Reliving the best moments in Louisville basketball rivalry vs. Cincinnati
By Alan Thomas
No. 2 – The beast in the East
Entering the 2012 Big East Tournament, Louisville had looked sluggish as all get-out, losing 4 of their final 6 regular-season games. One of those losses was to rough-and-tumble Cincinnati squad.
The postseason looked bleak to say the least, and it seemed as though the senior class of Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith would not go out on a high note in their final hurrah as Cardinals. But never underestimate a team’s ability to flip the switch.
Louisville had steamrolled past the likes of Seton Hall before going on a miniature revenge tour, knocking off no. 9 Marquette and no. 23 Notre Dame along the way. These wins set the stage for a rematch with Cincinnati in the Big East Championship game in New York City on March 10, 2012.
In a game that saw quite possibly the most insane shot in Louisville history (Peyton Siva’s leaning, curling prayer lay-up over two big men) as well as the lowest final score in Big East Championship history, the Cards were able to come out on top 50-44.
That day they not only won their second Big East Title, but it catapulted them into the NCAA Tournament, where they would capture their ninth Final Four. In a fun plot twist, Cincinnati was denied their shot at a Big East Tournament Championship.