By Josie Simpson
The No. 12 Louisville Cardinals finally snapped their four-year drought against the No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats with a 96-88 win that felt like a long-overdue exhale for Card Nation.
Ready to play
Louisville wasted no time getting on the board with Ryan Conwell knocking down an early free throw before drilling back-to-back threes to get the Cards rolling.
A Mikel Brown Jr. three and a Sananda Fru-to-Conwell connection pushed the lead to double-digits before the first media timeout.
The Cards’ offense clicked early, scoring efficiently from both the arc and inside. Fru and Aly Khalifa worked the paint, while Brown directed traffic with a steady hand.
The Cards went on a 15-2 run to seize all the momentum and then some.
Louisville led by as many as 20 in the first half and looked firmly in control.
Kentucky, though, refused to fold.
The Wildcats strung together a few defensive stops and capitalized on turnovers late in the half. A couple of Otega Oweh drives and Collin Chandler threes trimmed the lead back to single digits before the break.
Louisville entered halftime ahead 53-46.
Raise the stake
What looked like a blowout early quickly turned tense.
The Wildcats locked in defensively, closing passing lanes and limiting Louisville’s open looks.
Denzel Aberdeen and Jaland Lowe sparked a 15-5 Kentucky run midway through the second, cutting the deficit to six.
Louisville’s composure was tested for the first time all night. A few empty trips and rushed threes allowed Kentucky to hang around, but the Cards steadied behind their guards.
Conwell and Brown both hit timely shots to hold the Wildcats off.
Kentucky kept pressing, with Chandler’s late three making it 84-88.
But Louisville’s response down the stretch was too strong. Brown scored on a drive and-one to push the lead back to seven, and Conwell’s jumper at 1:33 all but sealed it.
Fru’s rebounding and Isaac McKneely’s perimeter defense were difference-makers in the final minutes.
In spite of missing seven straight free throws down the stretch, Louisville’s defense put the clamps down to lock up the game.
Louisville held on for the 96-88 win.
Coming out
The MVPs of the night are hard to choose from.
While Brown led the Cards with 29 points and five assists, there would be no win without Conwell’s threes and Fru’s brute strength.
Mikel Brown Jr. shooting a three during the rivalry game versus the University of Kentucky at the KFC Yum Center on November 11, 2025 (Photo by Nolton Alfred / The Louisville Cardinal).
Aberdeen helped the Wildcats ease the blow of their loss with 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists, but it still wasn’t enough.
This wasn’t a flawless win for Louisville, far from it.
Louisville’s 20-point cushion shrank dangerously low. However, the ability to close against a top-10 rival showed a team with poise and attitude.
But for the first time in a long time against the Wildcats, Louisville looked like a team with momentum, belief and execution. If they can maintain that start and keep their composure down the stretch, this could be the tipping point.
Louisville is 3-0 on the year with a bright future ahead.
Photo by Nolton Alfred / The Louisville Cardinal
