Connect with us

Kentucky Basketball

Kentucky advances to NCAA title game, beats Louisville 69-61

Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva (3) drives to the net past Kentucky Wildcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) and forward Anthony Davis during the first half of their men's NCAA Final Four semi-final college basketball game in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 31, 2012.       REUTERS/Chris Stepping NCAA Photos/POOL   (UNITED STATES  - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL) coach Rick Pitino showed why he's a master tactician. It still wasn't enough to beat .  Relying on offensive rebounding and Pitino's savvy, Louisville kept it close before fading in a 69-61 loss to in-state rival Kentucky in the Final Four on Saturday night.  Louisville (30-10) got off to a jittery start and had a hard time matching up with Kentucky's stable of future NBA players. The Cardinals kept clawing, though, turning 19 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points to twice rally from double-digit deficits.  Even with one of the game's best in-game coaches pulling the strings, Louisville couldn't keep up with the racing Wildcats the entire 40 minutes, allowing Kentucky (37-2) to shoot 57 percent and reach Monday's championship game against either Kansas or Ohio State.  Peyton Siva had 11 points and added 10 for Louisville.

On This Day In UK Basketball History

On December 10, 1951, Bob Burrow collected 34 rebounds against Temple for the most rebounds ever in a single game by a Kentucky player.

 

On December 10, 1977, as top-ranked UK is defeating Kansas on “Adolph Rupp Night” in Allen Field House on Naismith Drive in Lawrence, Kansas, Rupp dies. Thousands would participate in the funeral procession in Lexington.

 

On December 10, 2011, Indiana's Christian Watford hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer in Assembly Hall to stun No. 1 Kentucky.  It's only the second time Indiana had beaten a top-ranked team at Assembly Hall.

 

More in Kentucky Basketball