People often like to say that Duke vs. North Carolina is the best rivalry in college hoops: I say, those people are living in a bubble. Want proof? Take one look at the vitriolic social media posts from fans on either side as Milan Momcilovic was bouncing back and forth between Kentucky and Louisville. Most of them would be inappropriate to quote here, even if they've got their creative merit.
Now that both rosters are nearly done (Kentucky still has one open slot), we can break down the details of both and see who comes out ahead in what is, to me, the premier rivalry. Spoiler alert: Cardinals fans need to look away.
Player for player, Kentucky and Louisville are objectively pretty tight. But Kentucky, especially given the addition of Momcilovic, seems to have gained the edge here.
A Better Starting Five (On Paper)
Let's start at point guard. Last season, UL's Jackson Shelstad could only play 12 games, so we have to go back to the year prior to look at how he performs over a full campaign. Raw statistics favor Diallo (15 points per game to 13, four assists to two, three boards to two). The only category in which Shelstad is more effective on the court is when shooting the three-ball (37% to 31%).
Even taking into account Shelstad's 12-game season, Diallo is still ahead in points and rebounds. It helps that Diallo has performed well head-to-head against Shelstad, too. In their last duel on March 9 of last year, Diallo had 13 points to Shelstad's four. Kentucky gets this nod.
At the two spot, also, I don't have to spend much time. Alex Wilkins averaged more points, more assists, and a better field goal percentagethan Adrian Wooley. Wooley outrebounded Wilkins (three to two), but for a shooting guard, the earlier numbers mean a lot more. Point, blue and white.
Kam Williams and Karter Knox are also a relatively clear-cut comparison, although not in the Wildcats' favor. Both guys missed time last year, but Knox averaged more points and assists on a better squad; thta includes shooting metrics, too. It isn't a blowout but, assuming Williams starts at the three for Kentucky, Knox has simply shown more up to this point. Credit to the Cards here.
At the four, Milan Momcilovic is plainly a better piece than Alvaro Folgueiras. They play different styles, sure, but Momcilovic's offensive edge is far sharper than Folgueiras' more well-rounded, reliable approach to the game. This is a centerpiece vs. complimentary piece. Both are good players, but the Cats get an easy point here.
Both Flory Bidunga and Malachi Moreno have a chance to make a case as the best big in college basketball this season. But where Moreno is just now coming into that form, Bidunga is a former Defensive Player of the Year and is seen by many as the top transfer in the portal this year.
Louisville gets the nod here, at least until Moreno gets a chance to go head-to-head with Bidunga.
Two Additional Battles
When it comes to the bench units, De'Shayne Montgomery leads the way in Louisville's second unit, paired with an array of promising yet less experienced pieces. Kentucky counters that with Justin McBride and Jerone Morton, both reliable scoring veterans, alongside Ousmane N'Diaye (assuming he doesn't start), Braydon Hawthorne, and Franck Kepnang.
Some guys in either camp are "wait and see" scenarios, but the Mark Pope basically filled out his bench alongside his starting lineup, nabbing Momcilovic last as the crown jewel of his Kentucky team. Pat Kelsey ran that process in reverse, and it cost Louisville a better secondary rotation.
Speaking of Pope and Kelsey, the two are 1-1 against each other. But, Pope has far more wins against ranked teams (Kelsey has zero against KenPom top 20 opponents at Louisville) and has also been to a Sweet 16. Thus far, this is Pope's rivalry to lose.
Games aren't played on paper, of course, but it isn't hard to make a case for Kentucky's clear edge early on.
Add us as a preferred source on Google