Embracing the rivalry helped Kentucky notch Mark Pope’s first win in the series as the Cats’ head coach.

Early on Saturday morning, while folks were still sipping on their first (or second) cup of coffee, the Kentucky men’s basketball Twitter account dropped a very powerful video — one that showcased the past of the program writing to the present-day team on what the Kentucky Wildcats vs. Louisville Cardinals rivalry on the hardwood means.

“Our media and alumni team did something really cool that I thought was so special,” head coach Mark Pope said after the win. “They each wrote a letter to one our players about what this game means to them, and that probably says it better than I ever could.”

The media team, featuring Jacob Most, Billy Toombs, and Nathan Schwake, featured prominent former players such as Kenny Walker, Darius Miller, and Willie Cauley-Stein, just to name a few.

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Butler has played in a lot of big games, but this one was his favorite.

After scoring a career-high 33 points and earning Battle of the Bluegrass MVP honors, Kentucky Wildcats standout Lamont Butler reflected on his standout performance against the Louisville Cardinals, calling it the most memorable game of his career.

“This is definitely going to be my most memorable,” Butler said during postgame interviews. “I think it’s my highest-scoring game of college and also in a big rivalry game. It’s definitely going to be one of the most memorable games.”

In the 2023 Final Four, Butler hit a buzzer-beating game-winner to defeat FAU, securing San Diego State’s first-ever NCAA Championship Game appearance. But this win over Louisville is now his current personal favorite.

Butler delivered an incredible performance, scoring 33 points while shooting a perfect 10/10 from the field, including 6/6 from beyond the arc. He added a game-high six assists to complete his stat line.

“It was amazing. It was exactly how I expected. The fans really showed out and kept the high energy throughout the game. It was so much fun,” said Butler.

This magical game almost didn’t happen. Butler was highly questionable to play due to the ankle injury he suffered in Kentucky’s loss to Clemson. With how Saturday went, it’s fair to wonder if Louisville wins the game if there’s no Butler.

Thankfully, that’s not something the BBN has to worry about.

“I was trying to get out there, man. I did a lot of treatment with our trainer Brandon Wells. I did everything to get back healthy. I wanted to be out there the last two games as well but I just wasn’t ready. This was the game I was ready to show out,” said Butler.

Now, Butler is forever etched into one of the greatest rivalries in college athletics.