Preview: Louisville Travels to Miami for Regular Season Finale

The Cardinals wrap up the regular season with a road matchup at the Hurricanes.

Feb 9, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Kasean Pryor (7) reacts during the first half against the NC State Wolfpack at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated N.C. State 118-77. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Louisville Cardinals (21-9, 10-7 ACC) at No. 22 Miami Hurricanes (24-6, 13-4 ACC)

- Tipoff: Saturday, Mar. 7 at 2:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.
- How To Watch: ESPNU
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -1.0
- All-Time Series: Louisville Leads 15-8
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 88-78 on Feb. 8, 2025 (KFC Yum! Center)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• G Adrian Wooley (6-4, 200, So.)
• G Isaac McKneely (6-4, 195, Sr.)
• G Ryan Conwell (6-4, 215, Sr.)
• F J'Vonne Hadley (6-7, 210, 6th)
• F/C Vangelis Zougris (6-8, 240, Jr.)

Miami

• G Tre Donaldson (6-3, 198, Sr.)
• G Dante Allen (6-4, 220, Fr.)
• F Shelton Henderson (6-6, 240, Fr.)
• F Malik Reneau (6-9, 238, Sr.)
• C Ernest Udeh (6-11, 266, Sr.)

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Hurricanes, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Miami

Additional Coverage

• Three Takeaways from Louisville's Win vs. Syracuse
• 'Desperation, Nastiness and Toughness' Earn Vangelis Zougris His First Start
• Where is Mikel Brown Jr. Trending in Mock NBA Drafts?

Game Notes

Louisville

• Louisville men’s basketball is slated for one final regular season game as it takes on No. 22/23 Miami at the Watsco Center on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET. The Cardinals earned a bounce back win in their home finale on Tuesday night against Syracuse while the Hurricanes have won seven of their last eight contests and are on a three-game win streak headed into the last game of the regular season.
• UofL has a 66-91 record against Top 25 teams over the last 15 years.
• Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey is 177-70 (.717) in all-time conference games as a head coach, posting an 81-43 (.653) record in away league games.
• Freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. tied Louisville's single-game scoring record with 45 points against NC State on Feb. 9. He tied the legendary Wes Unseld who was the lone owner of the record since Dec. 1, 1967. Brown also broke the ACC freshman single game scoring record, previously set by Cooper Flagg at 42 points.
• Louisville had two 30-point scorers in one game for the first time in program history as Mikel Brown Jr. scored 45 and Ryan Conwell scored 31 against NC State on Feb. 9. UofL is one of three teams in DI this season to have a game with two 31+ point scorers. The duo became the first pair of ACC players to drop 30+ each against another ACC team since Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson of UNC did it at Florida State on Jan. 4, 2016.
• Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. was named ACC Player and Rookie of the Week on Feb. 16 in addition to Naismith Trophy Player of the Week and AP National Player of the Week.
• According to OptaSTATS, Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell are the only DI teammate duo in the last 30 seasons to combine for 75+ points, 15+ rebounds and 15+ threes made in a game. Only one NBA duo has ever done it: Damian Lillard and Nassir Little during Lillard's 71-point game on Feb. 26, 2023. Mikel Brown Jr. is the only DI player since at least 2010-11 to record 45 points, nine rebounds, two assists and three steals in 34 minutes or less in a single game. He did so against NC State on Feb. 9.
• Louisville is one of three DI teams with at least six victories of 40 points or more this season, joining Michigan (7) and High Point (6). The six 40+ point wins are the most UofL has ever had in a single season.
• Mikel Brown Jr. is one of 11 players in DI this season to score 45 points, and one of eight to do it in a regulation length game.
• Louisville is one of four programs that has logged at least three games of 18+ made 3's, joining Cornell (4 games), Charleston Southern (3) and VMI (3).
• Louisville has had five games of at least 24 assists, the first time since 2010-11 that the program has had multiple games of 24+ assists; the Cardinals had five games of at 24+ assists that season. Louisville is one of 16 teams in 2025-26 as of Feb. 27 to have five games or more of at least 24 assists.
• Louisville has had 10 games of 20+ assists, also one of 26 teams in the nation to do so. 

Miami

• Last time out: Miami led wire-to-wire Wednesday as it defeated SMU, 77-69, inside the Moody Center. With the win, the Hurricanes move to 24-6 on the year, tying the school record for most regular season wins in a season, and 13-4 in ACC play to secure the No. 3 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament.
• Tre Donaldson led the way offensively with 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Malik Reneau registered a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists while adding four assists and three steals. Ernest Udeh Jr. added 10 rebounds and eight points to go along with four blocks as Noam Dovrat finished with 12 points. Tru Washington finished with 15 points, and Shelton Henderson added 11.
• Winners of seven of its last eight games, Miami climbed into both major national polls Monday, earning a No. 22 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 and checking in at No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. It marks the first time the Hurricanes have been ranked since Dec. 11, 2023. Miami is in the midst of a historic campaign, compiling a 24-6 overall record and a 13-4 mark in ACC play. The 24 victories are the most by a first-year head coach in program history, while the Hurricanes’ 17-win improvement from last season is the largest turnaround in Division I.
• In his first season as a head coach, Jai Lucas has engineered the nation’s largest turnaround. Miami, which won seven games last season (3 ACC wins), is 24-6 overall and 13-4 in ACC play under Lucas. The 17-win differential ranks as the largest turnaround in Division I this season.
• Malik Reneau has been one of Miami’s most consistent offensive weapons, reaching the 20-point mark 16 times this season, including six of the last 10 games. A Karl Malone Award Midseason Watch List selection, presented annually to the nation’s top power forward, Reneau has produced six performances of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
• Tre Donaldson returned to his home state for his final collegiate season, transferring to Miami from Michigan, and has made an immediate impact for the Hurricanes, ranking second on the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game and reaching double figures in 29 contests.
• Ernest Udeh Jr. has anchored Miami’s interior presence and was recently named to the Naismith Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Late Season Watch List. Udeh has been dominant on the boards, ranking second in the ACC at 9.5 rebounds per game, a figure that ranks 21st nationally.
• In a season that has showcased immense freshmen talent, Shelton Henderson stands with the best in the as the forward is averaging 14.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season while shooting 57.1% from the floor. His field goal percentage is fifth in the ACC and 38th nationally. Among all freshmen, Henderson ranks fourth in the country.

(Photo of Kasean Pryor: Jamie Rhodes - Imagn Images)

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