Kentucky
The Ville vs La Familia score updates: Kentucky vs Louisville TBT game at Freedom Hall
The biggest game in the history of The Basketball Tournament is here.
Former Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats are at Freedom Hall and will face off at 9 p.m. for an opportunity to advance to TBT’s Final Four in Philadelphia. The winner of the tournament will claim its $1 million grand prize.
With bragging rights also on the line, the teams representing the Cards (The Ville) and Cats (La Familia) will play in front of a record-breaking TBT crowd of 11,000-plus at the Fairgrounds.
Courier Journal journalists C.L. Brown, Brooks Holton, Ryan Black and Clare Grant are at Freedom Hall and will have updates — here and on X, formerly Twitter — throughout the action and complete coverage after. You can follow them at @clbrownhoops, @brooksHolton, @RyanABlack and @ClareGPhotos.
The Ville went on a 15-6 run to close out the first half and cut La Familia’s lead to three.
Eric Bledsoe and Willie Cauley-Stein have a combined 17 points.
The Ville’s Chinanu Onuaku has eight points and 13 rebounds.
The announced attendance for tonight’s game between The Ville and La Familia at Freedom Hall was 13,506.
The previous TBT attendance record was 7,202.
Twelve-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul will be in the crowd for The Ville vs. La Familia tonight.
Paul is a co-owner of TBE Enterprises; which puts on TBT and The Soccer Tournament.
Paul, 39, is heading into his 20th season in the NBA. He recently signed to play for the San Antonio Spurs.
As of 7:45 p.m. Monday, La Familia was a five-point favorite (-115) over The Ville on DraftKings, which set an over-under line of 149.5 points (-115).
The money-line odds were La Familia (-215), The Ville (+165).
C.L. Brown: Louisville-Kentucky rivalry is unmatched. The Ville vs. La Familia latest example
Cards vs. Cats: Our mock draft using Louisville and Kentucky’s TBT rosters
‘Hungry to win’: Former U of L star Reece Gaines embracing opportunity to lead The Ville
Rivalry showdown set: The Ville wins Louisville regional championship
Column: The Ville is preview of energy Pat Kelsey will bring back to Louisville basketball
Wildcats win: La Familia claims Lexington regional title at Rupp Arena
La Familia vs. The Ville will air on FS1.
The La Familia/The Ville game will be livestreamed on the official TBT website, which can be accessed here.
You also can stream FS1 on Fubo, which offers a free trial here.
- Dillon Avare, a Lexington native who played at Louisville from 2014-16, then transferred to Eastern Kentucky for his final two seasons of eligibility. Avare logged five minutes during last year’s TBT.
- Chane Behanan, a physical forward from Cincinnati whose time with the Cards (2011-13) came to an abrupt end when he was dismissed from the program due to a failed drug test. Behanan finished second on The Ville in points (13.3) and rebounds (seven) per game last summer.
- Chris Dowe, a Louisville native who starred at Eastern High School before playing at Bellarmine from 2009-13. The 6-foot-2 guard played for The Ville last summer and averaged 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
- Montrezl Harrell, an eight-year NBA vet who was a freshman during U of L’s national championship run in 2013. Harrell missed the 2023-24 season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL and a meniscus tear in his right knee.
- David Johnson, a Louisville native whom the Toronto Raptors selected 47th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft after his sophomore year with the Cards. The Trinity High School grad spent the 2023-24 season playing for the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate.
- Chris Jones, who played for the Cards from 2013-15 and torched The Ville for 25 points last summer as a member of the Jackson TN Underdawgs. In May, Jones helped the London Lightning of Ontario win a third consecutive Basketball Super League title and received its Most Valuable Player award.
- Nick Mayo, a four-year starter at EKU from 2015-19 and a four-time member of the All-Ohio Valley Conference first team. The 6-9 forward played for The Ville last summer and won fans over with a thunderous, one-handed dunk worthy of a poster in the team’s first-round victory.
