Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Kentucky Wildcats

The Cardinals and Wildcats square off in the annual Battle of the Bluegrass.

Dec 8, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) dribbles against Duke Blue Devils forward Mason Gillis (18) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Duke defeated Louisville 76-65. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Louisville Cardinals (5-4, 0-1 ACC) at No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats (9-1, 0-0 SEC)

- Tipoff: Saturday, December 14 at 5:15 p.m. EST
- Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
- How To Watch: ESPN
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Kentucky -11.0
- All-Time Series: Kentucky leads 39-17
- Last Meeting: Kentucky won 95-76 on Dec. 21, 2023 (KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• G Chucky Hepburn (6-2, 190, Sr.)
• G Reyne Smith (6-2, 190, Sr.)
• G J'Vonne Hadley (6-6, 215, 5th)
• F Noah Waterman (6-11, 230, 6th)
• C James Scott (6-11, 220, So.)

Kentucky

• G Otega Oweh (6-4, 215, Jr.)
• G Jaxson Robinson (6-6, 192, Gr.)
• G Koby Brea (6-7, 215, Gr.)
• F Andrew Carr (6-11, 235, Gr.)
• C Amari Williams (7-0, 262, Gr.)

Comparison

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

Additional Coverage

• Watch: Pat Kelsey, Louisville Players Preview Kentucky
• Pat Kelsey Excited for First Louisville-Kentucky Rivalry Experience

Game Notes

Louisville

• Both Noah Waterman and Aly Khalifa on the Louisville squad played for Kentucky head coach Mark Pope last season at BYU. While Khalifa is redshirting, Waterman will face former teammate Jaxson Robinson on the court.
• Senior guard Chucky Hepburn was named ACC Player of the Week on Dec. 2 and was one of five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week after his stellar performance in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• Louisville could play six ranked teams before January 2.
• Louisville’s 89-61 victory over No. 14/15 Indiana in the quarterfinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis was Louisville’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19/20 Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. It’s the highest ranked opponent the Cards have beat since beating No. 3 Duke 79-73 on Jan. 18, 2020.
• In the win over Indiana, UofL’s Chucky Hepburn logged 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals. He’s the first DI player with at least those marks since Markquis Nowell of Kansas State did it against West Virginia with 23 points on Dec. 31, 2022.
• All four of Louisville’s losses are to teams now in the top 20 in the AP Poll: No. 1 Tennessee, No. 4 Duke, No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 19 Ole Miss.
• As of Dec. 13, Louisville is seventh in the country in three point attempts per game (31.8) and 40th in turnovers forced per game (15.5). Chucky Hepburn is second in the country in steals per game at 3.20, and third in total steals with 32. Reyne Smith is 24th in the country in 3-pointers per game at 3.3 and 11th in total three point attempts.
• Against Winthrop on Nov. 22, Louisville logged 10 blocks, including seven in the first half. Sophomore James Scott blocked five on his own. The 10 total, seven in a half and Scott’s five were all the first time those feats happened for the Cardinals since March 7, 2018 against Florida State.
• Fifth-year senior forward Kasean Pryor tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
• Junior guard Koren Johnson tore his labrum and will be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
• Louisville has 11 players who were on teams that played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The roster in total has made 14 NCAA Division I Tournament appearances at their previous schools, playing in 20 NCAA Tournament games across their careers.
• Louisville has won 46 of its last 117 games against AP ranked opponents. The Cardinals most recently broke a 16-game losing streak and beat No. 14/15 Indiana in its last Top 25 matchup. UofL has a 63-83 record against Top 25 teams over the last 15 years. The Cards have been victorious 10 of the last 30 times they have faced an AP top-five foe. UofL has won 23 of its last 62 games when facing Top 10 teams.
• UofL has a 257-82 record (.757) against non-conference opponents over the last 24 seasons (includes postseason), including a 187-27 record in home regular season non-conference games. The Cardinals are 111-18 at home in regular season non-conference games over the last 15 seasons.
• Louisville took its second trip to the Bahamas to compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis Nov. 27-29. The Cardinals opened the trip with a resounding 89-61 victory over No. 14/15 Indiana. Against Indiana, Louisville’s 23 assists were its most since having 23 in a 90-66 win against Syracuse on Feb. 19, 2020. It’s 15 steals were the most since logging 15 in a 77-54 win over Georgia Tech on Feb. 8, 2018. Next, UofL beat West Virginia 79-70 in its first overtime game of the season. It was UofL’s largest margin of victory in an overtime game since beating North Carolina 78-68 on Jan. 31, 2015, and the biggest overtime win away from home since beating West Virginia 82-71 in double overtime on March 8, 2007, in the Big East Tournament. Louisville eventually fell in the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship 69-64 against undefeated Oklahoma.
• Louisville’s 48-point season-opening victory over Morehead State on Nov. 4 was Louisville’s largest margin of victory since a 104-54 win vs. Southern on Nov. 13, 2018, and largest in a season opener since a 92-38 win vs. South Alabama on Nov. 18, 2001.
• Louisville’s 48 first-half points against Bellarmine on Nov. 19 were the most since leading Eastern Kentucky 50-32 at halftime on Dec. 14, 2019.
• In its season opener against Morehead State on Nov. 4, the Cardinals held the Eagles to a 23.1% clip from the floor. It’s the lowest field goal percentage of any Louisville opponent since Nov. 13, 2015 when the Cards held Samford to 21.0%.
• Chucky Hepburn was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 2 after his dominant performance in the Battle 4 Atlantis. It’s Louisville’s first Player of the Week accolade since Feb. 20, 2023. Over the three contests, Hepburn averaged 20 points per game, shooting 62.5% from the field, netting 20 of 32 attempts.
• The Cardinals are one of the more experienced teams in the country this season. Between the 17-man roster, the average amount of years in college basketball is 3.0 years with just two underclassmen on the roster.
• Louisville has just two underclassmen in freshman Khani Rooths and sophomore James Scott. Louisville is one of just 11 schools in DI that has two or fewer underclassmen on their roster, and the only Power Four school in that list.
• Louisville has 11 players who were on teams that played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The roster in total has made 14 NCAA Division I Tournament appearances at their previous schools, playing in 20 NCAA Tournament games across their careers.
• Louisville returns just a single letterwinner to its roster in walk-on Aidan McCool. The program returns virtually 0% in all statistical categories from 2023-24. Louisville is one of five programs in the country returning 0% in scoring, rebounding and minutes played; the Cardinals are joined by DePaul, IU Indy, Iona and Kentucky.

