LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The single-biggest annual event on the Louisville athletics calendar is finally here. Rivalry week has returned, and it’s almost time for the Cardinals’ men’s basketball program to do battle with in-state arch rival Kentucky.
From the moment he took the job back in March, head coach Pat Kelsey quickly learned about the magnitude of the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry, He’s excited to finally get to experience it first hand.
“When you talk about some of the great rivalries in American sports, really not just college basketball, Louisville-Kentucky is one of them, head coach Pat Kelsey said. “Obviously, being in this town, and your boots being planted here, they made it very, very clear early on how big this rivalry was.”
Toppling the Wildcats in his first crack at them won’t come easy. Under fellow first-year head coach Mark Pope, Kentucky is 9-1 through their first 10 games, have impressive wins over both Duke and Gonzaga, and are the fifth-ranked team in the AP Poll.
“I think if the season ended today, to me, Mark Pope would probably be National Coach of the Year,” Kelsey said. “What he took over, what he had to build, the way the team has come together, the way they’re playing. It’s good.”
Prior to their matchup with the Wildcats, Kelsey, shooting guard Reyne Smith and forward Khani Rooths took time to meet with the media. They discussed the previous game vs. UTEP, previewed the upcoming showdown at Kentucky, and more.
Below are the videos from their press conferences:
(Photo of Pat Kelsey: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)
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