Mack: Louisville-Cincinnati Won't Take Place in 2021-22
(Photo of Chris Mack: David Butler II - USA TODAY Sports)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When it was first announced back in April of 2020, it was one of the most anticipated future matchups in college basketball. Louisville and Cincinnati would be renewing their decades-old rivalry that was lost to conference realignment, and play a home-and-home series.
The Cardinals would travel to Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati for the 2020-21 season, with the Bearcats heading to the KFC Yum! Center in 2021-22. At least, that was the plan. With COVID-19 pushing back the start date of this past season, the series as a whole was pushed back one season: at Cincinnati in 2021-22, then at Louisville in 2022-23.
Unfortunately, the first part of the series won't be happening according to Louisville head coach Chris Mack. In a recent interview with Louisville Report, Mack said that the two teams will not be playing each during the 2021-22 season.
"The Cincinnati game is not still on," Mack said when asked if the game with the Bearcats was still planned for the upcoming season. In a follow up text with Louisville Report, Mack further clarified that the Cardinals are "not playing them".
When explaining why the rivalry game would be omitted, Mack said is was due to an effort to get more home games for Louisville as part of their non-conference slate of games.
"We have to get a home game," Mack said. "That's one of the things that we've been really, really focused on, is trying to get a high major Power Five type of team here at the Yum! Center for our fans."
So far this offseason, it has been reported by CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein that Louisville will be hosting Detroit Mercy and Navy, while traveling to Western Kentucky and Kentucky.
Louisville has an agreement to play in the 2021 Empire Classic, but with the event being moved from Madison Square Garden to the Prudential Center, Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein told Louisville Report that "we are are keeping our options open".
But a backup MTE plan appears be in the works. Rothstein reported earlier this month that the Cardinals would be playing in the Bahamas-based Cable Beach Championship, and Mack told Louisville Report that they are "in the final stages of securing an MTE event that will change our schedule a little bit".
Louisville has faced Cincinnati more so than any other school in their program's history, playing a total of 99 times while holding a 56-43 advantage over their Ohio Valley counterparts. They last played in 2014, resulting in 58-57 victory at Fifth Third Arena, thanks to a buzzer beater from All-American guard Russ Smith.
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