Ayrton Oneill
The Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats have one of the best rivalries in college basketball. The two teams first played against each other in 1913 but stopped playing each other in the 1920s, only meeting occasionally until they faced off in the 1983 NCAA tournament. Since then, the two teams have met annually. The Kentucky–Louisville rivalry is particularly intense because the two schools have consistently been among the nation's elite men's basketball teams for most of the last 50 years. In the latest rankings before the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Louisville was ranked No. 10, while Kentucky was ranked No. 18.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the game | December 30, 2019 |
| Winner | University of Kentucky |
| Final score | 78-70 |
| Game duration | Overtime |
| Location | Rupp Arena |
| University of Louisville ranking before the game | No. 3 |
| University of Kentucky ranking before the game | No. 19 |
| University of Louisville ranking after the game | N/A |
| University of Kentucky ranking after the game | No. 17 |
| Rivalry ranking by College basketball analyst Andy Katz | 2nd |
| Rivalry ranking by Bleacher Report | 2nd |
| Rivalry ranking by Dick Vitale | 3rd |
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What You'll Learn
Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team history
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team has a rich history of success, with a long list of achievements and accolades to its name. The team represents the University of Louisville in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) of NCAA Division I.
The Cardinals have officially won two NCAA championships (in 1980 and 1986) and have made eight Final Four appearances. The team has a strong tradition of winning, with 46 consecutive winning seasons from 1944 to 1990, which is an NCAA record. This includes winning 20 or more games on 31 occasions during that period. The Cardinals have made 42 NCAA Tournament appearances, which is 5th all-time, and have compiled 61 tournament wins. They have also won 19 conference tournament championships and are consistently ranked as one of the top college basketball programs in the nation.
The Cardinals have produced many notable players over the years, including All-American Charlie Tyra, who led the team to its first NIT title in 1956. Other notable alumni include Francisco Garcia, who earned All-America status in 2005, and Derrick Caracter, Terrence Williams, and Earl Clark, who were all chosen in the first round of the NBA Draft in 2009.
However, the program has also faced some scandals and setbacks. In 2015, it was revealed that a former staffer had paid for strippers and prostitutes for players and recruits, resulting in the vacating of over 120 wins, including the 2013 national title. In 2017, head coach Rick Pitino was fired after a corruption scandal involving under-the-table payments to recruits came to light. Despite these controversies, the Louisville Cardinals remain a prominent and respected college basketball program with a proud history.
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Kentucky-Louisville rivalry
The Kentucky-Louisville rivalry is one of the most intense and passionate rivalries in the NCAA, especially in men's college basketball. The rivalry is between the University of Kentucky Wildcats (Kentucky) and the University of Louisville Cardinals (Louisville). The two schools have consistently been among the nation's elite men's basketball teams for most of the last 50 years. Both schools are also two of the most victorious programs in NCAA men's basketball history; Kentucky is first on the list of all-time winningest programs in Division I Men's Basketball and Louisville is 30th. Kentucky has eight national championships and Louisville has three, one having been vacated by the NCAA.
The intensity of the rivalry is in part due to the proximity of the two schools and the commonwealth of Kentucky's interest in college sports. The rivalry was further fuelled when Rick Pitino was hired as Louisville's head coach in 2001, having served in the same role with Kentucky from 1989 to 1997. The two teams first played each other in 1913 but stopped playing each other in the 1920s, playing only twelve times between 1913 and 1983. The rivalry was generally dormant until the teams met in the 1983 NCAA tournament. The Bluegrass Sports Commission (BSC) names the Most Valuable Player of the men's basketball game between the two universities.
The Governor's Cup is a trophy awarded to the victor of the annual college football game between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville in the commonwealth of Kentucky. It is also used as a reference to the rivalry itself. The teams first played in 1912, but only played six times until the rivalry was suspended after the 1924 season and wasn't renewed for another 70 years. The rivalry resumed in 1994 with a new Governor's Cup trophy, which has been awarded every year since. Kentucky leads the series 19-16. Since the modern series started in 1994, Louisville leads 16-13.
