A Comprehensive Look at Louisville’s Wins vs. Kentucky Since 2009 (Don't Blink)

by: Drew Franklin16 hours agoDrewFranklinKSR

chris-mack-louisville — Dec 26, 2020; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Chris Mack reacts after a call by an official during a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Utterback/Louisville Courier-Journal-Imagn Images

The Battle of the Bluegrass is quickly approaching. Soon, Kentucky and Louisville will play out their annual basketball rivalry game, although this year’s matchup comes much earlier than usual. Still, it’s one of college basketball’s great rivalries, and it deserves a look from both sides.

As a Kentucky fan site, we typically celebrate only Kentucky’s successes, but in the spirit of fairness, let’s turn our attention to Louisville with a spotlight on the Cards’ best wins in the modern era. We usually spend this week poking fun at Louisville, but today, we’re putting down our internet swords to recognize the other side’s achievements in the series.

Here is a definitive ranking of Louisville’s wins over Kentucky since 2009, limited strictly to those that remain in the official NCAA record book.

1. December 21, 2016 (Louisville 73, Kentucky 70)

Dec 21, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Quentin Snider (4) looks to pass against Kentucky Wildcats guard De’Aaron Fox (0) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Kentucky 73-70. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

John Calipari’s 2016-17 team was considered one of his best in Lexington, but that star-studded group couldn’t beat Louisville. Rick Pitino’s Cards won a Wednesday night rivalry game four nights before Christmas 2016, led by Quentin Snider, Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, and Jaylen Johnson. Snider had a career game with 22 points.

Kentucky‘s beloved Fox-Monk-Bam trio combined for 38 points in the loss. Monk had a shot to tie it, but missed his mark in the end.

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2. December 26, 2020 (Louisville 62, Kentucky 59)

Dec 26, 2020; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Devin Askew (2) passes the ball to guard Brandon Boston Jr. (3) against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Utterback/Louisville Courier-Journal-USA TODAY Sports

Some call it the best game of the Chris Mack era at Louisville, certainly the best during the pandemic. Louisville and Kentucky were tied with 18 seconds to go, when Louisville’s Dre Davis drew a foul and made one of two free throws, giving the Cards the narrow lead and a reason to believe in a near-empty KFC Yum! Center because of COVID restrictions. Carlik Jones would tack on two more free throws with five seconds left to give Louisville a 62-59 victory. The loss moved Kentucky to 1-6 that season.

And that’s the list. Two memories that will last a lifetime for Louisville fans, ranked. Otherwise, Kentucky has averaged a double-digit win over Louisville for nearly a decade and a half, with its only two losses decided by one shot each. They may tell you about a third win in December 2012 (also by three points), but we respect the law of the NCAA around here and do not recognize cheaters.