The Kentucky Wildcats got the best of their in-state rivals again. The No. 5 team got past the Louisville Cardinals with a 93-85 win behind a majestic performance from Lamont Butler.
The Wildcatsā point guard scored 33 points and didnāt miss a single shot. He was even perfect from beyond the arc, knocking down six shots from three-point territory.
However, that wasnāt the best part of the win. If you were to ask coach Mark Pope, he liked how things got a little physical, and there was a bit of a scuffle during the game.
Mark Pope loved the environment of the rivalry game
āIt wouldnāt have been an appropriate game if it wasnāt a tension-filled mosh pit down in front of their bench,ā Pope told On3. āThat was probably the most fun part of the game, right?ā
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope watches his team play against Lipscomb on Tuesday night, Nov. 19, 2024, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
Things escalated when Kentuckyās Brandon Garrison and Louisvilleās Reyne Smith dove for a loose ball near their bench. They started shoving, and it didnāt take long before the coaches had to intervene. Even so, Pope understands what the players were going through:
āYou have two programs with an insane amount of passion for winning, feeling all the joy, intensity, and stress of this rivalry,ā the Wildcats coach said after the game.
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The Wildcats shot a scorching-hot 58.2% from the floor and 52.4% from beyond the arc. Now, they will look to get the best of the Ohio State Buckeyes in a high-flying matchup on Saturday.
