Kentucky vs. Louisville: Preview, prediction, TV schedule

The Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals are set for a showdown in Rupp Arena on Friday afternoon, but who comes out on top?

TV Schedule: Friday, Dec. 29, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Arena: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky

One of the most storied rivalries in college basketball might have a lot more than pride and NCAA Tournament seeding on the line this season, as the unranked Louisville Cardinals will travel to Rupp Arena to face off with the No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats after what has been a tumultuous season, to say the least.

Louisville came into 2017-18 with high expectations and were expected to be a National Championship contender, but an FBI investigation led to the dismissal of longtime coach Rick Pitino and the loss of elite recruit Brian Bowen. This turn of events did not mean that all was lost for the Cardinals, however, as they boasted a solid but not impossible non-conference slate (or Georgetown-soft for that matter) and have only lost two games so far.

A marquee win is all this team is really missing on the season, and Louisville will have a chance to get just that on the road against Kentucky.

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The ultra-talented Wildcats have looked a bit shakier than most expected them to be coming into the season but still sit at 9-2 with their lone losses coming to the Kansas Jayhawks and the UCLA Bruins. The Wildcats are still figuring out their identity and rotation, and, like always, will not be a team anyone wants to play in March.

That being said, Kentucky is vulnerable this season. Unfortunately for Louisville, the Cardinals are catching the Wildcats right after a disappointing loss to the Bruins.

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John Calipari will have this team firing on all cylinders in the hopes of bouncing back against a rival like Louisville, and, although I think Deng Adel and Quentin Snider have great games, the Wildcats limit the rest of the team and end the afternoon with a much-needed bounce-back victory.

Prediction: Kentucky 78, Louisville 70