Why the CATS Are Better – Your Smack Talk Stat Sheet

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Let’s cut to the chase, it’s less than a week before the Final Four 2012 and we’re all in traffic on Smack-Talk Street… be armed and ready with these smack talking stats of why the CATS are better than the CARDS!

Kentucky is better than Louisville this season

• Boom! Kentucky defeated Louisville by 7 points the last time they played (Dec 31, 2011).
• Obviously, AP Voters agree that Kentucky is superior to Louisville (Latest AP Poll: #1 vs #17).
• How does our back look? Kentucky is ranked higher than Louisville in their conference (#1 vs #7).
• Even computers respect Kentucky more. We have a better RPI this season than Louisville (RPI: #1 vs #9).
• It’s only wins and losses, but Kentucky has a better overall record than Louisville this season (36-2 vs 30-9).
• We make our fans proud. Kentucky has a better record at home than Louisville this season (18-0 vs 16-4).
• Better not leave your building. Kentucky has a better record on the road than Louisville this season (8-1 vs 6-5).
• Kentucky has a better conference record than Louisville this season (16-0 vs 10-8).
• Be afraid. Kentucky has blown out more teams than Louisville this season (16 blowouts vs 6).
• Kentucky scores more (on and off the court) (77.9 per game vs 68.4 per game) than Louisville this season.
• Kentucky is a better three-point shooting team (37.8% vs 31.7%) than Louisville this season.
• Kentucky is a better shooting team (48.8% vs 42.5%) than Louisville this season.
• Kentucky has a better rebound defense (31.9 allowed per game vs 36.2 allowed per game) than Louisville this season.

Kentucky is better than Louisville historically

• We just win. Kentucky has more wins over the last 5 years than Louisville (162 vs 157).
• We win when it counts, too. Kentucky has more NCAA Tournament wins over the last 10 years than Louisville (18 vs 12).
• Kentucky has a much better overall winning percentage over the last 20 years (0.791 to 0.677).
• AP voters think more highly of Kentucky and have put us in the AP Top 25 more often over the past 10 years than Louisville (158 vs 133).
• You get an A for effort, but Kentucky has punished Louisville the last 3 times they’ve played.
• At least you keep showing up. Kentucky has an average margin of victory of 13 over Louisville in 20 wins since 1982.
• It must sting. Kentucky has blown out Louisville by 20 points or more on 4 occasions since 1996.

Kentucky players are better than Louisville players

• Diaper Dandies love us. Kentucky has recruited more McDonald’s All-Americans out of high school than Louisville (36 vs 19).
• We’re a talent magnet. Since 1998 Kentucky has recruited more Top 10 high school players than Louisville (11 vs 1).
• Kids want to come here. Since 1998 Kentucky has recruited more Top 50 high school players than Louisville (28 vs 15).
• We have a history of cultivating talent. Over the past 10 years Kentucky has had more players drafted by the NBA than Louisville (14 vs 4).
• The Kentucky blocks leader (Anthony Davis) has more blocks than the Louisville blocks leader (Gorgui Dieng).
• The Kentucky rebounding leader (Anthony Davis) has more rebounds than the Louisville rebounding leader (Gorgui Dieng).
• The Kentucky scoring leader (Anthony Davis) has more points than the Louisville scoring leader (Kyle Kuric).
• Kentucky is taller. The average height of the top 8 players on Kentucky is 79.5 inches compared to 76.8 inches for Louisville.
• Kentucky is bigger. The average weight of the top 8 players on Kentucky is 226 lbs compared to 203 lbs for Louisville.
• Marquis Teague is ranked 28th nationally in assists
• Anthony Davis is ranked 6th nationally in rebounds and ranked 1st nationally in blocks
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is ranked 50th nationally in rebounds
• Terrence Jones is ranked 45th nationally in blocks

The SEC is a better conference than the Big East

• The SEC had fewer blowout games in conference (meaning there is greater parity within the conference) than in the Big East.
• The SEC has teams that are better at scoring, three-point shooting, blocks, and shooting percentage than any team in the Big East.
• The top ranking player between the two conferences for points, rebounds, three pointers, and blocks is in the SEC.

Kentucky is a better school than Louisville

• Kentucky has a better athletic program than Louisville according to the 2011 Capital One Cup standings (#22 vs #29).
• More violent crime happens in Louisville so be careful if you visit (when compared to Lexington — according to the FBI).
• More property crime happens per capita in Louisville so you better protect your valuables if you visit (when compared to Lexington — according to the FBI).
• Kentucky has more Top 50 Director’s Cup finishes than Louisville (16 vs 5)

What did we miss? [stats via StatSheet]