When it comes to Kentucky vs. Louisville, John Calipari has often told his players to treat it like any other game. In his first year as Louisville’s head coach, Kenny Payne is taking the opposite approach. In his press conference this morning, Payne said a big part of his preparation this week has been getting his players to understand the importance of the rivalry. As someone who has been on both sides, spending four years as a player for the Cardinals (1985-89) and ten as an assistant under John Calipari at Kentucky (2010-20), Payne has a unique perspective.
“The first part is the rivalry, understanding what this means to all the people involved.