The magnitude whenever Kentucky and Louisville are playing each other on the hardwood is always palpable. But with the game between the Wildcats and Cardinals happening on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, there’s a different magnitude with the Bluegrass Rivalry being played in just the third game of the season for both teams.
Still, though, the intensity on Tuesday night at the KFC Yum! Center is going to be at a high level. Louisville has the makings of what could be a really good team this season. Kentucky head coach Mark Pope understands as well as anybody what this game means for Big Blue Nation and the state of Kentucky.
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Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey has revived the Cardinals’ program in just one season, and it’s great for the Bluegrass State and college basketball. When both Kentucky and Louisville are really good, the sport is better because of it. Tuesday night features a top-15 matchup with bragging rights in the state up for grabs, just three games into the season.
Scoring over 100 points in both of their games, the Cardinals have been electric on offense through their first two games. They have attempted 65 3-pointers through two games, making 22 of them. The Cardinals put up a lot of shots, and they give themselves second chances on the offensive glass. For a Kentucky team that has experience, talent, and versatility, this is going to be a test for the youth on Kentucky’s roster.
Let’s look at the Cardinals and keys to the game ahead of Tuesday night’s Bluegrass Rivalry.
Players to Watch on Louisville
1. No. 9: Khani Rooths — 6-10, 215 lbs. So. Forward, Washington
Stats: 18 pts/gm., 8.5 rebs, 13-21 FG, 2-8 3-PT FG, 8-12 FT, 22.7 mpg
Rooths is in a much bigger role this season as a Sophomore than he was in last season as a Freshman. Through two games. Rooths is averaging nearly a double-double and had one against Jackson State last Thursday.
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Considering he only played 13.4 minutes per game last season, Rooths is settling into his expanded role nicely through the Cardinals’ first two games. But Tuesday night will be a big test for him, going up against Kentucky’s frontcourt.
Originally from our nation’s capital, Rooths played his first two prep seasons at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Maryland, before playing at IMG Academy in Florida his last two seasons.
2. No. 3: Ryan Conwell — 6-4, 215 lbs. Sr. Guard, Indianapolis; Xavier Transfer
Stats: 15.5 pts, 5.5 rebs, 7-16 FG, 5-12 3-PT FG, 12-14 FT, 22.7 mpg
Conwell is a sharpshooter with extensive experience. This is his fourth team in four seasons, so he’s a player who has proven to be adaptable throughout his entire college career.
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Last season at Xavier, Conwell was named Third-Team All-Big East, averaging 16.5 points per game and shooting 45 percent from the floor with a 41.3% 3-point percentage. Conwell also had 12 games with 20+ points.
In the 2023-2024 season at Indiana State, Conwell was second in the Missouri Valley Conference with 109 3-pointers and fifth with a 40.7 3-point field goal percentage. He was eighth in the conference with 16.6 points per game.
3. No. 0: Mikel Brown Jr. — 6-5, 190 lbs. Fr. Guard, Orlando, Fla.
Stats: 14.5 pts, 4 rebs/gm., 9-17 FG, 3-9 3-PT FG, 8-8 FT, 15 ast. – 9 TO, 22.3 mpg
Brown was the No. 7 player in the Class of 2025 and the No. 2 point guard according to 247Sports. He averaged 29.6 points per game as a Senior this past season, and he won the 3-point contest at the McDonald’s All-American Games while also being a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Boys High School Player of the Year.
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This past Summer, Brown was on the USA U19 National Team at the FIBA World Cup in Switzerland. He was on the U18 National Team that won Gold at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in the Summer of 2024.
4. No. 1: J’Vonne Hadley — 6-7, 210 lbs. 6th-Year Guard, St. Paul, Minn.; Colorado Transfer
Stats: 13 pts, 9 rebs, 5-7 FG (1-3 3-PT FG), 2-4 FT, 2 ast., 2 stl., 21 mins
The only Cardinals’ player to start every one of their 35 games last season, Hadley led the team in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per game, while also averaging 12.2 points per game. He’s not just a great rebounder, though. Hadley shot 51.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from 3-point range. In addition, Hadley also had 64 assists and 25 steals, while also accumulating seven double-doubles.
Prior to Louisville, Hadley played two seasons at Colorado. In his Senior season in 2023-2024, Hadley started in all 36 games and averaged 11.6 points, six rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He also shot 53.8 percent from the floor for a Buffaloes team that went to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
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5. No. 10: Isaac McKneely — 6-4, 195 lbs. Sr. Guard Poca, W. Va.; Virginia Transfer
Stats: 12.5 pts, 2 rebs/gm., 9-20 FG, 7-17 3-PT FG, 0-1 FT, 24.3 mpg
Another sharp-shooter, McKneely, was All-ACC Honorable Mention at Virginia this past season. McKneely led the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage at 42.1 percent this past season and had eight games with 20+ points.
McKneely played three seasons at Virginia, playing on two NCAA Tournament teams with the Cavaliers. He shot 44.5 percent from 3-point range in the 2023-2024 season.
In high school, he was a two-time West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and a two-time recipient of the Bill Evans Award as West Virginia Player of the Year.
