How to watch the #9 Kentucky Wildcats take on #12 Louisville in the KFC Yum Center

One of the most highly anticipated games of the season for the Kentucky Wildcats is coming up on Tuesday night. Mark Pope and the Wildcats will make the trip to the KFC Yum Center to take on the Louisville Cardinals in an elite top 15 battle.

There isn't much love lost between these two rivals, so this should be an excellent game between two really good basketball teams.

Let's take a look at how to watch Kentucky take on the Louisville Cardinals.

Oct 30, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope claps as he watches the action during the first half against the Georgetown Hoyas at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

How to watch #9 Kentucky take on #12 Louisville

Tip off between these two teams is set for 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, November 11, and this game can be watched on ESPN. Louisville is currently sitting as a -3.5-point favorite in this game.

Nov 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) shoots the ball during the second half against the Nicholls Colonels at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Three reasons Kentucky will beat Louisville

Kentucky's defense is too much to handle for the Cardinals
In the two games Louisville has played this season, they have put up explosive numbers on offense, averaging 105 points per game. While the numbers Pat Kelsey's team has put up on offense have been elite, they have not seen a defense like the one Kentucky has. KenPom has Kentucky's defense ranked fourth in the nation. Louisville did play an exhibition against Kansas, whose defense ranks 16th in KenPom, but the Jayhawks' defense comes nowhere close to the Wildcats. If Kentucky continues their shut down defense, they will win this basketball game.

Kentucky shoots the ball well from deep

Two games into the season, the Wildcats have still not had a lights-out shooting day from deep. They were close against Valpo on Friday, but the Wildcats can do better than this. Louisville is a team that lives and dies by the three-point shot, so if Kentucky wins the battle from deep, they will win this game. Coach Pope will more than likely fully unleash Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen in this game, and the hope is that they will have a good day from three. If Kam Williams could get going from three in this game, it would be a big boost for Kentucky.

Kentucky dominates the boards

Kentucky is much better on the glass this season, which is going to be huge for Pope's team. If the Wildcats are really good on the boards against the Cardinals, it will go a long way to helping them win this game. The Cardinals will shoot over 30 threes in this game, which means Kentucky needs to be ready for long rebounds. If the Wildcats don't let the Cardinals get second-chance opportunities in this basketball game, they will get the big road win over their rival. Kentucky needs to do the little things well in this game.