John Calipari Says Kentucky Won't Play Louisville Game at Neutral Site

Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari isn't budging on his team's agreement to play a home-and-home series with their in-state rival.

Following recent comments from Louisville coach Chris Mack about potentially playing the Wildcats-Cardinals game at a neutral location this year, Calipari released a statement pushing back on the idea and reiterating his expectation for U of L to return to Lexington next season.

"Chris and I have talked and he expressed his concerns," Calipari said. "While I understand the difficulty and the complications created by the pandemic, we are prepared to come to Louisville to play this season under the previously agreed upon terms, and we fully expect Louisville to honor the agreement with a return game to Rupp Arena next season."

Kentucky and Louisville have alternated hosting the annual regular season, non-conference matchup dating back to 1983. 

The Wildcats lead the overall series 37-16 and have won the last three matchups. 

Mack nearly pulled off the upset last season in his second game against UK as the Cardinals' head coach, but fell 78-70 in overtime at Rupp Arena. That shifted the series back to the KFC YUM! Center in downtown Louisville, yet the coronavirus pandemic has given Mack reason to question the value of playing a home game if fans are unlikely to attend. 

Here's how Mack explained it on the Full Court Press podcast with John Fanta and Kim Adams earlier this week:  

"Where is the equity of Kentucky coming here in front of no fans and then having to go back to Rupp Arena [in 2021-22] in front of 21,000 fans? But I recognize and we recognize, man, the best rivalry—I know I'm biased—in all of college basketball. If there was somehow we could do this at a neutral site again, that's without talking to Kentucky and what their scheduling is."

Louisville is 8-13 at home and 5-20 in Lexington against Kentucky. Regardless, Calipari believes Mack should honor the current agreement as UK will be doing with it's marquee non-conference home games this season.

"We are contracted to play Notre Dame and a Big 12 opponent for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in Rupp Arena this season and we are honoring those contracts even if it is with little or no fans," Calipari said. "It is no one's fault we are in a pandemic. We cannot predict the future with this virus, whether that's this December or next December. My hope is they are not trying to end this series because it is important for this state that we play."