Harrison Twins Still Enjoy Louisville Rivalry

Andrew Harrison is 4-0 against Louisville and would like to keep that dominance this summer during the TBT. (TBT Photo)

It may not seem like it but it has now been 11 years since Aaron Harrison had that streak of three straight game-winning shots for Kentucky in NCAA Tournament play that got Kentucky to the national championship game.

It started in the NCAA Sweet 16 when Harrison hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 39 seconds to play to put UK ahead to stay in a 74-69 win over Louisville. The next game against Michigan in the Elite Eight he did it again but this time only 2.3 seconds remained when he connected from deep to give UK a 75-72 win.

But that wasn’t enough. In the Final Four against Wisconsin, he did it with 5.7 seconds to beat the Badgers 74-73.

Lexington Herald-Leader columnist Mark Story ranked those as three of the top 10 clutch shots in Kentucky basketball history and they came in three straight games.

Now Harrison and his twin brother, Andrew, are back playing for LaFamilia, Kentucky’s alumni team playing in the TBT chasing the $1 million purse just like they were as starters for the 2014 and 2015 Final Four teams.

Last year Kentucky had a successful TBT debut that included an intense quarterfinal win over The Ville, Louisville’s alumni team, in front of over 13,000 fans in Freedom Hall — the largest crowd in TBT history.

As entertaining as the June matchup was for both Kentucky and Louisville fans, the intense battle was just as important to the Harrisons.

“I think that was the highlight of the tournament, honestly. That was so much fun,” Aaron Harrison said during a call to promote this year’s event. “As a professional, you don’t really get to play that many games with just pride on the line. It’s about money or whatever.”

This game was different and will be again if both LaFamilia and The Ville

“That was just a pure rivalry, and it was just so much fun to be a part of that again,” Aaron Harrison said. “I think that was just like the highlight of my whole summer. I don’t even think I scored that game, but it was just so much fun, like so much energy in there. Just reminded me of being back in school playing them. It was a lot of fun.”

Playing against the Harrisons has not been fun for Louisville. Kentucky was 3-0 against the Cardinals when the Harrisons were at UK and then the twins helped UK beat the Cards again in the TBT.

“I never played in the NBA Finals, but I think that it may be just as intense,” Aaron said about the rivalry. “I wouldn’t say I would compare the NBA Finals to that, just because it’s not as personal. I think people take it so personal between us and Louisville that I think it’s a different type of intensity.

“I wouldn’t compare it to anything, honestly. I think it’s right up there with any rivalry in sports, any two groups of people that don’t like each other. It’s one of the better rivalries in the world, I think.”

If the teams do advance and play again this summer, the game once again will be in Freedom Hall because The Ville pre-sold 4,000 TBT tickets faster than any other team to earn hosting rights.

And if the rematch does happen, Kentucky will be just as inspired to win again as ever.

“Guys that I played with on my team, for the most part, have never lost to Louisville,” Andrew Harrison said. “I think that we want to keep it that way. Keep the dominance going.”

“We’re focused on winning though, we’re not focusing on them,” Aaron Harrison added.“They might not make it to where we are.”

Kentucky will host the Lexington Regional July 18th-22nd but this year it will be in Memorial Coliseum, not Rupp Arena. The TBT quarterfinals will be July 29th, semifinals July 31st and the $1 million championship game August 3rd.

Andrew Harrison averaged 11.6 points per game in TBT play last year and hit the game-winning 3-pointer against The Ville in the quarterfinals. Aaron Harrison averaged 7.0 points per game and knocked down three or more 3-pointers in multiple games during the 2024 TBT.