Highlights, Photos and Notes: Louisville 74, Cincinnati 64

The highlights, photo gallery and team & player notes from the Cardinals' win over the Bearcats.
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) reacts to the crowd in the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) reacts to the crowd in the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program has knocked off another long time rival for the second time in 10 days, earning a hard-fought 74-64 victory over Cincinnati in a neutral-court showdown on Friday night.

The Atlantic Coast Conference put together a highlight tape of the matchup, which you can see here:

Team Notes:

  • KEY FIRST HALF RUN: Cincinnati scored 13 unanswered points to take an 11-point lead by 13:19 in the first half. A layup from Mikel Brown Jr. at 12:27 was Louisville’s first field goal of the half and sparked a 15-2 run for the Cards, resulting in a 19-17 Louisville lead. The Bearcats regained control of the advantage with a 6-0 run and led the rest of the period.
  • Louisville moved to 4-5 under head coach Pat Kelsey when trailing at halftime.
  • KEY SECOND HALF RUN: Louisville regained the lead at the 16:38 mark, using a 10-2 run from 18:56 to 15:52 to get it done. Cincinnati would cut the Cardinal lead to a single point at 12:34, but Louisville went on a 10-2 run to seal the deal and never trail again. 
  • Louisville is now 32-0 under Pat Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play.
  • Louisville shot 21 of 56 (37.5%) from the field, 8 of 28 (28.6%) from deep and 24 of 28
    (85.7%) from the free-throw line.
  • At the 10:45 point in the first half, Cincinnati was up by 11 – prior to that, Louisville’s largest deficit of the season was six points against Kentucky on Nov. 11.

Player Notes:

  • Ryan Conwell had a game-high 25 points. He went 8 of 15 from the floor, with a 5 of 10 clip
    beyond the arc. He added in five rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes on the floor. This was the third game of the season Conwell led Louisville in scoring.
  • Mikel Brown Jr. scored 22 points, 12 in the second half. He went 12 of 14 from the charity
    stripe while added five boards and six assists on the night.
  • Khani Rooths added major minutes off the bench with five rebounds and two points. He added in a block and an assist and was +11 in his time on the court.

Gallery:

Photos courtesy of Aaron Doster (Imagn Images) and Albert Cesare (The Enquirer)

louisville cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats guard Shon Abaev (10) drives on Louisville Cardinals guard Isaac McKneely (10) in the second half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Fans react alongside the Louisville Cardinals bench during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) reacts against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Adrian Wooley (14) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown (0) handles the ball in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game between Louisville Cardinals and Cincinnati Bearcats at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals center Aly Khalifa (15) and Cincinnati Bearcats forward Baba Miller (18) get tied up for a jump ball in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats guard Kerr Kriisa (11) fouls Louisville Cardinals guard Adrian Wooley (14) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals forward/center Sananda Fru (13) hits a basket over Cincinnati Bearcats guard Shon Abaev (10), Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) and Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jalen Celestine (32) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) hits a jump shot over Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown (0) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats guard Lucas Atauri (14) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Isaac McKneely (10) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats guard Shon Abaev (10) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Adrian Wooley (14) hits a jump shot on Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown (0) hits a jump shot in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game between Louisville Cardinals and Cincinnati Bearcats at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Louisville Cardinals guard Kobe Rodgers (11) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats guard Keyshuan Tillery (7) as Louisville Cardinals center Aly Khalifa (15) sets a screen in the first half of the NCAA Basketball game at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 21, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) reacts to the crowd in the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) stands on the court against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Sananda Fru (13) drives to the basket against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) passes the ball against Cincinnati Bearcats forward Tyler McKinley (24) in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey works the sideline against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) drives to the basket against Cincinnati Bearcats guard Shon Abaev (10) in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
louisville cincinnati
Nov 21, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats guard Shon Abaev (10) defends against Louisville Cardinals guard Isaac McKneely (10) in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

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Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic