Harrison twins reflect on last summer's TBT win over Louisville: "The highlight of the tournament"

The Harrison twins are running it back at The Basketball Tournament after a run to the semifinals last summer.

Andrew and Aaron Harrison — Kentucky’s memorable starting backcourt during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons — helped lead La Familia in the team’s TBT debut in 2024, which included a record-setting quarterfinal win over The Ville, a team made up of Louisville alums. That matchup between former ‘Cats and Cards brought in more fans (13,000+ people made it to Freedom Hall) than any other TBT game in history — a record that might not be broken unless these two teams square off again down the road.

From the on-court jawing to the postgame spit take (sandwiched in between La Familia’s eventual victory), it was everything fans could have asked for out of a Kentucky-Louisville rivalry game.

“I think that (game against The Ville) was the highlight of the tournament, honestly. That was so much fun,” Aaron Harrison, who is one of five players — twin brother Andrew included — already announced for this year’s La Familia roster, told reporters Friday. “As a professional, you don’t really get to play that many games with just pride on the line. It’s about money or whatever.

“But that was just a pure rivalry, and it was just so much fun to be a part of that again. And I think that was just like the highlight of my whole summer, really — I don’t even think I scored that game, but it was just so much fun, like so much energy in there. And just reminded me of being back in school, playing them, it was a lot of fun.”

The Harrison twins don’t know what it’s like to lose to the Cardinals. During their college days, Kentucky went 3-0 against Louisville, including a win in the 2014 Sweet 16. Multiple players from that UL team, including the likes of Russ Smith and Montrezl Harrell, suited up for The Ville last summer. But again, it was another L for the Cards.

“I never played in the NBA Finals, but I think that it may be just as intense,” Aaron said of the rivalry. “I wouldn’t say I would compare the NBA Finals to that, just because it’s not as personal. I think people take it so personal between us and Louisville that I think it’s a different type of intensity. I wouldn’t compare it to the NBA Finals. I wouldn’t compare it to anything, honestly. I think it’s right up there with any rivalry in sports, any two groups of people that don’t like each other. It’s one of the better rivalries in the world, I think.”

Andrew and Aaron will look to go 5-0 against Louisville alums if the two sides happen to meet each other again this summer. The Ville has already locked up homecourt advantage for the entire tournament, too — a rematch in Freedom Hall is theoretically on the table. La Familia already has a group of talented players on board and will likely have one of the deepest and most talented teams in the event.

“Guys that I played with on my team, for the most part, have never lost to Louisville,” Andrew said. “I think that we want to keep it that way. Keep the dominance going.”

“We’re focused on winning though, we’re not focusing on them,” Aaron chimed in. “They might not make it to where we are.”

TBT’s Lexington Regional will be held at Historic Memorial Coliseum from July 18-22. The winner of the Lexington Regional will advance to TBT’s quarterfinals on July 29. The semifinals will be held on July 31, and TBT’s $1 million championship will be played on August 3. 

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