Joy to the world. And Planet Basketball too.

In the Bluegrass State, this Christmas is more than Jingle Bells, Here Comes Santa Claus and goin’ to Gran’ma’s house.

Family revelry is okay. Mother’s chocolate covered peanut butter balls and candlelight service on television is appropriate. But, this Christmas Week drama will carry on well past time the fat guy in a red suit is here then gone home again to sit in front of his fire.

And yes, Planet Earth will continue with its usual suspects – Bill O’Reilly bleating that the sky is falling … North Korea will still bluster and maybe threaten Walt Disney Studios next … Johnny Manziel will continue doing selfies … and Scarlett Johansson will still try to get naked in public.

But here in The Nations, (Big Blue and Cardinal), Kentuckians will open Christmas gifts with an expected “ahhh, thank you,” but minds will already be in count-down mode toward Saturday afternoon.

Clocks will tick toward two, Eastern time while moms, dads and the kids – Fulton to Catlettsburg and Covington to Guthrie, get dressed out in blue or red and promise to keep it sane, knowing they will do no such thing.

Kentucky 12-0, Louisville 11-0.

First, the electronic devices. This ain’t church service on Sunday, but …

• Text and tweets … suspended.

• Telephones and cell phones … off.

• E-mail … nada.

Tune the teevee to ESPN2 and, hey! “Find you a seat, gran’ma, mine’s down in the front row!”

Next, the Deuce will channel us to Yum Center where lights will be dimmed and player introductions roll out from the most obnoxious P.A. voice this side of Michael ‘Get Ready to Rumble!’ Buffer.

Then, Kentucky and Louisville will get it on again. This time the Wildcats are No. 1, the Cardinals No. 4.

According to one teevee expert already last week: “Nobody’s going to beat Kentucky. Nobody.” Dan Dakich, ESPN.

Cardinal fans would rather ignore the Wildcats’ talent, size, depth, defense, unselfishness and growing swagger that produced a 41-7 halftime last Saturday. Realities that have catapulted Kentucky into college hoops stratosphere, alone. A zone where, despite John Calipari’s whiny “shhhh,” the words unbeaten season have found a way into mainstream conversation, ESPN to CBS and beyond.

Louisville? Rick Pitino teams are known for toughness. Is intriguing then, the Dakich key to Kentucky running the table, “is their toughness.”

And so, with all the bone crunch, bruises and tumbles in the movie Lone Survivor, Saturday’s UK-UofL could be a sequel.

Louisville is a good team. Kentucky is a remarkable one.

Strategies?

√ Pitino’s familiar “press, press and befuddle an opponent into playing faster that he wants,” against Kentucky’s rotation, won’t work.

√ The Wildcats dozen 3-pointers against UCLA was impressive, but the defense stopped UCLA at 25 percent is more so. UK’s storming transition offense, coupled with bang-it-inside option against Louisville’s bigs, will be the deciders.

So, open your presents Thursday, Gran’ma, but be sure to reserve a seat in the teevee room on Saturday. Here in The Nations, its Planet Basketball weekend in the Bluegrass.