- Chinanu Onuaku, a 6-10 center who left U of L for the NBA after the 2015-16 season; during which he was named to the ACC’s All-Defensive team as a sophomore. Onuaku spent two years with the Houston Rockets and returns to The Ville after another stint with Santeros de Aguada in Puerto Rico.
- Omar Prewitt, a Mount Sterling native who played at William & Mary from 2013-17 and left as a top-five scorer in program history. The 6-7 wing had 13 points in 16 minutes during The Ville’s second-round win last summer.
- Peyton Siva, the point guard who led the Cards to a national title in 2013. This spring, Siva was named to new Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey’s staff as director of player development and alumni relations. A year ago, he amassed 19 points, 12 assists and six steals during TBT.
- Russ Smith, a star of the 2013 national championship team whose No. 2 is hanging in the KFC Yum! Center rafters. The former All-American has been playing in Italy and created limited-edition bottles of his Mr. & Mrs. Bourbon for TBT. He was The Ville’s top scorer in two of its three games last summer.
- Derrick Walker, a 6-9 forward who played for Tennessee (2017-19) and Nebraska (2019-23) and as a senior was a second-team All-Big Ten selection. For his collegiate career, Walker averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds across 139 appearances. He has been playing professionally in Spain.
Reece Gaines, a U of L Athletics Hall of Famer who ranks fourth among the top scorers in program history, has replaced Mark Lieberman as The Ville’s head coach. Gaines returned to his alma mater in 2021 as Chris Mack’s director of player development and alumni relations, then shifted into a video operations role under Kenny Payne.
Members of Gaines’ staff include Luke Hancock, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2013 Final Four; Keith Oddo, who played for the Cards as a walk-on graduate transfer during the 2019-20 season; Mike Stone, an assistant at Transylvania University; and Terrence Commodore, whose coaching resume includes stints at EKU and Evansville.
Former Kentucky star Tyler Ulis is La Familia’s head coach.
Two more former Wildcats, Jon Hood and Sean Woods, are assistant coaches. Jazz Ferguson, a Louisville native who starred at Moore High, also serves as an assistant.
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Kentucky
Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky high school bowlers to watch in 2025-2026
The high school bowling season started last week in Ohio and Kentucky. Here are some top returners to watch for the season.
Who are the top returning boys bowlers?
Matthew Alvear, Lebanon – He was first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference with a 206.9 average. He shot 629 in the sectional tournament.
Jace Amann, La Salle – The junior was co-bowler of the year in the Greater Catholic League-South. He averaged 208 with a high game of 298. He finished 15th in the state tournament with a 665, including a 269 game. He finished 23rd in the sectional tournament.
Tyler Blume, Simon Kenton – The senior finished as singles runner-up in the Region 5 tournament and finished seventh in the state tournament. He helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the regional team tourney.
Jayden Brown, Elder – The senior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 216.8 average. He had a high game of 269 and a high series of 526 during the season. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Michael Brown, Cincinnati Christian – The senior is the top returner in the Miami Valley Conference with a 195.3 average. He finished 11th in the sectional tournament.
Connor Copeland, Lebanon – The junior last year was the bowler of the year in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. He had a 210 average including a perfect 300 game. He shot 641 in the sectional tournament to finish eighth.
Dylan Davis, Covington Catholic – The senior led the Colonels to the Region 5 team championship. He finished third in the regional singles tournament and placed ninth in the state tournament.
Tony Fox, Simon Kenton – The junior helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the Region 5 team tournament and finished 15th in the singles tournament.
Peyton Frank, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 211.6 average, leading the team to the league title. He had a high game of 268.
Drew Freeman, Mason – The senior averaged 205 last year and had a 278 game. He finished third in the sectional tournament with 638.
Maddox Kuryla, Boone County – He had the highest average in the regular season, 222. He won the Region 6 championship and finished fifth in the state tournament and led the Rebels to the second-best record behind Simon Kenton in the regular season.
Joe Mil, Deer Park – The senior was Cincinnati Hills League Player of the Year with a 216 average. He finished fifth in the sectional tournament and shot a 641 in the district tournament.
