Louisville

LEXINGTON  - Louisville has had enough of losing to Kentucky. The No. 4 Cardinals have dropped four in a row to the Wildcats, including last spring's national semifinal in New Orleans. Kentucky won that game 69-61 and went on to beat Kansas two days later for its eighth national championship. That Final Four loss still bothers Cardinals coach Rick Pitino, who is 0-4 against Wildcats counterpart John Calipari. Fortunately for Pitino, he enters today's showdown in Louisville with an experienced team that's 11-1 and favored to reclaim Bluegrass State supremacy.

Kentucky seniors Taylor Begley and Scott Mitchell have been selected as game captains for Sunday's game with Louisville. Begley has kicked 77 straight extra points and had a 45-yard field goal in UK's final game last year against Tennessee. Mitchell had nine catches for 111 yards in that same game. Begley's former Boyle County teammate, Travis Leffew, is one of Louisville's captains.

George Rogers Clark High standout Preston Knowles has made his college choice and will remain a Cardinal. Knowles, who helped lead the Cardinals to their first state tournament appearance in 17 years last month, has verbally committed to Rick Pitino's squad and will sign will the University of Louisville on Wednesday. During the regular season, Knowles averaged 21.4 points per game to lead the team in scoring and knocked down 91 shots from long range and shot 50 percent from the field.

LEXINGTON - Blame the horrific punting game. Blame the costly interception thrown by Shane Boyd. Even blame the rain and the 90-minute delay of the game's start. However, none of those reasons are why Louisville beat Kentucky 40-24 here Sunday night in the season opener for both teams. No, Louisville won the Bluegrass Bowl because it dominated the line of scrimmage and simply outplayed and outcoached the Wildcats. Kentucky's perceived edge in the offensive and defensive lines was just that - a perception.

Kentucky is not playing a home game in Louisville this year, and Chris Woolard, UK's associate athletic director for basketball operatons, says it is just not conducive for the school¿to schedule a game in Freedom Hall in any more. “That was a very attractive game in past when you had high-profile opponents. It has been harder to get that game with a high-profile opponent in Louisville if Kentucky does not go back to return a game at a neutral site closer to that school. That has changed over the years,” Woolard said.

LEXINGTON - It's official now. Kentucky is in crisis mode and will not go to a sixth straight bowl game. It's not just that the Wildcats lost 24-17 to Louisville here Saturday night to end a four-game winning streak against the Cardinals. It's the way UK¿lost again. Louisville was the more physical team. Louisville was the more aggressive team. Louisville was simply better in all phases of the game. Don't let the final score fool you, either. Kentucky made a valiant comeback try, but the team that deserved to win won the game.

LOUISVILLE - It's not often that coaches John Calipari and Rick Pitino are going to agree on anything. But guess what? After Louisville's 80-77 victory over Kentucky here Saturday, they agree on not one thing, but two things. First, both agree that No. 3 Louisville has a chance to be a special team despite squandering most of a 51-34 lead early in the second half against unranked UK. “Hats off to them. What a good team they are,” said Calipari. “They play hard, play aggressive, play rough.

LOUISVILLE - Looking for Lilith Theatre Company is celebrating Women's History month with a theatrical adaptation of “Beyond the Blue Mountains.” It is based on Kentucky writer Jane Wilson Joyce's book of poetry by the same name. Joyce is the Charles J. Luellen Professor of Classics at Centre College. Danville native Dawn Schulz Campbell performs in the production. Schulz plays the part of the youngest daughter, Nancy. “Beyond the Blue Mountains” is about a family from Boyle County setting out for the Oregon Trail in 1851.

Darius Skinner wants to compete at the next level. Skinner has always had aspirations of playing football at the Division-I level and will transfer to the University of Louisville next semester and hopes to join the Cardinals' roster as a walk-on. Although a roster spot isn't guaranteed, the former George Rogers Clark standout is confident he can earn a position at the conclusion of spring practice. Since making the decision to leave Campbellsville at the end of the current semester, he has remained in close contact with Louisville associate coach and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt.

NEW ORLEANS - Louisville sophomore center Gorgui Dieng knows his matchup with Kentucky center Anthony Davis could be critical to who wins Saturday's Final Four matchup. Yet he insists even if Davis has a good game,¿Louisville could still win. “It isn't about me. It's about the team first,” said Dieng. “This game is not going to be easy. This game is very important at every position. It's not about me and Anthony Davis. It's about everybody. He is a great basketball player.