FINAL UofL 73 UK 70. Snider leads all scorers with 22 points.
LOUISVILLE WINS I REPEAT LOUISVILLE HAS BEATEN KENTUCKY IN BASKETBALL.
2nd (08.2) - Mitchell hits two free throws, UK ball.
HERE WE GO FOLKS FINAL 10 SECONDS LOUISVILLE BALL
2nd (16.3) - Johnson with the layup. Monk with the three.
2nd (41.1) - He makes only one.
2nd (:41.1) - Willis at the line, timeout by Louisville.
2nd (:57.1) - Fox with the layup and is fouled, he makes the free throw.
2nd (1) - Snider with the layup. SHOOK BAM HOLY MOLY.
2nd (2) - Bam misses both free throws.
2nd (2) - Snider with the bucket.
2nd (3) - Fox makes one free throw.
2nd (3) - Foul on Louisville right there. Really?
2nd (3) - Johnson with the cram.
2nd (4) - Briscoe is at the line, he makes both.
2nd (4) - Mitchell is at the line, he makes both.
2nd (5) - Monk with the jump shot.
2nd (5) - Timeout on the court, Cardinals now up 5. PLACE IS ROCKING.
2nd (5) - Adel with the layup.
2nd (6) - Mitchell with the layup.
2nd (6) - Adel makes both free throws.
2nd (6) - Johnson with the layup and foul call, he misses it.
2nd (6) - Monk with the layup.
2nd (7) - Foul on Mathiang with Bam headed to the line, Timeout called.
2nd (8) - Fox with the easy layup.
2nd (8) - Shot clock violation by Kentucky.
2nd (10) - Timeout on the court, tied ball game now folks.
2nd (10) - Adel with the layup, Bam with the dunk.
2nd (10) - Mulder with the three.
2nd (12) - Timeout on the floor. Kentucky is in foul trouble and Monk hasn't made a single three point shot. Battle of the Bluegrass at it's best right now.
2nd (12) - Bam with the slam.
2nd (12) - Briscoe with his 4th foul, Adel makes both free throws.
2nd (14) - Briscoe with the layup.
2nd (15) - Snider with the jump shot.
2nd (15) - Fox makes one free throw.
2nd (15) - Monk is fouled on the layup, timeout on the floor.
2nd (15) - Snider with the three.
2nd (16) - Levitch misses both free throws.
2nd (16) - Johnson with the layup.
2nd (17) - Monk with the layup and foul. He makes the free throw.
2nd (17) - Shot clock violation by UK.
2nd (18) - Johnson with the putback.
2nd (19) - Mitchell to the line, he makes one free throw.
Due to technical difficulties, my last four minutes have the game have been deleted from the thread. Kentucky leads Louisville by one at the half. Fox has 14 points to lead all scorers.
1st (4) - Tiemout on the floor as the refs check to see who got fouled. Kentucky has gained lead back with Fox taking over.
1st (4) - Mitchell misses his free throw.
1st (4) - Fox with the slam.
1st (4) - Gabirel with the two made free throws.
1st (5) - Willis with the three.
1st (6) - Mitchell with the open three. Place is rockin. Fox with the layup.
1st (7) - Johnson with the slam.
1st (7) - Timeout on the floor, Louisville is containing the Wildcats holding them to 38% from the field.
1st (8) - Willis with the bucket.
1st (8) - Snider with the layup.
1st (8) - Monk with his second foul already.
1st (10) - Fox misses both free throws.
1st (11) - Three by Adel. Timeout by UK, this noise is insane.
1st (11) - Spalding with the layup.
1st (12) - Three by Adel.
1st (13) - Mulder drains a three.
1st (13) - Turnover by UK, timeout on the floor.
1st (14) - Snider with the layup.
1st (14) - Fox with a open three.
1st (15) - Fox with another bucket.
1st (15) - Snider makes the three.
1st (15) - Fox with the putback.
1st (16) - Spalding is fouled and headed to the line. He makes both free throws.
1st (17) - Snider with a jump shot then Bam with the dunk.
1st (17) - Johnson with the layup then Monk with the fast break layup.
1st (18) - Mitchell hits a corner three. Then Monk was fouled on a dunk attempt. He makes both free throws.
1st (18) - Briscoe is headed to the line, he makes both.
1st (18) Fox opens the game with a layup.
1sr (20) - Here we go! UK wins the tip.
Louisville will don their white (iced) out short sleeve uniforms tonight as Kentucky will wear their blue uniforms.
Donovan Mitchell will be the player to watch for the Cardinals as he leads UofL in scoring with 11.7 points and will be looked on to defending ether Malik Monk or De'Aaron Fox the entire night.
Malik Monk will be the player to watch for Kentucky. He is averaging 21.9 PPG and the Wildcats need another big game out of him.
It's offically one hour until tip-off! The line is currently even here between the Cards and Cats.
Don't forget to follow this article an hour before tipoff as I will be live from the KFC Yum! Center to give you updates and play by play of tonight's Battle of the Bluegrass.
Prediction: Some people are choosing Kentucky by double digits but the line now stands as even. Kentucky has the advantage in scoring and the guard position but Louisville has the better coach and big man depth. It helps that Louisville also has the best defense in the country considered by many. Kentucky wins the game tonight though with a score of 72-66.
Spalding will be the x-factor today in the post as his length will allow him to make the Wildcats uncomfortable all game long. He can step out and guard the perimeter and might be put on either Fox or Monk at times to get a long arm in their face. Spalding doesn't start but still plays 20 minutes per game. Kentucky has the best big man between either team with Bam Adebayo but Louisville has by the far the best big man rotation.
Louisville has the advantage in the paint. The Cardinals play five big men in their rotation with Johnson, Mathiang, Spalding, Mahmoud and Stockman. All are solid shot blockers and can provide problems in the paint for the smaller Wildcats.
Quentin Snider has to be efficient scoring for Louisville. Snider will have the task of being guarded by either Isaiah Briscoe or De'Aaron Fox. Both players should cause problems for Snider but the Cardinals need him to be on the top of his game. He's a solid floor general but can take ill advised shots. He only shoots 32% from the field (worse than I thought) and 33% from beyond the arc but Pitino will be giving him the green light. What he does best though, is he doesn't turn the ball over. He only turns it over 1.2 times per game. Snider is one of the two captains on Louisville and needs to step up today for the Cardinals to really have a chance to win tonight against the 6th ranked Wildcats.
When Louisville plays man, they should have Deng Adel defend him. He is a lengthy defender that is going to be one of the most athletic players on the court. Adel should have no problem keeping up with him but he has to keep a hand up the entire time to try to force him to take bad shots (are there really any shots that are bad for him?)
Louisville must stop Malik Monk from scoring more than 20 points. It's easier said than done as Monk averages 21.9 PPG and had 47 points last game against North Carolina. He's been the most electric scorer in college basketball so far this year and UofL will have a tough time stopping him.
Today, the Battle of the Bluegrass will be renewed as the Kentucky Wildcats will travel to the KFC Yum Center to take on their instate rival, the Louisville Cardinals. Kentucky has owned the rivalry as of late but tonight should provide the Wildcats with an interesting test. Follow this article tonight an hour before top-off for more analysis and a live play by play of today’s game. Here's some keys to today's game and how Louisville should attack the matchup.