Kentucky vs. Louisville: Live Score, Highlights and Reaction

No. 1 Kentucky stifled in-state rival No. 4 Louisville on Saturday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center, holding the host Cardinals to just 26 percent shooting in a 58-50 UK win.

The Wildcats (13-0) defense was the difference. 

Playing at home with a raucous crowd at its back, Louisville only connected on 15 shots from the field, struggling with Kentucky’s defensive pressure and ability to contest shots. 

It was low-scoring, hotly contested and ugly at times, but the Wildcats, a unanimous selection as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 poll the past three weeks, showed once again why they are the best team in the nation.

Perhaps the most anticipated game of the nonconference slate featured a pair of Wooden Award contenders in big-men Willie Cauley-Stein and Montrezl Harrell, but neither man put his stamp on the game.

It was the Kentucky freshmen that did that.

Tyler Ulis led his team with 14 points, including a pair of triples midway through the second half that helped the Wildcats pull away.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 10 points to go with his nine boards, and Devin Booker contributed nine points of his own.

Cauley-Stein was limited to just five points and six rebounds.

The Cardinals (11-1) have now dropped seven of their last eight against Kentucky.

They had opportunities in the first half when the Wildcats turned the ball over far more frequently than coach John Calipari would like, but they couldn’t capitalize on offense.

Terry Rozier led all scorers with 15 points, but he did it on 5-of-18 shooting.

Harrell, like Cauley-Stein, was severely limited offensively and held to just nine points, nearly eight off his season average.