LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The atmosphere within KFC Yum! Center alternated between elation and excitement Tuesday, shifting attitudes to match the big moments and stakes of an oddly timed rivalry game in No. 12 Louisville’s 96-88 win over No. 9 Kentucky.
When Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. hit his third 3-pointer of the first half to give the Cardinals an 18-point lead, there was elation from the heavily pro-Cards crowd.
As Kentucky struck back with an 18-7 run to end the half, the pendulum shifted back to tension as “go big blue” chants rose from the pockets of Kentucky faithful scattered across enemy territory.
In the very first meeting between these bitter enemies in the state, it was difficult to decipher what was real, what was fake and who could be trusted. Brown certainly looked like the real deal in his first regular season game on the big stage.
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Could he hold up in such an electric environment against an opponent of such a high caliber?
The answer turned out to be an emphatic yes, as No. 12 Louisville withstood the No. 9 Wildcats’ comeback attempt by 29 points behind their five-star guard.
It ended Louisville’s three-game losing streak in the rivalry and gave the Cardinals a big early-season win in the first top-15 showdown between the teams since the 2016-17 season.
Cardinals pass early season test
What was typically a late-December midterm for Kentucky and Louisville culminated in a high-octane entrance exam to determine who had earned an early-season ticket to the sport’s contending class. At the end of the ride there were insights about both teams.
Louisville’s offense is undeniably the real deal. The Cardinals hit 40 3-pointers and drilled 13 for the second time in coach Pat Kelsey’s two seasons. They also tallied 20 assists for the second time under Kelsey and tore apart a Kentucky defense that has a long road to competency.
“We just knew we were dealing with a problem that we hadn’t found a good solution for in practice,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said, “and it certainly showed on the court tonight.”
The Cardinals defense, while imperfect, forced 14 turnovers and neutralized the impact of All-American guard Otega Oweh in Kentucky’s preseason.
Brown is in the running for Freshman of the Year
If either team gets an All-American, the smart money is on Brown.
The No. 6 prospect in the Class of 2025 showed he won’t take a backseat to anyone in the discussion surrounding college basketball’s blockbuster freshman class.
Brown pushed the Cardinals’ lead to 20 with a pair of free throws with 12:24 remaining, sparking another wave of elation from the heavily pro-Louisville crowd of 22,586. But then the tension seeped in again as Kentucky cut the deficit to 88-84 going into the final media timeout.
‘Go big blue’ returned as fans of both colors stood. With just over two weeks until Thanksgiving, it felt like March.
There is work to be done for Kentucky
Kentucky is an unfinished product still gathering offensive chemistry with point guard Jaland Lowe, who suffered a shoulder injury last month that kept him out of action until last week’s win over Valparaiso. But the Wildcats showed their offensive potential against Louisville, twice roaring back from a deficit of more than 18 points to make Louisville earn it.
Neither team had played a skilled opponent in the regular season, but here they were 18 days before their football match was fought on the hardwood.
With the game on the line, Brown once again delivered. His and-one with 2:52 remaining increased Louisville’s lead to 91-84 and provided the critical separation the Cardinals needed to ensure all the elation and excitement didn’t end in stunning disappointment.
Brown held the basketball in his hands as the buzzer sounded.
“My goodness, he was special tonight,” Kelsey said.
Kelsey makes a sore point
The wave of elation after the game sent Kelsey on a joyous postgame romp through the Cardinals’ student section. It didn’t stop there.
Louisville’s infectiously energetic second-year coach apparently elevated the celebration even further when he ventured onto the team’s practice court to question the Cardinals’ staff before they entered the locker room to speak to the team.
“As soon as I walked in, those guys started running towards me and chasing me,” Kelsey said. “You know how sometimes a guy gets a walk-off home run and everyone’s heckling him and he’s just running around the field?”
The celebratory scene ended with Kelsey dislocating a finger and arriving at his post-match press conference in a splint.
He didn’t seem to mind.
“There was so much adrenaline going through my body,” Kelsey said, “that I didn’t feel anything when the doctor pulled that thing.”
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