Kentucky-Louisville Alumni TBT Game Creating Quite a Buzz

Aaron Harrison (Vicky Graff Photo)

Who would have ever thought a summer basketball game at Freedom Hall could create such a buzz and sell 10,000 tickets in a matter of a few hours.

That just shows the mystique of the Kentucky-Louisville basketball rivalry is still there even if UK is 13-3 in the last 16 games.

The Ville (Louisville Alumni) will play La Familia (Kentucky Alumni) in the quarterfinals of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Monday at 9 p.m. on FoxSports1. The winner will be within two wins of the $1 million purse that goes to the winning team.

This is a game full of former stars for both UK and Louisville fans with 17 of the former Louisville and UK players having NBA experience. Seven players that played in the 2014 Sweet 16 matchup between Kentucky and Louisville will be participating: Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Willie Cauley-Stein, and James Young from Kentucky, and Russ Smith, Montrezl Harrell, and Chris Jones from Louisville. Kentucky won that matchup on a last-second 3-pointer by Aaron Harrison.

The Ville beat UKnighted (Bellarmine alumni) in the first round behind 20 points from Harrell. In the second round, two free throws from Harrell in the Elam Ending gave The Ville a 71-69 victory over Sideline Cancer. In the Louisville regional championship against Team DRC, Russ Smith led the team with 15 points in the 83-68 win.

La Familia was dominating in its first three games as it won by an average of 27 points. Eric Bledsoe and Aaron Harrison both had 13 points in a 82-56 win over the 305 Ballers. Willie Cauley-Stein had seven blocks against The Nawf in an 84-61 win. In the regional championship, La Familia defeated Marshall alumni 95-66 behind 24 p points from Bledsoe.

In TBT’s other quarterfinals matchups, Dayton regional champion and Ohio State alumni team Carmen’s Crew will take on Cincinnati regional champion Takeover BC at 7 p.m. in Freedom Hall prior to The Ville-La Familia matchup.

TBT’s two other quarterfinals games will take place at the Fertitta Center in Houston. Happy Valley Hoopers, the Penn State alumni team and Pittsburgh regional champion, will play Eberlein Drive, the Butler regional champion Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.  Forever Coogs, the Houston alumni team and Houston Regional Champion, will play Team Colorado, a Colorado alumni team and Wichita Regional Champion, at 9 p.m. in the second game.

The TBT semifinals will be at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia on Aug. 2 at 7 and 9 p.m. ET on FS1. TBT’s championship game will be Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX.

Tickets for all upcoming TBT games can be purchased at TheTournament.com/tickets.