LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The rivalry game has arrived. Already. Louisville and Kentucky are still nearly three weeks away from renewing their football series, but they'll square off on the basketball court for their earliest meeting ever Tuesday night in the KFC Yum! Center.
Both teams are 2-0 with blowout wins to start the regular season, and both are ranked in the AP Top 25 heading into their annual showdown for the first time since 2019. Kentucky opened at No. 9 in the AP preseason poll, Louisville at No. 11. A new poll will be released Monday afternoon.
In the analytics rankings, the teams land all over the map. Kentucky is ranked No. 1 by Ken Pomeroy, No. 9 by ESPN's BPI, and No. 11 by Bart Torvik. Louisville checks in at No. 3 in the BPI, No. 7 in Torvik's rankings, and No. 11 in KenPom.
As of Sunday, FanDuel listed Louisville as a 3.5-point favorite. Most sportsbooks had yet to post a line.
Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford
The matchup offers a clash of similar styles and strengths. According to KenPom, Kentucky ranks fourth nationally in defensive efficiency. Louisville is third in offensive efficiency per BPI. The Wildcats are also No. 11 in offensive efficiency, while Louisville is 34th defensively.
Tempo could be a factor, too. Louisville has the second-shortest average possession length in the country at 12.8 seconds. Kentucky isn't far behind at 15.5.
"In-state rivalry games are always fun and exciting, and we can't wait to get to it," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after his team's win over Valparaiso. "... It's just a beautiful thing. Great game after great game after great game. And this is certainly a big one, just like they all are."
Louisville players say they feel the weight of the rivalry from the moment they arrive on campus, sometimes even before.
"I feel like you can't even walk around the city of Louisville without somebody telling you to beat UK, right?" forward Kasean Pryor said. "Even when I got here last year with the Revi-ville team, maybe in the first week 2,000 people told me, 'Beat UK. We don't care about anything else.'"
The Cardinals have lost 10 of the past 12 meetings in the series and are seeking their first win since 2020.
Kentucky won last season's game, 93-85, at Rupp Arena, behind a 33-point, 10-10 shooting performance from guard Lamont Butler.
So far this season, the Wildcats have been led by Collin Chandler (14.5 ppg) and preseason SEC Player of the Year Otega Oweh (14.0 ppg). Seven Kentucky players are averaging double figures, though the Cats are just 18-for-55 (32.7%) from three-point range through two games.
Louisville has six players in double figures, led by sophomore forward Khani Rooths (18.0 ppg). Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell is averaging 15.5 points, while freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. has chipped in 14.5 points and 7.5 assists per game.
"I'm very well aware how much it means," Kelsey said of the rivalry after his team's win over Jackson State on Thursday night. "... It means a ton to their fan base. It means a ton to our fan base. It means a ton for college basketball. That rivalry is very important to college basketball and it's one of the things that makes college basketball great, are great rivalries. I didn't need to say much to our guys in the locker room afterwards They know the deal. So it's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere here at the Yum! Center."
Pryor raised a few eyebrows when he told reporters, "See you Tuesday, after a win," while leaving the podium after Thursday's win.
"Oh yeah, you know just the same old rivalry that took place last year," Kentucky center Brandon Garrison said. "We're going to go in there and take it as another game. You know it's one of the biggest games, they always talking about it, just go in there and not overdo nothing, just doing us and just coming out with a win."
HOW TO WATCH: Kentucky at Louisville
DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025
TIME: 8 p.m.
VENUE: KFC Yum! Center (22,090), Louisville, Ky.
TV: ESPN (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas). Streaming: ESPN App. Note: The dispute between Disney and YouTube TV is ongoing, meaning subscribers to that service may not have access to the game. Other providers, such as Fubo or Hulu Plus, as well as cable TV providers, will have the broadcast.
RADIO: Cardinal Sports Network (Paul Rogers, Bob Valvano), Kentucky Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jack Givens). Streaming audio: Louisville broadcast is available via the ESPN Louisville app. Kentucky's is available at UKAthletics.com or via the iHeart radio app.
SERIES: Kentucky leads 40-17 (14-10 in Louisville, 22-5 in Lexington, 4-2 neutral)
LAST MEETING: Kentucky won 93-85 last year in Lexington behind a 33-point effort from point guard Lamont Butler.
COACHES: Kentucky's Mark Pope is 26-12 in his second season at UK and 213-120 in his 11th season overall. Louisville's Pat Kelsey is 29-8 in his second season at U of L and 290-130 in his 14th season overall.
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