Ryan Monahan, Mason – The senior is second in the Greater Miami Conference among returning averages with 206.6. He had a 265 game last year.
Easton Pierani, Sycamore – The senior has the top returning average in the Greater Miami Conference with a 210. He shot 644 in the sectional tournament to finish seventh, 730 in the district tournament and 635 at state.
Jordan Rottinghouse, Elder – The junior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 213.5 average. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 558.
Tyler Sanders, McNicholas – The senior was the Greater Catholic League-Coed player of the year after averaging 200.3 with a high game of 258. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Bryce Sargent, Campbell County – The junior finished fifth in the Region 5 singles tournament.
Gabe Schmidt, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 207.7 average, helping the team win the league title. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 533. He finished fourth in the sectional tournament.
Carson Singleton, Northwest – The senior was the Southwest Ohio Conference player of the year with 215 average. He had a high game of 259 and high series of 514. He finished 27th in the sectional tourney.
Who are the top returning players in girls bowling?
Alyssa Bechtol, Notre Dame – The sophomore has transferred from Dixie Heights, where last year she was the Region 6 singles champion and helped the Colonels to the team title. She finished 14th in the state tournament. She started this year by breaking Notre Dame’s team records for high game (257) and series (466).
Ella Bohnert, Lakota East – The sophomore won a sectional title last year with a near-perfect 290 and 680 series. She averaged 179 in her first match this season.
Kree Brewer, Pendleton County – The sophomore won the Region 5 singles championship and led the Wildcats to the team title. She finished 19th in the state tournament.
Sophia Carazo, Summit Country Day – The senior is the top returning average in the Miami Valley Conference and finished fifth in the sectional tournament. She averaged 176 in the team’s first match this season.
Kendall Cook, Mercy McAuley – The junior was first-team All-Girls Greater Catholic League after averaging 185 with a high game of 251
Carolyn Edmisten, Georgetown – The senior had the highest average among Southwest Ohio DII bowlers with 202.5, helping her team win the SBAAC-National Division and sectional championships. She won the Cherry Grove sectional championship with a 638 and finished 15th in the district tournament with a 540.
Makayla Geer, Colerain – The junior is the reigning Greater Miami Conference player of the year after averaging 179 last season. She finished 14th in the sectional tourney and 32nd at the district tourney.
Taylor Hooks, West Clermont – The senior is the top returning bowler in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference after averaging 181 last year. She finished 20th in the sectional tournament.
Caitlyn Kober, Lebanon – The senior averaged 178 last year and is the second-best returning average in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. She finished 14th in the district tourney and 18th in the sectional.
Jacelyn Lawson, Clinton-Massie – The senior is one of the top returners in the SBAAC with a 177 average. She finished second in the sectional tournament and 17th in the district.
Alex McDonald, Taylor – The junior was Cincinnati Hills League player of the year after leading the team to the league championship. She averaged 160 last year and finished 16th in the sectional tournament.
Hayley Pelstring, Notre Dame – She finished ninth in the Region 6 singles tournament.
Izzy Rhoads, Wilmington – The junior is one of three top returners with Kiley Comberger and Mackenzie Pyle for the Hurricane, who won the SBAAC-American championship. She averaged 185 and qualified for the state tourney after finishing eighth in the district tourney.
Abby Sargent, Campbell County – The sophomore finished third in the Region 5 singles tournament and 17th in the state tournament.
Meadow Williams, Indian Hill – The sophomore was first-team All-Cincinnati Hills League with a 155 average. She finished 22nd in the sectional tournament and 36th in the district.
Abree Young, Dixie Heights – The senior finished third in the Region 6 singles tournament and 16th in the state tournament. She helped the Colonels to the regional title.
Kentucky
Kentucky House Democrats change leadership ahead of 2026. Here’s who was elected
Facts About the Kentucky General Assembly
Discover key facts about the Kentucky General Assembly, including its history, structure, and state government functions.
The Kentucky House Democratic Caucus has shaken up its leadership team heading into 2026, with a freshman from Louisville joining the ranks.
