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(Photo by Tonia Witt) 11-11-25
Pregame Atmosphere

The KFC Yum! Center was the undeniable centerpiece of downtown Louisville—and the entire state—on Tuesday night as the Bluegrass rivalry took center stage. With #9 Kentucky and #12 Louisville both entering the game ranked inside the top 15, the stakes were high, the energy was electric, and both programs were eager to assert dominance in one of college basketball’s most heated rivalries.

First Half

Louisville came out blazing, fueled by the dynamic guard duo of Ty-Laur Johnson Conwell and Mikel Brown Jr. The pair combined for 33 first-half points on 10-of-19 shooting, including five makes from beyond the arc.

While the Cardinals controlled much of the early momentum, Kentucky briefly stole the lead thanks to a four-point play by Jaland Lowe—Kentucky’s first and only lead of the night. Louisville responded immediately, stretching the margin to as many as 18.

The Wildcats battled back, trimming the deficit to five late in the half, but Louisville’s star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. found an easy look at the rim just before the buzzer, sending the Cardinals into halftime with a 7-point advantage.

Second Half

Louisville re-established its grip on the game in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Conwell and Brown Jr. continued their offensive onslaught, ultimately combining for 53 of the Cardinals’ 96 points. Louisville led by as many as 20 with 12:24 remaining, putting Kentucky on the ropes.

But the Wildcats didn’t fold. Former national champion Denzel Aberdeen kept Kentucky afloat, delivering a standout performance with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including four three-pointers.

Kentucky mounted one final push, cutting the Louisville lead to just two behind timely threes from Collin Chandler and Kam Williams. However, a pivotal moment slipped away when Jaland Lowe missed the front end of a one-and-one that could have put the Wildcats in serious striking distance.

Louisville capitalized, closing out the final minutes with poise and securing a 96–88 victory—handing Kentucky its first loss of the season and its first defeat to Louisville since 2020.

When do the Cats play again?

 The Cats will have their next game on Friday versus Eastern Illinois in the final game of the BBN United Tipoff Classic the game will be on SEC Network + at 7 PM.

Box Score