Rivalry Re-Newed: Indiana Heads to Rupp Arena

Indiana Takes the youth movement into Rupp to take on a Cats Team in need of Momentum

Last year the landscape was different. Kentucky was a meager 4-2 having lost an unprecedented game to Gardner-Webb at home and were fresh off an embarrassment to the #1 North Carolina Tarheels. Hopes were bleak for the Cats in Bloomington and the Hoosiers capitalized on their rivals weakness and embarrassed the Wildcats by taking down Kentucky by 19 points.

Following the loss, Kentucky continued to struggle dropping games to UAB, Houston and rival Louisville. Indiana on the other hand thrived throughout their non conference sleight but was halted by NCAA sanctions which removed Head Coach Sampson and put a dagger into the Hoosier hopes for a special season.

With the sanctions and loss of so many players it is now the Hoosiers whom are in rebuilding mode as they come to Rupp Arena today. The Kentucky Wildcats still have a sickening taste in their mouth from the whooping they received last year in Bloomington.

With the immediate departure of Kelvin Sampson, nearly all their recruiting class, current players, and remainder of the Indiana staff jumped ship and left the cupboards bear. In the off season the Hoosiers hired former Marquette coach Tom Crean to pick up the pieces and attempt to rebuild the Hoosiers team.

The season for Indiana has been rough so far as they have are 5-4 and dead last in the Big Ten in nearly every statistical category. This make-shift and transition phased Hoosier squad has only two upper classman, which produce very little on the court.

As the Indiana team is rebuilding, Kentucky MUST return to dominating this rivalry. Before last year, Kentucky has won the past seven between the two schools. Historically, the Hoosiers have not won in Lexington since 1988.

Kentucky needs this game badly to add to their RPI and gain momentum heading into conference play, which is less than two weeks away!