-figure scoring efforts and has shot 50% or better in six games.
• Reed Sheppard has provided a steady presence on both ends of the floor. He scored 25 points highlighted by 7 of 8 from 3-point range in the win over Stonehill. He's averaging 12.8 points per game and connecting on 57.1% from 3-point range, while leading UK in steals (29).
• D.J. Wagner has a 2.69 assist-to-turnover ratio and did not commit one against No. 1 Kansas in 25 minutes of action. Wagner had a breakthrough game with a 22-point, 6-assist effort in the overtime win over Saint Joseph's. Since that performance (not including the Miami game where he left with a lower-extremity injury), he is averaging 18.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.
• For all that the 2023-24 class is providing this team, three veterans in Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell and Adou Thiero have been the glue guys. They also were boosted by the return of sophomore Ugonna Onyenso in the upset win over North Carolina.

(Photo of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield: Jordan Prather - USA TODAY Sports)

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