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We’re less than 48 hours away from tip-off, y’all. Before the pregame rituals and the paranoia set in, we thought we’d get our official predictions on record for Saturday’s matchup.

Ethan Moore

UofL will need to hit several threes and knock down their free throws to win. I expect Louisville won’t play scared or tight like they have in the past under Pitino. Mack will have a great game plan to target their big men to get them in foul trouble early. The Cards improve their passing and their ability to defend the pick and slip, especially in the paint. If they do that well enough, UofL will get the W.

Cards win, 70-65.

Nick Burch

Call me a blind optimist, as recent history very much favors UK, but something about this Louisville team seems different. They have a confidence and swagger about them that was absent with Pitino’s teams at times, especially during UK week when the team was wound tighter than a two-dollar watch. Combine that with the fact that this is UK’s first true road game, and my gut tells me Louisville comes out on top. UK always plays Louisville tough, though, so there is no room for complacency.

87-82 Louisville.

Tayler Lynch

This is the first season in recent memory where you look at Louisville and Kentucky and you don’t see a blatant disparity in talent. You don’t see a Kentucky team that has been especially dominant and, as a result, I don’t fear Louisville getting blown out. Kentucky has struggled shooting the ball all season, and while they looked better against North Carolina, that’s only one game and hardly enough to hang your hat on. I believe that Louisville will have the advantage in outside shooting. I worry about the Cards inside with Enoch and Williams going against Reid Travis and Nick Richards.

If this game were at Rupp I would feel far less confident, but I just have a feeling. With this being the Cats’ first road game and a rejuvenated Louisville fan base to make it a rough environment, the Cards will pull this out.

Good Guys, 79-74.

Conor Shea

I’ve been back and forth on this game ever since we saw Duke blow the doors off UK. There’s an awful lot that I don’t like about this game. The fact that the Cats are coming off of their best performance of the season certainly does not put me at ease. I’m also not loving that the Cards are stumbling into this game after an abysmal performance against Robert Morris. Couple those fears with recent history and that certainly doesn’t do much to make me feel great about UofL’s chances Saturday. The Cards will have to get some big play out of Enoch and Williams, especially against a UK team that ranks #2 in the country in Rebound Margin.

UofL will need to get to the line early and often and hit some clutch shots. Hopefully the guys play looser than they have in the past, but, unfortunately, I think the Cards are still a year away and the shots don’t fall when we need them.

Kentucky narrowly escapes, 73-68.

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