State House Minority Leader Pamela Stevenson will remain in the role, party officials announced Nov. 14. Rep. Lindsey Burke, a Lexington legislator in her second term, will serve as caucus chair, while Rep. Josh Watkins, in his first term representing a district in central and western Louisville, was chosen as minority whip.
The elections took place at the caucus’ annual retreat in Berea, according to a release.
Burke served as minority whip in the most recent legislative session. As caucus chair, she replaces Rep. Al Gentry of Louisville — he announced last week he would step down from the post in order to put more time toward a national team he joined working on an initiative involving adaptive golf. Gentry will remain in the House and intends to seek reelection to his seat in 2026.
Stevenson served as minority leader during the 2025 session. The west Louisville Democrat is running in 2026 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell.
She said Burke will provide “experience, expertise, and a fierce commitment to helping families trying to build a good life” while Watkins “can always be counted on for bringing energy, optimism, and a joy to serving others that lifts everyone around him.”
Democrats are significantly outnumbered in Frankfort, where the GOP holds an 80-20 advantage in the House. The party’s leadership team will help determine legislative priorities during the upcoming 60-day session, with a two-year state budget on the agenda.
Burke listed key concerns as “affordable homes, quality education, accessible health care, and the ability (for families) to put food on the table without constant worry.”
While he’s relatively new to the Capitol, Watkins has been open in his push for state lawmakers to take more action on affordable housing and housing in general. He was first elected in 2024 to replace current state Sen. Keturah Herron, who endorsed him in his run.
“We’re at a crucial moment, and we’re meeting it with determination to make our government and our economy work for every Kentuckian,” Watkins said.
Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session is set to begin on Jan 6.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.
Kentucky
Arkansas Falls in Three to No. 2 Kentucky
While the Hogs showed some fight in their regular season finale at No. 2 Kentucky, they ultimately fell in a sweep at the hands of the Wildcats (16-25, 20-25, 12-25) as they cruised to their ninth straight outright SEC title.
Graduate Jada Lawson had a great day despite the result with her second double-double in three outings. She posted 14 kills and 10 digs, both team highs on the day. She hit .379 on the day with just three errors on 29 swings, a new personal high clip.
Arkansas finishes the regular season with a 5-21 record, 1-14 in conference play.
Set 1
The two teams exchanged points early until Kentucky rattled off a 6-1 run that doubled the Wildcat lead to 10-5. Kentucky maintained the pace after that, but Arkansas kept pushing and three kills, two from Lawson and one from Thurman, made it 14-11. A 4-0 run by the home team not long after grew the Wildcat advantage to 19-12, and Arkansas struggled to generate the run needed to make a worthwhile comeback. The Hogs added four more points, but Kentucky closed It out 25-16 for a 1-0 lead in the match.
Set 2
It was a back-and-forth battle to start the second set, but a big block by Thurman and Evans and an ace from Remensperger gave Arkansas a narrow 8-7 lead. It didn’t last long though as the Wildcats went on a 5-1 run that put them up 12-9. The Razorbacks stayed close, but Kentucky held a 15-12 lead at the media break. The Wildcats then got the next four straight and grew the advantage to seven, The Hogs settled in slightly and pushed it to 20 points off a kill from Lawson, but the Wildcats went the distance and won 25-20.
Set 3
The first few points of the third set were close, but the Razorbacks got into a dangerous Kentucky service run by Brooklyn DeLeye that saw seven straight for the Wildcats and put them up 11-4 early. While Arkansas found a way to get going eventually, it was a deep hole to dig out of and Kentucky stayed hot to push it to 20-12, at which point Arkansas took a timeout. It did nothing to calm the Wildcats down as they scored five unanswered out of the break, cruising to a 25-12 set three victory for the match sweep.
Up Next
Arkansas will appear in the Allstate SEC Volleyball Tournament next week in Savannah, Ga. The event is returning after a 20-year hiatus. The Hogs will be seeded No. 16, and should face No. 9 Oklahoma in the opening match of the tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
More Information
Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Volleyball. You can also find the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Volleyball) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackVB).
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