In the 2024-25 season, the University of Louisville men's basketball program was voted into the Top 10 of the Associated Press basketball poll for the first time in five years. They were ranked No. 10, while Kentucky was ranked No. 18.
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Louisville Cardinals players in the NBA
The University of Louisville's men's basketball team, the Cardinals, were ranked 10th in the final AP poll before the 2025 NCAA Tournament—their highest ranking since 2017. They faced a No. 9 seed Creighton team in the first game of the tournament.
The Cardinals have had several notable players over the years, including current and former NBA players. Some of the best Louisville Cardinals basketball players of all time include:
- Wes Unseld
- Darrell Griffith
- Donovan Mitchell
- Rodney McCray
- Billy Thompson
- Darius Perry
- Quentin Snider
- V. J. King
- Raymond Spalding
- Anas Mahmoud
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Louisville Cardinals coach Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino was the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team from 2001 until 2017. During his tenure, Pitino led the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament in 12 of 15 seasons, reaching the Elite Eight six times and the Final Four three times (2005, 2012, and 2013). His teams won six conference tournament championships and four regular-season titles. In 2013, Pitino was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
However, Pitino's time at Louisville was also marked by several controversies. In 2010, he was involved in a sex scandal involving a waitress named Karen Sypher, which became public in 2009. While Sypher was accused of extortion and criminal wrongdoing, the story threatened Pitino's job as it involved an extramarital affair and initially, Sypher claimed the act was nonconsensual. Pitino admitted to the encounter but stated it was consensual.
In 2017, Pitino was implicated in a corruption scandal involving multiple schools. Louisville was accused of providing improper benefits to players, including sexual acts, and was placed on unpaid administrative leave. The NCAA vacated Louisville's 2013 national championship and other wins from 2011 to 2015 due to ineligible players. Pitino was ultimately fired from his position as head coach in October 2017.
After his departure from Louisville, Pitino has since found success as a coach at St. John's, leading them to their first outright regular-season title in 40 years and becoming legitimate Final Four contenders.
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Louisville Cardinals NCAA tournament appearances
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team has a rich history in the NCAA Tournament. The team, representing the University of Louisville in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) of NCAA Division I, has made 39 official NCAA tournament appearances, with 61 tournament wins.
The Cardinals first reached the NCAA Final Four in 1959, led by the stellar play of All-American Don Goldstein. This was the beginning of a remarkable run of success for the program, as they went on to officially win two NCAA championships (in 1980 and 1986) and make eight Final Four appearances (although the 2012 and 2013 appearances were later vacated).
The team's success in the NCAA Tournament is closely linked with the legendary coach Denny Crum. In his first season, Crum guided the Cardinals to the Final Four, becoming the first coach to achieve this feat in his debut season. During his tenure, the Cardinals reached the Final Four on six occasions (1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1986), winning the championship twice. Crum's impressive record of 23 NCAA Tournament appearances with the Cardinals further solidified his status as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.
In more recent years, the Louisville Cardinals have continued to make appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In 2017, the team entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed but fell short, losing to Michigan in the second round. In 2019, under the leadership of coach Chris Mack, the Cardinals recruited a top-tier class, including a 5-star player and four 4-star players. However, their only NCAA Tournament appearance under Mack was short-lived. In 2022, the university mutually agreed to part ways with Mack, and Kenny Payne was signed as the new head coach. Despite a challenging first season, Payne was given another year but was ultimately released in 2024 after a disappointing two-year record. The university then appointed Pat Kelsey as the new head coach, signing a five-year contract.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Louisville's men's basketball team, the Louisville Cardinals, was ranked #10 in the final AP poll before the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
This ranking is the highest for the Louisville Cardinals since 2017, when they were also ranked #10.
The University of Kentucky's men's basketball team, the Kentucky Wildcats, finished the regular season at #18.
The rivalry between the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky has been ranked as the second-best rivalry in college basketball.
The two teams first played each other in 1913 but only played twelve times between 1913 and 1983. They have played each year since 1983, and Kentucky leads the all-time series at 39-17.
