Kentucky and Duke.

Tuesday’s renewal of college hoops ultimate rivalry, what was at stake? Maybe these things.

√ Brag rights. Important mostly to Kentucky fans since Dookie save their vitriol for powder blue Tar Heel.

√ Rankings. By Wednesday morning, Pike County to Providence, experts will have analyzed, replayed and decided who is Number One and why who is 1A in the only polls that count, theirs.

√ All new people. Kentucky will play as many as five rookies; Duke will use five newcomers.

√ Sideshow. Analyst will swoon over Skal Labissiere and Brandon Ingram.

√ Game film to file.

√ Coaching.

√ Momentum? Kentucky will return home to toast four marshmallows before a game at UCLA December 3. Duke plays VCU then Wisconsin or Georgetown in Madison Square Garden.

√ Reflections on the Kentucky-Duke rivalry for BBN …

• NCAA title game 1978. Kentucky 94, Duke 88. MVP Jack Givens scored 42.

• NCAA Regional 1992. Kentucky 102, Duke 104. For the purist, a classic in style, skill, and drama all the way to “why on earth didn’t Pitino defend the in-bounds pass!?”

And, a personal favorite.

• NCAA Final Four 1966. Kentucky 83, Duke 79. Was the night in College Park, Maryland when Rupp’s Runts saved Duke basketball.

Saved the Dookies? The No. 2 ranked Blue Devils (all white skinned) were eliminated at the Final Four by No. 1 Kentucky on a Friday. On a Saturday Texas Western (not all black skinned, despite the myth) shocked college basketball beating (all white skinned) Kentucky.

Eureka Moment. The national media herd found its voice for social justice and need for a villain. After 29 games played over three months, it was discovered Adolph Rupp’s players were all white skinned. Never mind that Vic Bubas’s Duke roster was same.

And so, Duke went home to segregated North Carolina to plan for 1966-67. Rupp’s Runts? Fans fell into despair too soon. Suddenly America’s Team barely a fortnight earlier, with National Coach of the Year Adolph Rupp on Sports Illustrated cover, was now lily white and Rupp was a racist.

Duke had avoided a hateful image-makeover. Whew.

March 19, 1966, Kentucky saved Duke basketball from scorn and condemnation that would span decades and a new generation of media doing preachments. Most wrote and discussed it in context of “Well, I read about it somewhere.”

So, March 19, 1966. The night Kentucky saved Duke basketball.

FACES IN THE CROWD

Thanksgiving draws near. Facial expressions among the familiars makes an interesting People Watch

• Bobby Petrino. Cautious smile. Still contrite in public and less the braggart he once was, Petrino has orchestrated a four game win streak, assured an invitation to post season. Two games to go, Louisville Cardinals are about increasing their bowl game cha-ching.

• Louisville fans. Happy but subdued. Boys and girls wearing red and black would be chortling louder, but for a road game still ahead in Lexington. Reason Two: UofL is still under clouds of sexual scandal and sombrero damage control.

• Mark Stoops. Gritted teeth and seething. Expressions familiar to UK fans older than 70 who witnessed Blanton Collier, Charlie Bradshaw, John Ray and Jerry Claiborne go into that good night … with gritted teeth and seething.

• Kentucky football fans. Shock and awe and dispirited … again. When Charlotte visits Saturday, fans be wary of UK Athletics provided estimated attendance number.

Elsewhere …

• Rick Pitino. Anybody recall the expression “season without joy”?

• Derek Willis. Told-ja so.

• Jeff Brohm. Season ball coaches dream about … often followed by pay hike to stay or job jump at the end. Psst, nobody I know has whispered Brohm’s name in sentence: “… but he’s done this with Petrino recruits.”

• Brandon Doughty. Genuine student-athlete Heisman Trophy candidate.

THE DOUGHTY FACTOR

Six college football seasons in, here standeth a Role Model and poster guy for college athletics. Brandon Doughty, a 3-star rated player in Davie, Florida, is about to finish his sixth year at Western Kentucky University.

Doughty’s numbers are incredible. More than 12,000 yards passing completed seven of every 10 attempts, 49 touchdown throws in 2014, with 34-and-counting this season.

Doughty likely won’t be invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy show, but, the 6-3, 220-pounds will play on Sunday next year.

Statistically and for leadership, Doughty is The Deal. Here’s howl: Doughty is one of 10 finalists for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award. CLASS: Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School.

Total student-athlete and role model, Brandon Doughty.

PHILIP HAYWOOD

In support of the idea good things come in bunches …

Philip Haywood at Belfry High has become one of 15 high school football coaches nationally to reach 400 wins.

And, the coach has written a book. Faith, Family and Football (235 pages, $24.95). Google it on the internet.

High praise for Haywood come from retired sportswriter Mike Fields and former University of Kentucky star Jeff Van Note.

“Philip Haywood is not just a football coach; he’s a life coach,” sayeth Fields.

Van Note: “Xs and Os, the wins and losses are covered. Yet it is the spirit of teaching, preparing, influencing, pushing, loving, caring, and driving young men to be the best that they can be at what they are doing in this time of their life. He gets it.”

A Life Coach. Yes. I have long admired Haywood’s grip on humility and principled wide-angle approaches to his work. Perhaps most perfectly illustrated in excerpts from an interview with a WKYT-TV reporter.

• “I’ve never made a tackle, never made a block, never scored a touchdown.

• “I’m just the guy who kind of encourages them and gets on the sidelines (and) cheers them on.

“I’m just the guy who gets to come down and do an interview with you and be the front guy for the team.”

At high school level, a Life Coach. Yes.

And so it goes.