Experience has a way of showing up when things matter the most.Although Friday’s annual showdown with Louisville was being billed as a matchup of youth (Kentucky) vs. experience (Louisville), it was UK’s trio of veteran leaders that shined brightest when the Battle of the Bluegrass was at stake.In addition to Josh Harrellson’s career day – the senior forward finished with a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds, which you can read more about here – juniors Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins stepped up big in Kentucky’s 78-63 rout of Louisville.With U of L raining 3-pointers in its brand new arena and leading scorer Terrence Jones slow to get going, it was Darius Miller that steadied the Kentucky ship early on. After Louisville jumped to a 12-6 lead on a 3-pointer from Preston Knowles, Miller grabbed the only lead Kentucky would need with an “and one” play.Miller extended the lead to 19-14 on a powerful turnaround jumper and provided a key offensive rebound near the end of the first half that set up a Terrence Jones basket.”Darius was the reason there was a gap in the first half,” UK head coach John Calipari said.When Louisville rallied in the second half and Preston Knowles caught fire, Liggins’ heralded defense once again came to the rescue.Seconds after Knowles buried his fifth straight jump shot in a five-minute span – Knowles hit three 3-pointers and two long 2s in a furious Cardinal rally midway through the second half – Calipari sent Liggins to guard him. Knowles would hit just one more basket the rest of the game.”I think (Peyton) Siva is really, really good, and that’s why we put DeAndre on him,” Calipari said. “We were hoping Knowles wouldn’t go crazy. And when Knowles went crazy, then we put him on Knowles. And then Siva went crazy.”It was a reflection of the type of defense Liggins earned praise for last season and the kind of gritty attitude that is starting re-emerge once again. “The difference in the game was from him and he was 1-for-7 from the floor,” Calipari said of Liggins, who finished with as many steals (four) as he had points (four). “He played 39 minutes. That’s what great basketball teams have.”Calipari has continually preached that his young team doesn’t understand how to win, yet with veterans stepping up and the obvious talents from the freshmen, the Cats keep finding a way to add to their victory total. The latest was the team’s greatest – Kentucky’s fifth win in its last seven tries against Louisville.”We have a chance,” Calipari said. “Now let’s take it up a notch.”