How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs

The Cardinals open up the 2025-26 season by hosting the Bulldogs at the KFC Yum! Center.

Louisville Cardinals guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) sets up to take a three-point shot during the Cards' final exhibition game before the start of the 2025-26 basketball season at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday October 28, 2028. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The long offseason is finally over, and the 112th season of Louisville men's basketball is set to begin. The Cardinals will tip-off their 2025-26 season at home, hosting South Carolina State at the KFC Yum! Center. 

Louisville heads into year two under head coach Pat Kelsey, and have a lot of expectations. They went 27-8 in year one last season, and have the talent to make a deep run next March, entering the new season ranked as the No. 11 team in the preseason AP Poll.

In their two preseason exhibitions, Louisville had an up-and-down showing. Their first matchup came against No. 19 Kansas at home, but the Cardinals fell behind early, eventually succumbing 90-82. In their second and final exhibition against Bucknell, UofL looked much more convincing, using a heavy dosage of the three-ball to win 99-76.

As for the Bulldogs, they are entering year four under head coach Erik Martin. Last season, South Carolina State started at just 9-12, but ended the regular season on a nine-game winning streak, tying Norfolk State for the MEAC regular season title. However, South Carolina State would later fall to Norfolk State in the MEAC Tournament Championship.

For this year, the Bulldogs were picked to finish third in the 2025-26 MEAC preseason poll, and guard Jayden Johnson selected as a Preseason First-Team All-MEAC pick.

This will be the first ever meeting between Louisville and South Carolina State, although they are a perfect 9-0 all-time against current members of the MEAC. The Cardinals' most recent game against a MEAC school came on Nov. 15, 2023, when they took down Coppin State 61-41 at the KFC Yum! Center.

South Carolina State Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 MEAC) at No. 11 Louisville Cardinals (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

• Date/Time: Monday, Nov. 3 at 9:00 p.m. EST
• Place: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
• TV: ACC Network - Play-by-play and analyst TBD.
• Channel (Louisville)/Live Stream: Spectrum: 524; Dish: 402; DirecTV: 612.
• Radio (Louisville): 93.9 FM - Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (analyst).

(Photo of J'Vonne Hadley: Matt Stone - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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