Louisvillle vs. Kentucky: Wildcats Prove They're Championship Pedigree

Go ahead and take out your bracket and pencil in Kentucky to the Final Four.

This team is the real deal, and they have everything a team needs for tournament success. 

The Wildcats are currently the No. 3 team in the country with a 13-1 record. They chalked up their most impressive win of the season to date with a 69-62 win over No. 4 Louisville. 

Defense Wins Championships

Kentucky won this game with great defense. They held the Cardinals to an astonishingly low 32.3 field goal percentage. 

The Wildcats used an energetic and swarming defense to smother Louisville. This caused the Cardinals' ball handlers fits on the perimeter and would not allow them to get into their offense. 

Kentucky is able to press on the outside like this because they have Anthony Davis manning the paint to shut down the opposition's interior offense. Davis had six blocks on the day. 

The Wildcats played championship-caliber defense in this game, and their effort and determination left Louisville fans conceding the Wildcats were the better team on Saturday. 

This is not the only display of their dominant defense either. Earlier in the season, they held No. 17 Kansas to a 33.9 field goal percentage. 

Rebounding

The Wildcats owned the glass in this contest. They outboarded Louisville 49-28. This dominance came on the offensive and defensive end. The Wildcats had a nearly unthinkable 48.8 offensive rebounding percentage in this game.  

They also added 35 defensive rebounds to Louisville's eight offensive rebounds. 

When viewing this stat, it's important to note that the Cardinals are normally a good rebounding team. They are 16th in the nation on the boards. Kentucky is 11th. 

Tournament Caliber Wins

This was the Wildcats' third marquee win of the season. They beat Kansas 75-65 and No. 5 North Carolina 73-72. 

Kentucky's defense was not as stifling against the Tar Heels. UNC shot a decent 41.7 percent from the field and a remarkable 61.1 percent from three-point land. However, that fact is what makes that win so impressive. 

Kentucky is equipped to win higher scoring games, against a red hot team, when their defense is not shutting down an opposing offense. 

Mark Them in the Final Four 

Kentucky is young and athletic team that's only going to get better as the season goes on. Their defense is developing each game, and it's going to be downright impenetrable by tournament time. 

The Wildcats don't get a lot of baskets off of assists—they are 69th in the nation—but with their athleticism, ability to get out on the break, and offensive rebounding they don't need to. 

This team can play defense and rebound with any team in the country, and that leaves them impervious to offensive slumps that can derail top seeds. This squad will not be vulnerable to a let-down game in the tournament.