The Kentucky-Louisville rivalry runs deep—even between the men’s basketball managers. On Friday morning, the Louisville MBB Managers’ social media account posted a direct message exchange with the UK MBB Managers, accusing them of avoiding competition and lacking enough managers to participate in the annual pre-game matchup, which takes place before the actual teams face off.
In the back-and-forth, Kentucky claimed they could only field managers and graduate assistants for the game due to a shortage of participants. The Louisville managers weren’t buying that excuse, however, and even shared a message from Lipscomb MBB Managers, pointing out that UK had used over 10 players in a similar game earlier this season.
From what’s been shared online, it doesn’t look great for Kentucky. There also seems to be some tension over the potential inclusion of Peyton Siva, Louisville’s Director of Player Development/Basketball Alumni Relations, who could technically play as a manager, giving the Cards an unfair advantage.
Despite the drama, this “beef” is more comical than anything. After all, it’s just a scrimmage game. The Louisville account even tagged sports media figures, trying to stir the pot. In reality, it’s all lighthearted rivalry fun, though the managers are clearly taking it seriously.
The game was scheduled for Friday night, but it appears to have been canceled. No worries for Kentucky fans though—they’ll still have a chance to settle the score in the real game later that evening at Rupp Arena. But if the UL managers want to claim this victory, let them have it.
