LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Late Friday night, a mere 13 hours before his team tipped off against fifth-ranked North Carolina, Kentucky coach John Calipari summoned the Wildcats to Rupp Arena for an impromptu meeting at 11 p.m.

Calipari said he'd been watching from home as analysts hyped the early-season showdown on ESPN. He only hoped his players weren't listening.

Yes, somehow and some way, the freakishly long Anthony Davis managed to block this shot to preserve UK's victory over North Carolina. AP Photo/James Crisp

"I didn't realize this game was being played up like the end-all of all end-alls," Calipari said. "I grabbed the guys and said, 'Look everybody is making a big deal out of this. It's just another game.'"

OK, Coach.

Whatever.

Saturday's battle between two of the country's most tradition-rich programs didn't just live up to its billing. It exceeded it. Long before Anthony Davis preserved a 73-72 Kentucky victory by blocking John Henson's game-winning shot attempt from the baseline, the millions of fans watching from home certainly couldn't deny what was obvious to the 24,398 that crammed into Rupp Arena.

Kentucky and North Carolina are the top two teams in America, and it's not even a debate.

As many as 12 potential first-round NBA draft picks played in Saturday's contest, which featured eight lead changes, three ties and enough clutch shots to leave both head coaches beaming with pride. The game was played at such a high level that Calipari said he actually felt a bit sorry for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels, simply because no one should have to feel down after a performance like the one both teams turned in Saturday.

"Both teams gutted it out, just gutted it out," Calipari said. "This is supposed to happen in March, not now. I'm exhausted."

A Tar Heels-Wildcats rematch would certainly be the cherry on top of one of the most anticipated college basketball seasons in recent memory. But instead of March, the hope is that the sequel will occur on the second day of April at the Superdome in New Orleans.

That's the site of this season's NCAA championship game, and there wouldn't be anything better than Kentucky and North Carolina meeting in the final. With all due respect to the other 342 Division I fan bases out there, who wouldn't want to see this one again?

"I'd love to see them again," UK forward Terrence Jones said. "As a competitor, you want to play the best, and I'm sure they feel the same way. They're going to want a rematch."