This year’s edition of one of the nation’s best rivalries sees Kentucky heading to Louisville; can the Wildcats get another road win or do the Cardinals persevere at home?
TV schedule: Tuesday, November 11, 8:00 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky
When looking at the roster that Kentucky (2-0) has put together you’ll see a lot of talent and potential.
Wildcats Loaded with Talent and Depth
The Wildcats, fresh off last season’s Sweet Sixteen, added a ton of new faces and should be even better this season. They faced virtually no issues in a pair of home games against mid-majors last week, allowing quite a balanced amount of production from this lineup.
Brilliant work last season from Otega Oweh (14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) should continue into this year, as the Wildcats’ leading scorer from a year ago is off to an acceptably solid start. Freshman center Malachi Moreno (11.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg) has been a spark early with his production as the 7-footer looks to carve out a bigger role for himself. Sophomore guard Collin Chandler (14.5 ppg, 4.0 apg) was also brilliant in the season’s opening week, though we could easily mention half a dozen other players whose early work has stood out.
Although the Wildcats started the season #9 in the national rankings, they currently find themselves atop the KenPom ratings. We were never going to learn much against Nicholls or Valparaiso, but the Wildcats’ defense was sensational and they got great production from nearly every corner of this lineup. It’ll be interesting to see who earns Mark Pope’s trust in certain situations this season.
Louisville Ready to Prove It Belongs Among the Elite
The story across the court is just as stellar, as Louisville (2-0) enters year two under Pat Kelsey hoping to make even more of a national impact. The Cardinals were the story of last season, but a veteran-laden lineup shed a number of pieces. Thanks to new freshmen and transfers, this version of the Cardinals looks just as dynamic, scoring over 100 points in their first two matchups of the young season.
We’ve really seen sophomore Khani Rooths (18.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg) put together some sensational production in this frontcourt and it’ll be interesting to see how the underclassman handles a bigger opposing lineup. Freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. (14.5 ppg, 7.5 apg) has been just about everything Louisville expected in the early going. We’ll have to see the condition of J’Vonne Hadley, Louisville’s starter who had 13 points and 9 rebounds on opening night before missing their last game with a concussion.
Louisville’s preseason ranking in the AP Top 25 was #11 and that’s right where they come in at KenPom, sitting 11th in the most recent update. This is a very talented offense fresh off those 100-point performances and with the ability to make things happen at every level. Rooths has been a revelation but this team added several great shooters into the mix that will all likely have a hand in this long season.
Rivalry Fire Rekindled in the Bluegrass
One of the sport’s most passionate rivalries has solely belonged to Kentucky in recent memory, as the Wildcats have won all but three of these matchups since 2010. This edition of the Cardinals is much better than some of those recent units and are looking to make up for lost time, including last season’s 8-point Kentucky win in Lexington.
Not only do the Cardinals have the homecourt advantage, but they’re a better shooting team. Leaning on those new faces like Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely to hit outside shots can be the difference maker against the Wildcats. On the other side, Kentucky has owned the paint early this season and that’s how they make their mark and can win this one on the road. We’re riding with the home team to break the current streak, but don’t be surprised if this becomes a thriller, especially with the recent blood between these coaches.