Instant Analysis | UK 58, U of L 50
Well, someone had to lose, right? Kentucky came in ranked No. 1 in the nation and lived up to that billing, making Louisville's offense look awfully lost at times in a 58-50 win at the KFC Yum! Center.
UK (13-0) did just enough on offense to pull away in the second half as Louisville (11-1) continued its inconsistent offensive ways.
Still, the game had everything: An intense atmosphere, celebrity appearances and the feel of a Final Four-type game.
A few quick thoughts from Kentucky's win over Louisville:
Tyler Ulis is the difference. The buildup to this game was mostly about the big guys -- Montrezl Harrell vs. UK's platoon of potential first-round post players. But it was the diminutive Ulis who made the difference, handling Louisville's pressure and directing things on offense. He made two killer jumpers down the stretch that put Kentucky ahead by double digits, and that was enough to hold off a late Louisville push in the final few minutes. Ulis, a freshman, didn't have that impressive of a stat line -- just 14 points, two assists and one rebound -- but his 12 second-half points really sparked UK.
STILL PERFECT: No. 1 Cats too much for cold-shooting Cards, 58-50
WHAT WE LEARNED: Adam Himmelsbach breaks down UK's win
GAME REWIND: Tweets, videos, analysis as it happened
Guard struggles for Louisville. To contrast, there was a point in the second half when Chris Jones and Terry Rozier were a combined 6 of 30 from the field, with one made 3-pointer and one assist between the two of them. That they kept things within arm's length is a testament to their defense. Jones was a terrific on-ball defender all game, getting deflections and harrying UK's ball handlers, especially in the first half. Rozier did his part, too. But for Louisville to win big games this year, one or both of those two has to score and make jump shots. They finished 8 of 33 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3, with 28 hard-earned points and just one assist.
Harrell and Cauley-Stein. Can we get a refund? Or maybe reschedule this one? Harrell somehow disappeared in the second half. He only attempted nine shots, and he couldn't find the ball in the second half. UK doubled him in the post and helped as soon as he caught entry passes, which made it awfully tough for the 6-foot-8 All-American to operate. He didn't seem nearly as assertive as he has in the past. And Cauley-Stein, probably the best interior defender in the country, had four fouls and sat for most of the second half. He had his moments, but I'd love to see a rematch in the future. The guards stole the show today.