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6. #13: Sananda Fru — 6-11, 245 lbs. Jr. Forward/Center, Berlin
Stats: 10.5 pts, 6.5 rebs, 9-12 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 2-5 FT, 20.3 mpg
Fru has a unique basketball background, having come over to America from Germany after playing for Loewen Braunschweig in the German BBL for four seasons. He started 35 of 39 games for Loewen Braunschweig in the 2024-25 season, including games in the FIBA Europe Cup. His season averages included 12.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 1.4 bpg while shooting 64.5% from the floor. Fru also competed with the German national team in 2022 and 2023 on its FIBA U20 squad.
Head Coach: Pat Kelsey (2nd Season, 29-8; 14th Season Overall, 290-130) — 50 years old
The reigning ACC Coach of the Year, after taking the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament with a 27-8 record overall and 18-2 ACC record (tied for second in the conference), Pat Kelsey was also a Semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year. It was the best season Louisville had had in years, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and going to the ACC Tournament Semifinals and Championship for the first time since joining the conference in 2014.
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Louisville reached as high as No. 10 in the AP Poll, which was impressive considering they had no returning scholarship players from the previous season. Chucky Hepburn earned All-ACC First Team honors while also being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an AP Honorable Mention All-American. Terrence Edwards Jr. picked up Third Team All-ACC honors.
In the Bluegrass Rivalry at Rupp Arena last season, Louisville was down to just seven players in that game. Yet, it took 33 points on a perfect 10-10 shooting performance, including 6-6 from 3-point range from Lamont Butler to hold off the Cardinals in a 93-85 win for the Wildcats. Louisville showed it was different in that game, losing just two more times before the NCAA Tournament.
Kelsey has won everywhere he’s been as a head coach. At College of Charleston, the Cougars went to the NCAA Tournament in each of their last two seasons and won the CAA Regular-Season and Tournament Championships. The Cougars were also in the AP Top 25 for four weeks in 2022-2023, peaking as high as No. 18.
Prior to joining the College of Charleston, Kelsey spent nine seasons as the head coach at Winthrop, winning four Big South Regular Season and three Big South Tournament titles. He was the Big South Coach of the Year in 2021, leading the Eagles to a 23-2 record.
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Before becoming a head coach, Kelsey served as an associate head coach at Xavier from 2009 to 2011, helping lead the Musketeers to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2010, where they lost to Kansas State in double overtime. He also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Wake Forest, coaching Chris Paul in his first season and leading the Demon Deacons to a No. 1 AP ranking in the 2008-2009 Season. The Demon Deacons went to the Sweet 16 in 2003-2004, with Kelsey working as the Director of Basketball Operations.
A Cincinnati native, Kelsey played at Xavier for three seasons after playing his first collegiate season at Wyoming. He won a state championship with Elder in 1993 and later served as an assistant coach for the Panthers from 1998 to 2001.
Keys to the Game
1. Rebounding
Louisville is a really good rebounding team, with 96 through its first two games. The Cardinals also have 27 offensive rebounds through two games. Again, it’s only been two games, but early indications are that this Cardinals team can rebound the ball at a high level. Kentucky can too, though, with 101 rebounds through two games. The intensity both teams will bring to the glass tomorrow will be at an ultra-physical level. Whichever team wins the rebounding battle will win the game.
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2. Taking care of the ball
The Cardinals are also quick and can play at a helter-skelter pace. They’ve done that through two games, forcing 37 turnovers and allowing just 15 assists from their two opponents. In addition, the Cardinals also have 23 steals. Kentucky has 48 assists to 19 turnovers through two games, including 27-6 on Friday against Valparaiso. A similar performance will be vital when playing in Louisville on Tuesday night.
3. On-ball defense
One thing that has stood out to me on tape is how much pop there is when Louisville moves the ball on offense. That “pop” has led to 65 3-point attempts through two games, with 22 makes. The Wildcats’ on-ball defense and making it difficult for the Cardinals to move the ball and get good looks may be the most important key to a win Tuesday night. This is where having Jaland Lowe healthy will be a crucial component for the Wildcats.
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4. Offensive efficiency
Of course, Lowe is most valuable to the Wildcats on the offensive end of the floor. It wasn’t hard to notice how much more flow there was to the offense Friday night with Lowe facilitating it.
In their win over the Cardinals last season, Kentucky shot 58.2 percent from the floor, including 11-21 from 3-point range. That efficiency will be needed Tuesday night in Louisville. The Wildcats cannot afford to have scoreless droughts that last multiple minutes, and they also cannot just launch a bunch of ill-advised 3-pointers. It’s not just about matching the intensity Tuesday night will bring. Being able to be efficient on offense will put the pressure on the Cardinals and, potentially, take the crowd out of the game.
Score Prediction: Wildcats 84, Cardinals 83
This game on Tuesday night is going to be outstanding. Both teams are going to be playing deep into March, and this is an early-season marquee matchup for both teams. Louisville hasn’t been this close to Kentucky’s level in several years, and its fans are going to be ready to rock Tuesday night.
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The Wildcats have the experience that Louisville doesn’t have. When push comes to shove, Kentucky has the dogs that can take over a game when it matters. Otega Oweh did it down the stretch against Louisville last year, among many games he took over. He’s the kind of player you want in your corner going into a rivalry game like this on Tuesday night.
In what could be one of the best non-conference games this college basketball season, Kentucky will edge Louisville in a classic on Tuesday night.
