Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Louisville Edition

Kentucky survived a brutal contest with Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals, claiming a hard-fought 71-62 victory before a Rupp Arena record crowd. We'll break down John Calipari's first taste of the battle of the bluegrass.

Thumbs Up

Patrick Patterson- Kentucky's main man put in 38 workmanlike minutes today, finishing with 17 points, 4 rebounds and one thunderous missed dunk. Aside from his late fast-break miss, Patterson was outstanding in the open floor and provided some key baskets late. Congratulations to Patrick for his first (and likely only) victory against Kentucky's cross-state rival in his storied career. Consistency, thy name is Patrick Patterson.

DeMarcus Cousins- Cousins was superb again tonight; he tallied 18 points and 18 boards in 26 minutes. The Cardinals had no answer for the freshman center, even though they succeeded in stoking his considerable temper early in the game. Aside from his early scuffle, Cousins provided a much needed lift in the paint. As so many have said, DeMarcus can be as great as he wants. The only thing holding him back is his maturity. While he has his moments, he continues to grow before our very eyes. That can only be a good thing for UK's long term aspirations.

John Wall- Wall was ineffective early, and finished with 5 turnovers to 4 assists. He came back strong in the second half, scoring 6 straight points to turn Kentucky's only deficit into a lead. The Wildcats never looked back. John Wall, like any freshman, is prone to some mistakes. He showed tonight, though, that he can only be held down for so long. Eventually he will break out and display the skills that make him the most talked about player in college basketball. He did that tonight, producing 17 points and a victory.

Toughness- Kentucky is constantly referred to as a young team, which is a fair statement. Any team that starts 3 freshmen, a sophomore and a junior can aptly be described as such. That being said, these are not typical freshmen. After letting a lead slip away and generally losing momentum in the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Wildcats fought back. They have been in several close games, some against big-name opponents. They have consistently found a way to win those games. Louisville is not the most talented team the young 'Cats will face this year. They are, however, a rival. This game was played for high stakes and was as emotionally charged as any game they will play this year. They found a way, yet again, to win. That says it all.

Thumbs Down

Rebounding- Kentucky allowed a smaller Louisville team to negate one of their biggest advantages, which has been out-rebounding opponents at a substantial clip. According to ESPN's box score, the two rivals finished with 36 rebounds each. Had the Wildcats been their usual selves on the glass, Louisville may not have been able to climb back into this game.

Free-Throw Shooting- Stop me if you've heard this one before. The Wildcats were only 21-34 for 61.8% from the charity stripe. Several of those misses came in the first half when Kentucky struggled to extend their lead, as Louisville couldn't hit the water if they fell out of a boat. Patterson and Cousins were notable offenders at the line. Great teams are good free-throw shooting teams. This is one area that needs continued attention, and you can bet that John Calipari knows that, all too well.

Darius Miller- After enjoying a bit of a renaissance in his last few outings, the sophomore from Maysville pulled his disappearing act again. Miller logged only 8 minutes, took only 1 shot, and contributed 2 rebounds. When Miller plays well, Kentucky is nearly unstoppable. When he plays poorly, Kentucky is merely good. Coach Calipari and others have pointed this out, and it was in evidence today. As I have mentioned before, UK needs Darius Miller to truly reach their outstanding potential this year. Let us hope that the young man finds whatever it is he is looking for.

It certainly wasn't pretty. 6 fouls in the first minute of the game? That is unheard of, and a testament to the emotion coursing through the veins of all of the players involved. Despite the rough play and a less-than-stellar effort, Kentucky managed a victory. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that this game is over. The Wildcats had everything to lose and not much to gain going into this clash. They exited a little beaten and bruised, but owners of a 15-0 non-conference record. I dare say that not even the most optimistic Kentucky fans predicted this scorching start. While most of us (myself included) desired a blowout, we will have to settle for a 9 point triumph over our arch-nemesis. I am just fine with that result. As always, thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!