LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Clearly, No. 19 Kentucky or Louisville shall be happy with profitable their showdown if solely as a result of feel-good moments have been scarce this season for the in-state archrivals.

On steadiness, the host Wildcats (8-4) have celebrated greater than the rebuilding Cardinals (2-11), who appear headed for a traditionally terrible end beneath rookie coach Kenny Payne, a former longtime Kentucky assistant. However that is probably not saying a lot for Kentucky, which is coming off a 89-75 Southeastern Convention loss at unranked Missouri and has overwhelmed only one high quality opponent (Michigan) amongst 4.

Higher was anticipated from the Wildcats after beginning the season ranked fourth whereas welcoming again senior Oscar Tshiebwe, final season’s consensus nationwide participant of the yr. The 6-foot-9 ahead continues to be a double-double machine (15.8 factors, 13.6 rebounds per sport) regardless of lacking all the preseason and first two video games following an October process on his proper knee.

That simply hasn’t been sufficient for the Wildcats, who’ve been outplayed by Gonzaga, UCLA and Mizzou, which led for 38:51 in Columbia.

”I do know I’ve bought a great crew,” coach John Calipari stated Friday. ”We’re not there but, we’re not enjoying that method. However the mentality of that is as large as all the opposite stuff.

”We have got to be bodily on tune, however simply as necessary, mentally. You have bought guys that needs to be enjoying higher that are not. So, that is my duty to determine why aren’t they enjoying higher. … For them and for us.”

Whereas there’s loads of time to enhance, the thrill round Saturday’s nationally televised battle for Bluegrass supremacy at Rupp Area is considerably muted. The winner offers its fan base bragging rights, however the euphoria may very well be non permanent due to each groups’ disappointing begins.

Not way back, this showdown was a tricky ticket and must-see TV in a hoops-crazed state identified for drawing a number of the nation’s highest viewership. Kentucky followers particularly reveled in jeering the Cardinals and then-coach Rick Pitino, who had lifted the Wildcats from NCAA sanctions within the early Nineteen Nineties to their seventh title in 1996 after which received a championship with Louisville in 2013.

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Pitino has since moved on to Iona, and this system that fired him in 2017 has but to generate the identical animosity with David Padgett, Chris Mack or Payne – except the Cardinals pull off a miracle.

”Neither fan base is worked up in any respect,” longtime Lexington broadcaster Dick Gabriel stated. ”Prior to now, typically, at the least one fan base has been fired up. For some time there it was Louisville and for some time there it was Kentucky. And it is all the time been at its finest once they each have issues to be pleased about.

”However, neither fan base has something to be cheerful about proper now. So there’s simply form of a darkish cloud over this sport.”

If that is not discouraging sufficient, Large Blue Nation should select between watching the rivals conflict or Wildcats soccer, of all issues. Kentucky will face Iowa for the second consecutive postseason within the Music Metropolis Bowl in Nashville and with a midday kickoff, the identical time the Wildcats and Cardinals tip off.

Payne labored for 10 years on Calipari’s employees however the former Cardinal is now making an attempt to information his alma mater again from a scandal-marred interval that the majority not too long ago landed this system within the NCAA’s crosshairs following a federal investigation of corruption in school basketball.

An impartial panel spared Louisville of main sanctions simply earlier than the season started. The unhealthy information is these 5 years of basketball purgatory whereas ready for an consequence has left this system in shambles.

One-point losses to Bellarmine, Wright State and Appalachian State contributed to an 0-9 begin that marked the worst starting for Louisville since 0-11 in 1941-42. There was a 12-point dwelling defeat to Lipscomb that symbolized Louisville’s deficiencies in each part together with cohesion.

Even with that, Payne has confused to gamers by way of private expertise how necessary beating their primary rival is for the varsity, the neighborhood – and their delight.

”I used to be lucky sufficient to be going to highschool right here once they stated it doesn’t matter what occurred within the common season, you beat Kentucky, you made your season,” Payne stated.

”The tradition that I got here from, earlier than we play video games, a bunch of gamers bought collectively and talked (and stated), `In the event you do not play nicely, you are not consuming the pregame meal,”’ he recalled. ”Pervis (Ellison, the 1986 Ultimate 4 MVP) would go and take the plate and throw it within the trash. That is the atmosphere that I grew up right here with Louisville basketball. There’s the care issue that I grew up with.”

Louisville stays an enormous underdog as it really works to jell. However a season after being ousted within the NCAA Event’s first spherical by No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s, Kentucky is dealing with its personal rotation and chemistry challenges.

Missouri totally overwhelmed the Wildcats, whose solely vivid spot was outrebounding the Tigers 37-28 because of Tshiebwe’s 19 boards to together with 23 factors. Kentucky has misplaced two of three and will fall out of the AP High 25 it doesn’t matter what occurs towards Louisville.

In any occasion, the hope is that the rivalry sport gives incentive to enhance and a few optimism, issues that each colleges want proper now.

”I anticipate it to be an absolute struggle,” Calipari stated. ”They’re coming in with the mentality (that) they are going to win the sport. Do not anticipate it to be one thing straightforward.”

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