Kentucky

• The Kentucky vs. Louisville men's basketball matchups is one of the biggest events in the Commonwealth each year. The two programs have combined for more than 4,000 wins, 11 on-court national championships and 27 Final Fours, including a combined six since 2011. UK owns an all-time record of 39-17 against the Cards.
• Kentucky's offense is clicking under Mark Pope. The Wildcats are scoring a nation-leading 91.1 points per game and have already eclipsed the century mark on four occasions. The team's 19.1 assists per game are tops in the conference and 11th in the country, while the 10.2 made 3s per game is 2nd in the SEC and 30th most in Division I. UK's offense is also potent on the run. The Wildcats are sixth in the nation in fastbreak points at 19.22 per game, and the Cats are playing at a 15.1 pace, the ninth fastest in the country.
• Andrew Carr (11 points, 10 rebounds) notched his second double-double of the season in the win over Colgate.
• Kentucky matched a program-record, achieved twice before, and overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to down No. 7 Gonzaga, 90-89, in overtime. It helped UK improve to 2-0 this season against AP Top-10 foes, as UK also beat then-No. 6 Duke in come-from-behind fashion earlier this season.
• UK's starter at point guard in its first eight games, Lamont Butler, sat against Gonzaga and Colgate with an ankle injury, while Kerr Kriisa is out indefinitely due to a foot injury sustained against the Zags. Kriisa's injury is not considered season-ending.
• UK ranks third in the country in rebounds per game with an average of 44.80. Amari Williams leads the way with 9.2.
• Kentucky jumped out to a huge lead, then fell behind early in the second half, only to rally late and beat Colgate 78-67 on Wednesday night at Rupp Arena. All five UK starters scored in double figures in the contest, led by Koby Brea, who had 17. Otega Oweh and Amari Williams each had 15, and Andrew Carr added 10 rebounds. Carr and Jaxson Robinson finished with 11 points apiece.
• With Kerr Kriisa and Koby Brea crossing the 1,000 career points threshold in consecutive games vs. Gonzaga and Colgate, Kentucky now has six players (Ansley Almonor, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, Kerr Kriisa and Amari Williams) who have all eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau for their collegiate careers.
• Kentucky guard Kerr Kriisa sustained a foot injury vs. Gonzaga which will require surgery. While the injury is not considered to be season-ending, he will be out indefinitely. Kriisa has played in nine games this season for the Wildcats, averaging 4.4 points and 3.8 assists per game
• Against Gonzaga, Jaxson Robinson stepped into the point guard role while both Lamont Butler and Kerr Kriisa were sidelined with injuries. He scored 18 points, including 15 after halftime, and dished out five assists without yielding a turnover. Robinson is averaging 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
• Numbers can always be deceiving, but for the Wildcats the on-going battle on the boards has proved to be a key for UK's early-season success. UK ranks third in the nation, hauling in an average of 44.80 rebounds per game. Kentucky is second nationally in defensive rebounding (32.60 per game).
• The Wildcats are off to a 9-1 start in large part thanks to their veteran experience. But it has been the balance of attack, both offensively and defensively that has aided UK's start. Kentucky has had four different leading scorers through 10 games (Brea - 3, Carr - 3, Oweh - 3, Robinson - 2). Six players are averaging double-figure points through 10
  games
• Kentucky is averaging 17.90 fastbreak points per game, the 11th most in the country as of Dec. 11. UK's average offensive possession length of 15.3 seconds which is the 17th fastest in the country,
• Through 10 games, Kentucky is averaging 19.1 assists per game and dishing out an assist with a rate of 57.9% on made baskets. The Wildcats assists per game average ranks 11th in the nation as of Dec. 11.
• Kentucky's junior guard Otega Oweh is off to a hot start in his first season with the Cats. Oweh is the only player to score in double figures in each of the first 10 games. He is UK's leading scorer at 15.6 points per game, and leads the team with 13 steals.
• Ten games into the season, Amari Williams is averaging 10.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He has led the Cats in rebounding in seven of 10 games and has snared 10 or more in five outings.

(Photo of Khani Rooths: Jamie Rhodes -I magn Images)

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