La Familia's Best Moments Against Louisville

Monday night’s TBT game in Freedom Hall reignited one of college basketball’s best rivalries. Fans of the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals have embraced their alums in this year’s tournament, bringing a unique summer excitement and big-game feel to their upcoming quarterfinal game.

I’ll admit it: I’m anxious and a little nervous about the game. The former Wildcats on La Familia have brought nostalgia from some of UK’s most successful years during a period of transition for the program. Kentucky fans don’t want La Familia’s run to end short of a TBT championship and the $1 million prize. We also don’t want to lose to Louisville in anything. So, the stakes are naturally high in this one, as the ticket sales suggest.

However, the stakes are not as high as some Louisville fans are trying to set them. One tweet that has since disappeared read something like: “Finally, the 2012 vs. 2013 debate will be settled on the court.” With all due respect to the TBT, which I am excited about, tonight’s game will not settle anything about 2012 or 2013, nor will it have any real impact on the rivalry or what these alums already did in that rivalry. Still, it’s a reason to support Blue versus Red, and fans of the winning side will undoubtedly have a few words to say about the outcome.

While we wait for the 9 p.m. tip-off, here are some highlights of what La Familia has already done to the Cards in the rivalry. Hopefully, that dominance will continue in The Basketball Tournament later tonight.

Go La Familia. Go former Cats.

Willie Cauley-Stein’s dunk and staredown

Willie Cauley-Stein vs. Montrezl Harrell is one of the matchups to watch in Freedom Hall tonight. Both big men aren’t too far removed from their NBA careers, and they have a very memorable run-in in Louisville already.

You remember. It was the 2014-15 game, a Kentucky win in Louisville, in which Cauley-Stein stared down Harrell after outhustling him for the ball and slamming it in. Legend has it that Harrell slid all the way through the tunnel, past the locker rooms, and into the Yum Center’s parking garage.

Tyler Ulis’ bloody eye

Another one that the Big Blue Nation won’t soon forget: Chris Jones, who is playing for The Ville tonight, split La Familia head coach Tyler Ulis open with an elbow, creating an iconic image in the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry.

Ulis finished that game with a team-high 14 points off the bench in Kentucky’s 58-50 win. He’d score another 21 points a year later in another Kentucky win. Ulis is also 2-0 against Louisville as a member of UK’s staff.

Sean Woods’ 20-point game in Freedom Hall

Let’s go further back in time to celebrate one of Ulis’ La Familia assistants, Sean Woods. Woods won two straight games against Louisville as an Unforgettable, starting with a 20-point game in Freedom Hall in December 1990, his junior year. Kentucky scored 103 points on Louisville a year later in another win.

Darius Miller’s 13 points in the 2012 Final Four

Former Wildcat great Darius Miller joins Ulis and Woods in a coaching role for The Basketball Tournament. Still, we celebrate his 13 points in the 2012 Final Four in New Orleans, including the 3-pointer to extend Kentucky’s lead to beyond reach with five minutes to go.

Miller won four straight against the Cards.

Eric Bledsoe was the “wrong guy to mess with” in 2010

Eric Bledsoe had a contentious moment a mere minutes into his only Kentucky-Louisville rivalry game in 2010. Bledsoe and Louisville’s Reginald Delk exchanged words soon after tip-off, to which John Calipari told Delk, “You’re messing with the wrong guy,” as both parties went to their respective benches to cool down.

Kentucky won that game.

James Young and Andrew Harrison combined for 36

In the 2013-14 regular season, Kentucky beat Louisville, then ranked No. 6 in the country, powered by a couple of La Familia stars. James Young and Andrew Harrison scored 18 points each to lead Kentucky past the pretend defending national champs, which featured Russ Smith, Chris Jones, Luke Hancock and other stars of The Ville.

Aaron Harrison’s corner 3 in the Sweet 16

Finally, one of the best moments in the history of the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry: Aaron Harrison completed UK’s 2014 NCAA Tournament comeback with a corner 3, crushing the hopes and dreams of the Louisville Cardinals in the Sweet 16. Louisville led by 13 in the first half.

With the Elam ending format in tonight’s game, wouldn’t it be fun to see him do it again?