They are pressing more, reminiscent of Pitino's days at Kentucky, and Pitino is playing 11 players over 10 minutes per game, and virtually his entire team at least 5. The Cardinals are playing a different brand of basketball this year than they have the last few years, primarily due to the lack of a true post player. The Yum! Center seats about 4000 more people than Freedom Hall, and that will mean at least 3950 more Cardinal fans than any UK team has ever faced in history. Kentucky is going into what will unquestionably be the most hostile place they will see all year. It is axiomatic that playing well against a tougher schedule make you a better team, but I want to caution Kentucky fans not to take too much solace in that notion.

Kenpom has this game as a Louisville win by 2 points.Of course, that won't be true by the time the season's over, but that fact is utterly irrelevant now. Kentucky has played a significantly tougher schedule by any measure.But the loss to the Drexel Dragons at home casts significant doubt on that. This doesn't necessarily mean a lot, since Louisville might just be really good at home and that won't change. Kentucky has played many more games away from home.Louisville has a better away record, and although they did not play a team as tough as the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are no pushover.Louisville has the same record against top 25 teams as UK does, and a better record against the RPI top 50.Some interesting things to note about the records so far: So now, the question becomes this: Are the Cardinals a paper tiger, having feasted on too many Danish and not enough meat and potatoes? Let's compare the schedules so far: But appearances can be deceiving, as we all know.

Yes, it must be good to be a Cardinal fan right now with respect to how the team has looked so far this year. All that bad news seems to be behind them, and the Cardinals team is unquestionably playing well.

They could not be much happier with the 11-1 record they sport coming into the Kentucky game, and Louisville is fresh off their two best games of this season. After suffering through a year of constant negative commentary courtesy of high-profile recruiting misses, early defections to the NBA, ineligible players, injuries, and Rick Pitino's seven-year old x-rated reenactment of Billy Joel's Scenes from an Italian Restaurant played out in front of the whole world, the Louisville faithful have much to be thankful for right now. Every year about this time, the Commonwealth is galvanized by the advent of this contest.ДЇans of the Cardinals are understandably excited about their team this year. Older players will hope for retribution, or the elation of multiple victories over a despised rival. Young players will learn the meaning of a 'rivalry game' that they erroneously think they now know. Down by the river shall they meet, driven by mutual detestation, at least among many fans of both teams. One day remains before the Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats join the battle in the new Cardinal palace.

The deep breath before the plunge