KSR Today: No better feeling...

On3 imageby:Zack Geoghegan•11/28/21•

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Over the last three Governor’s Cups, Kentucky has outscored Louisville by a combined total of 153-44; that’s an average final score of 51-14. This rivalry hasn’t been rivalr-ing all that much as of late. Which is exactly how we prefer it around these parts. The day after beating Louisville is unlike any feeling a Kentucky fan can experience.

Kentucky won its ninth regular-season game of the 2021 season on Saturday (finishing 9-3), smashing the Dirty Birds by a satisfying count of 52-21. Will Levis turned into Barry Sanders, racking up 113 yards and four rushing touchdowns, which tied a program record. He wasn’t too shabby through the air, either. Levis tacked on another 149 yards on 14-18 passing with zero interceptions.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. looked true to form, as well. He ripped off 121 rushing yards and a score against an ever-struggling Louisville defense. C-Rod now holds eight 100-yard rushing outings this season, which ties a school record. And oh yeah, Wan’Dale Robinson caught nine balls for 97 yards, giving him the most receptions ever by one Wildcat in a single season with 94.

Again, this was a very fun night.

As Kentucky continued to tally up chunk plays, the Cardinals’ desire to even be in the stadium quickly evaporated. The ‘Cats punted just one time all evening. It was flat-out domination.

The UK defense wasn’t too shabby, either. UL posted just 21 points after dropping 41 against Syracuse and 62 against Duke in back-to-back weeks. Malik Cunningham looked very human, tossing for just 145 yards and a pick. A lot more difficult to perform when playing against a real team from a real conference, huh?

I could go on and on and on with more fun numbers and facts that will put a smile on your face, but I’ll let the rest of our KSR team do it for me. Check out everything you might have missed from another classic edition of this in-state rivalry.

Kentucky WBB tops La Salle

Let me start by saying that whoever scheduled this game should be punished until the end of time. Kentucky WBB was scheduled to play at home in an 8:30 p.m. tipoff on a Saturday on the exact same night that the Governor’s Cup falls, for a reason that I’m not sure exists.

But regardless, the ‘Cats went to work anyways, taking care of the La Salle Explorers by a score of 74-52. Robyn Benton was the star of the night, dropping season-highs in both points (17) and rebounds (7). Dre’Una Edwards led her squad in scoring with 22 on 8-11 shooting in addition to her 11 rebounds. Rhyne Howard was as steady as she always is, adding 16 points, six boards, and three assists.

Kentucky shot 44 percent from the floor and a solid 8-19 from 3-point range while holding La Salle to under 30 percent in both areas.

Kentucky Men’s Soccer in Sweet 16

We’ve got postseason action coming to the ACC Network (which you can access through the ESPN app) when the ninth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (15-1-4) continue their run in the NCAA Championship. Tonight features a third-round road match against the eighth-seeded Clemson Tigers (14-5) at 7 p.m. ET. 

After earning Conference USA’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, Kentucky kicked off the tournament in the second round with a 2-0 shutout of Santa Clara on Nov. 21. Lucca Rodrigues and Marcel Meinzer found the back of the net in the victory, while C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year Jan Hoffelner’s 12th clean sheet tied his former St. John’s teammate, Luka Gavran, for the national lead on the season. 

Clemson received its first-round bye in the NCAA Championship with an at-large selection to the 48-team field. The Tigers needed two overtime periods to secure a golden goal in the 108th minute of a 1-0 win over Denver last weekend. 

Kentucky and Clemson have each appeared in the Sweet 16 in three of the last four seasons. Sunday will mark the teams’ second all-time head-to-head meeting after the Wildcats dropped a 1-0 decision in triple overtime of the second round of the 2001 NCAA Championship in Clemson. 

VB Selection Show Watch Party

If the adrenaline still hasn’t slowed down and you’re looking for more Kentucky sports to cheer on, look no further. After sweeping a ranked Florida Gators squad in both matches this weekend, Kentucky Volleyball won another outright SEC championship, marking the fifth year in a row that Craig Skinner’s squad has at least won the league title or shared it.

As a result, the 2021 regular season has come to a close, which means it’s time to learn this team’s tournament fate. At 8:30 p.m. tonight, a watch party for the 2021 Selection Show will be held at Memorial Coliseum for the players and media. The event is closed to the public, but we’ll have up-to-date coverage as soon as it happens.

Something tells me the defending national champs will be near the top of the bracket once again.

‘Cats in the NFL: Week 12

1:00 (CBS): Falcons @ Jaguars (J. Allen)
1:00 (CBS): Bengals @ Steelers (B. Snell)
1:00 (FOX): Buccaneers @ Colts
1:00 (FOX): Panthers (P. Hoskins) @ Dolphins
1:00 (CBS): Titans @ Patriots
1:00 (FOX): Eagles @ Giants
1:00 (CBS): Jets @ Texans (L. Johnson)
4:05 (CBS): Chargers @ Broncos
4:25 (FOX): Rams @ Packers (R. Cobb)
4:25 (FOX): Vikings @ 49ers
8:20 (NBC): Browns @ Ravens (C. Westry)

Monday Night Football
8:15 (ESPN): Seahawks @ Washington (J. Davis)

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2024-04-18