Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced Monday that he will enter into a
friendly wager with West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey over
the outcome of Thursday night’s Midwest Regional Sweet 16 game in
Cleveland, Ohio, between the No. 1 ranked University of Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 5 five West Virginia University Mountaineers.
If Kentucky wins, Attorney General Morrisey will give Attorney General Conway a
piece made by Milton-based Blenko Glass Co. If West Virginia wins,
Conway will give Morrisey a Meacham’s country ham from Union County,
where Conway’s father was born and raised.
“While UK has a great team, I believe WVU – a squad with incredible
heart – can pull off this big upset. Our offices have worked together
in a bi-partisan manner on several initiatives, but when it comes to
men's basketball, we must draw the line," Attorney General Morrisey
said. “Let’s Go, Mountaineers!”
Conway responded by saying, “Given the recent history of this developing
NCAA tournament regional rivalry, this game is likely to be a battle.
The Kentucky players, guided by Coach Calipari, have proven all season
long that they will rise to any challenge, and we are all looking
forward to taking on our neighbors to the East. Congratulations to the
Mountaineers on their berth in the Sweet 16, but I look forward to
celebrating a Kentucky victory over WVU with my spoils from Attorney
General Morrisey. Our Wildcats are on an historic roll. Here’s hoping
for the continuation of a perfect season for the University of Kentucky
that culminates with a ninth national title. Go Cats.”
The last time West Virginia and Kentucky met in men’s basketball was in 2011, when the Wildcats beat Mountaineers in the NCAA East Regional in the third round and eventually
went on to the Final Four in Houston, led by Brandon Knight, Josh
Harrellson and others. One year earlier, when Kentucky was the No. 1 seed led by Demarcus Cousins, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe, West Virginia upset the Wildcats in the NCAA East Regional finals when Kentucky finished 4-for-32
from the 3-point line.
Overall, the two teams have played each
other 19 times since 1924. Kentucky has 14 overall wins to West Virginia's five.
