Louisville basketball’s top wins vs rival Memphis ahead of new series

The Louisville-Memphis basketball rivalry is back.

On Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center, the Cardinals and the Tigers will meet for the first time since Dec. 16, 2017. It’s the start of a six-year series (through the 2030-31 season) that could include two neutral-site games in Nashville.

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“It’s good for the game,” coach Pat Kelsey told the Memphis Commercial Appeal in May.

UofL has played Memphis 90 times dating back to 1949 — only its 101-game series against Cincinnati is longer. The Cards enter Saturday with a 54-36 edge over the Tigers. They won the most recent matchup, the showcase game of the 2017 Gotham Classic at Madison Square Garden, 81-72.

“These are the kinds of games that bring out the best in both programs, energize fan bases and are the reason players want to come to Memphis,” said Memphis coach Penny Hardaway, a 901 native who played for the Tigers during a lull in the rivalry (1991–93), in a statement when the series was announced.

“There’s real history and passion between us, and we are thrilled to help bring it back and give our fans — and the sport — something special to look forward to the next six years.”

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Before Louisville and Memphis square off Saturday, take a trip down memory lane with our look at five of the Cards’ top wins in the rivalry — presented in chronological order below:

Al Vilcheck punches Fred Horton after Louisville beats Memphis in chippy affair (March 4, 1970)

Former Memphis State forward Fred Horton is restrained after he was sucker-punched by former Louisville forward Al Vilcheck moments after a game between the two teams ended at Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis on March 4, 1970.

Louisville’s seven-game winning streak over Memphis from 1964-70 is the longest in series history. The final victory during the Cards’ run, 83-82 on March 4, 1970, at Mid-South Coliseum, marked an inflection point in the rivalry.

That’s because UofL’s Al Vilcheck, who totaled only four points and three rebounds in the game, threw a…

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Publish date : 2025-12-07 10:09:00

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