The 40-0 Dream continues to live on as UK beat a very game UL squad 71-62 in front of an electric Rupp Arena crowd.

UK played the best half court defense all season in the first half en route to an 8 point half time lead.

Courtesy of Kentucky.com

The first half was marred by some ugly flagrant fouling by each team as clearly emotions were high. DeMarcus Cousins should have been ejected from the game immediately for his flagrant and malicious elbow to the head of Jared Swopshire. Luckily for the Cats he was only assessed a technical foul and allowed to remain in the game.

Cousins went on to post huge stats of 18 points and 18 rebounds. If he would have been ejected, it’s possible UK would have lost the game.

The second half was an entirely different story for UK as Pitino’s multiple defensive looks thoroughly confused Kentucky’s backcourt, leading to 12 turnovers in the half. UK also shot poorly from behind the arc, converting only 2 out of 14 attempts. To compound the horrid shooting from behind the field, the Cats were brutal from the foul line, converting 21 out of 34 attempts. Even John Wall missed five free throws.

UL did catch and actually pass UK for a brief moment at 42-41. But UK proceeded to go on a 8-0 scoring run to essentially put the game away. UL got no closer than within 5 points the rest of the game.

John Wall came to UK’s rescue again when they were down by 1, scoring 6 consecutive points in the decisive 8-0 run. One of the shots came on an absolutely spectacular drive where he hung in the air, drew contact and converted off the glass. It was another Youtube moment for sure.

BBL’s take:

UK shoot poorly from the field and foul line and still won by almost double digits against a team that with some growth and cohesion could end up reaching the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. Their bench contributed at times in the first half but Calipari tightened the rotation in the second and Dodson, Liggins and Miller didn’t see much time. Some of that is due to bad decisions and ticky tack fouls, but we still believe those players are going to have to contribute more if UK is going to win the National Championship.

Kentucky has another week off before taking on UGA at Rupp next Saturday. They then go on the road for back to back games with Florida and Auburn. We see no real threat versus any of those teams. UF is really struggling now after opening 8-0. While they are usually tough at home, they possess little inside strength and should be no match versus the Cats.

All in all Kentucky escaped another ferocious battle today on the back of strong inside play from Big Cuz and Patrick Patterson, and perhaps more importantly, a sensational two-minute span when John Wall took over the game and sent the home crowd into absolute hysterics.

We look forward to the rest of the season especially now that media scrutiny is going to become intense.

Kentucky finishes its pre-conference season 15-0, capped with a hard fought victory over in-state rival Louisville in a game that was as ugly as anything in recent college basketball memory.

Stay tuned for breakdown…

So much has already been written or said about today’s eagerly awaited UK-UL matchup that there isn’t too much left to do but sit down and watch the game.

We all know the story lines–in-state rivalry, Pitino vs. Calipari, UK’s undefeated record on the line, and Louisville going for three straight over UK. You get the idea.

In spite of the grand spectacle of it all, we think it will actually be a very competitive game that could either way. Here are the things to watch:

Pitino’s Gameplan: We have a feeling Pitino has been working on the right gameplan for this one since early October. We can’t be entirely sure of what the Cards will do, but we have some guesses. Look for UL to run a lot of zone and attempt to squeeze the driving lanes and force UK to hit contested perimeter jumpshots. Expect a very physical halfcourt game with Louisville’s more experienced lineup attempting to push the Cats around a bit.

Post Play: Louisville’s Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings are big bodies with good hands and solid overall athleticism. But today they may be facing their toughest test of the year. Kentucky’s cadre of big men will alter and reject shots, score on the low block and, on occasion, bring their defenders outside the paint, opening driving lanes or knocking down face up jumpers. Rebounding will be key today, and we think the Cats should have a huge advantage.

The Insanity of Rupp: There has perhaps never been a “battle of the bluegrass” with more on the line than this year’s. The colorful personalities of the two opposing coaches, the gravity of the game from a national perspective and, most importantly, the skill of these teams’ personnel should combine to create an excitement level rarely seen on the collegiate level. Rupp Arena will be one fantastic scene today, and it will be interesting to see not just how it affects the visiting Cardinals but also the young Kentucky squad. Don’t be surprised if there are a lot of butterflies in the early going.

Outside Shooting: This one is pretty obvious. Pitino has always said that if his teams shoot 34% from three land, then they can consistently beat opposing teams that shoot 50% from two. Seeing as how defending the three has been one of Kentucky’s scarce weaknesses, expect that philosophy to be put to the test today. On the other side of the ball, can UK continue its torrid shooting pace? The Cats are shooting nearly 43% from behind the arc, a fact which has surprised most commentators, the BBL included.

An Underrated Opponent: Da ‘Ville is better than their record of 10-3. The puzzling losses to Western Carolina and Charlotte had more to do with injuries and early season chemistry issues than with the quality of this team. UL is led by strong, athletic and experienced guards Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles. They will press all game long and try to force UK into turnovers. Also, you cannot underestimate the motivation of a program that was taken off their perch of state supremacy before a game was played, all due to the hiring of Calipari.

BBL Take: No prediction today. But we think this will be a rugged, tight battle that goes right down to the wire. Kentucky will need to knock down open jump shots, make free throws and get solid contributions off the bench. If the Cats pull this one off, expect the spotlight to intensify heading into conference play.