Photo of Louisville player at half-time brings back Rick Pitino vibes

The Kentucky Wildcats vs. the Louisville Cardinals rivalry feels back on the floor. The players are back into disliking each other and disliking each other's fans. It's been a few years since it's felt like this, especially with head coach Pat Kelsey working to get Louisville back into the national conversation.

Kentucky's Lamont Butler made a great bucket to close out the half and gestured to the Louisville bench and fans with a "traveling" call as they were tearing into him about a previous whistle that he drew with too many steps. Kentucky fans were excited about having the half-time lead of 46-40, and this momentum swing at the end helped the jawing increase.

As Louisville was heading to the locker room, Kentucky fans were heckling Louisville fans on their way off the court. Most of the players ignored the trash-talking, but not Khari Rooths, who couldn't stand it and threw up an obscene gesture.

This gesture reminded many Kentucky fans of a time when Rick Pitino gave the same gesture to Kentucky fans during the Louisville vs. Kentucky rivalry. This was after he coached at Kentucky, and he was tired of hearing the taunting and trash talking of the Big Blue Nation.

This is where the fans on both sides of this rivalry want things to be. Maybe not with the gestures but with the heated rivalry hate. Each side wants the players and coaches to understand the rivalry, and both program's fanbases want to beat the other badly.

The taunting started early from Kentucky fans and the Kentucky student section. When former Louisville player Peyton Siva came out as an assistant for Louisville before the game. Siva and the student section got into a back-and-forth, and Siva was yelling at them, "I still have the ring!'

As the second half gets underway, Kentucky is looking to continue to stretch the lead in this rivalry and win another against the Cardinals.