In a highly anticipated matchup, No. 9 Kentucky dominated archrival Louisville with a final score of 95-76 at the KFC Yum! Center. Antonio Reeves had a standout performance, scoring 30 points, including 22 in the first half. Reeves became just the fourth UK player in history to score at least 30 points against Louisville.
Not only did Reeves shine, but his teammates also delivered strong performances. Tre Mitchell contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Reed Sheppard had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists, setting a new record for most assists by any player in a Kentucky-Louisville game. Justin Edwards contributed 13 points, and Rob Dillingham added 12 points.
Kentucky’s shooting was on point, with they made 51.5% of their field goals, including 48.0% from behind the arc. In contrast, Louisville struggled, making only 42.4% of their field goals and 23.5% from three-point range. The Cats also dominated in other aspects of the game, including rebounding, second-chance points, bench points, points in the paint, and fast break points.
Louisville took an early lead, but Kentucky quickly caught up with a three-pointer from Reeves, tying the score at 5-5. Kentucky went on a 15-1 run to take a 31-18 lead with 8:20 left in the first half, forcing Louisville to call a timeout. Although Louisville made a comeback to get within single digits, Kentucky closed the first half strong with a 14-2 run, led by Reeves’ eight points. They entered halftime with a commanding 53-33 lead.
The Wildcats continued their dominance in the second half, scoring the first five points and going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 62-36. Louisville attempted a comeback, scoring the next seven points to cut the deficit to 62-43. However, Kentucky maintained control and closed out the game with a convincing 95-76 victory.
Kentucky, now 9-2 on the season, will face Illinois State on December 29 at Rupp Arena.
