Top 5 Kentucky vs Louisville matchups - Deep dive into one of college basketball's best rivalries
For the 57th time in men's basketball history, the Kentucky Wildcats will play against the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. ET at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Wildcats have a significant edge over the Cardinals, boasting a record of 39-17 in the matchups. Kentucky has gotten victories in five of the last seven encounters, winning the two most recent games by double-digit margins.
Whether it's the regular season or the NCAA Tournament, the rivalry between the two programs runs deep, having remained strong since the 1910s. They have played each other in the NCAA Tournament six times, seeing their stars shine in the national spotlight as fans watched history be made.
Here are the five best games that have occurred between the Wildcats and Cardinals over the years:
Top 5 clashes in Kentucky vs Louisville rivalry over the decades
5. 1951 Sweet 16
What better way to go through the programs' histories than to go back to their first encounter in the NCAA Tournament in the 1950s?
Kentucky was ranked the best in the country at the time, winning the initial tournament matchup by a score of 79-68 in the Sweet 16.
A relic of its time, 1950s basketball had no 3-point line, as every made shot counted as two points except for free throws. Shelby Linville had 22 points and 10 rebounds, future NBA Hall of Famer Frank Ramsey put up 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Cliff Hagan provided eight points and 12 rebounds to lead Kentucky to victory.
4. 1984 Sweet 16
Fast forward a few decades later, Kentucky and Louisville played against each other in the 1959 Sweet 16 as they would not see each other again until the 1980s.
With this being the second encounter the teams had against one another in the NCAA Tournament throughout the decade, this matchup featured a game that went down to the wire until the Wildcats emerged victorious with a 72-67 win.
The 3-point line has not appeared yet for college basketball, even though the NBA implemented it in the 1979-80 season. Louisville had two 20-point scorers with Lancaster Gordon and Milt Wagner, but Kentucky had four players who scored in double-digits, winning the second half 40-31 after trailing 32-36 at halftime.
3. 2014 Sweet 16
Going to a more modern era of basketball, this game featured the most recent encounter between the two teams in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
The programs had a combined record of 58-16 going into the matchup, showcasing their prowess as two of the best teams in the country. However, only one would emerge superior as Kentucky beat four-seed Louisville as the eight-seed. Even though the Cardinals led 34-31 at the break, the Wildcats took control in the second half by winning 43-35 in the last 20 minutes.
Four players scored in double-digits for the Wildcats, with future NBA star Julius Randle putting up a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. On the other side, future NBA player Montrezl Harrell finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
2. 1983 Elite Eight
The first matchup the Wildcats and Cardinals had in the 1980s, this one took place in the Elite Eight of the 1983 NCAA Tournament.
In the third matchup at the tournament level, the Cardinals got the second victory by an 80-68 score that went into overtime. Both teams were neck-and-neck throughout regulation, but Louisville ignited an 18-6 run to prevail over the Kentucky.
Lancaster Gordon led the Cardinals in scoring with 24 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field. Milt Wagner provided 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Rodney McCray put up 15 points and eight rebounds, while Charles Jones finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Kentucky finished as the runner-up in the championship game, losing to UConn.
1. 2012 Final Four
The furthest in the NCAA Tournament that both teams played each other was the Final Four in 2012.
Both squads had 30 or more wins in their record going into this anticipated matchup, as Kentucky boasted a starting lineup that all went on to play in the NBA. Notable names are future All-Star Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, and Marquis Teague while having Darius Miller off the bench. Louisville, too, had players that reached the NBA, namely Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, and Chris Smith.
The 3-point line was not used frequently, only combining for 18 attempts, but one team used the inside game more effectively en route to the 69-61 win. Kentucky shot 57.1% from the field on 49 attempts, while Louisville went below 35% on 58 tries.
Davis put up a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds with five blocks. Miller had 13 points off the bench, and Doron Lamb provided 10 points. Kentucky would go on to win the national championship, beating Kansas 67-59 as Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist became the top two picks of the 2012 NBA Draft.