Nick Richards steps up to lead No. 19 Kentucky to overtime win against No. 4 Louisville

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The split second between hitting the floor and the official's call might have been the most nerve-wracking moment of the day for Nick Richards in Kentucky's 78-70 overtime win against rival Louisville.

The Kentucky junior forward had just watched Louisville roar back from a 12-point second-half deficit to take a lead with him relegated to the bench because of foul trouble. Freshman guard Tyrese Maxey had given Kentucky back the lead with a fastbreak 3-pointer, but Richards made the risky call to stand firm as Louisville forward Malik Williams charged into the paint.

As Richards fell to the floor after contact with Williams, he knew his day might be finished. Should the official rule the play a blocking foul instead of a charge, Richards would have fouled out of the game.

His daring was rewarded, though. Charge was the call. The normally mild-mannered Richards roared in excitement from the court where he lay and most of the 20,437 fans in Rupp Arena answered with their own cheers.

"I was really nervous," Richards said. "I was hoping he was going to call a charge. If he called a block, I don’t know what would have happened."

Luckily for Kentucky, that worst-case scenario was left as only a what-if. Instead, Richards stayed in the game, eventually scoring seven consecutive points after Louisville had taken a lead in overtime to finish the victory with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 fouls drawn.

"Man, he’s big as hell," Louisville coach Chris Mack said of Richards. "You don’t see that size very often. I think when he stood next to Steve (Enoch), Steve was a couple inches short. … We knew Nick Richards is a really good player. We tried to go at him as much as we could. Give him credit."

Entering the rivalry game, Louisville appeared to have a decided advantage in the frontcourt with Enoch and company thriving while Richards and EJ Montgomery disappeared for most of Kentucky's two losses in Las Vegas.

While Richards had shown steady improvement early this season against low-major opponents, he entered the game having averaged 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 21 career games against ranked teams. 

Enoch held his own against Kentucky with a team-high 18 points and five rebounds and senior forward Dwayne Sutton contributed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but Richards' career-best showing combined with stellar nights from Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley was enough to help Kentucky hold onto the victory.

"I’d probably say this is the most we’ve ever fought as a team," Richards said. 

Louisville hit just seven of 27 3s and nine of 20 free throws in the game.

"I felt like the demise of our team was simply our free-throw shooting," Louisville coach Chris Mack said. "Had we rang the bell from the free throw line, I think the game is different."

Jon Hale:jahale@courier-journal.com; Twitter:@JonHale_CJ.