Louisville @ Kansas Basketball: GAMEDAY NOTES

Louisville Basketball heads to Lawrence, Kansas tonight for an exhibition game against the host Kansas Jayhawks. The game will tip off at 7 pm and be aired on ESPNU. It is The Ville’s first trip to historic Phog Allen Fieldhouse since the Cards knocked off the Jayhawks 85-78 in 1992.

This trip is a return game from the exhibition matchup in the KFC Yum! Center last season. Kansas pulled away to win 90-82. Ryan Conwell paced the Cards with 26 points. Darryn Peterson led the Jayhawks with 26 points in 25 minutes. Reigning Big XII Defensive Player of the Year and current Card, Flory Bidunga contributed 14 points and six rebounds, going 6-7 from the floor.

Pat Kelsey enters his third season as head coach of Louisville, touting a 51-19 overall record. Kansas head coach Bill Self is beginning his 24th season in Lawrence and is 633-167 at the helm for the Jayhawks.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self greets Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey before the start of the exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Friday, October 24, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Listen: Cardinal Sports Network (WLCL 93.9 FM & WGTK 970 AM flagship);
Streaming (Paul Rodgers, pxp | Bob Valvano, analysis)
Watch: ESPNU (Mark Neely, pxp | Seth Greenberg, analysis)

U of L radio announcers Paul Rogers, left, and Bob Valvano watch a Feb. 19, 2020, game against Syracuse at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

CARDINAL NOTES

The previously mentioned Flory Bidunga makes his return to The Phog tonight, where he suited up for two seasons in the Jayhawk red and blue. Bidunga was the No. 1 prospect in the offseason transfer portal.

Louisville found out this week they will start the season as the No. 11 team in the Preseason AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.

The Cardinals return 10.3% of their scoring (305 of 2,949 points), 10.5% of their rebounding (407 of 1,342 boards), 10.4% of their assists (62 of 597) and 11.39% of their minutes played (797 of 7,000). Junior Adrian Wooley is the only scholarship player to return for Louisville as 13 players departed. Pat Kelsey added 11 newcomers to this season’s roster.

Mar 21, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Adrian Wooley (14) dunks the ball against Michigan State Spartans forward Cam Ward (3) during the first half of the second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though tonight does not count to the record, it will be a ranked-on-ranked matchup. The Jayhawks check in at No. 17. Louisville has six such guaranteed matchups based off the initial AP Poll.

The Cardinals landed two players on the Preseason All-ACC Teams. Bidunga earned the First Team nod while guard Jackson Shelstad was picked to the second team. Louisville was picked third overall in the league by voting media members.

Louisville added two players that have been in eligibility battles in the “Five-for-Five” rulings. They are members of the Class of 2022 that are seeking a fifth year of eligibility via the legal system. Both Seth Trimble and LJ Wells are temporarily and currently eligible as of a court ruling in Jefferson County, Kentucky on Friday, October 16. Louisville is one of 10 Division I programs with multiple Class of 2022, 5 for 5 players on its roster.

Louisville transfer guard Seth Trimble during Media Day on the UofL campus Oct. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There are three Cardinals, junior Karter Knox, fifth-year Seth Trimble and freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr., who have relatives that were drafted in the NBA.

Pat Kelsey was named ACC Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm of the Cardinals in 2025. It is the third conference that he has won the award from. Kelsey was named Big South COY in 2021 and CAA COY in 2024 before being hired at Louisville.

Louisville is 50-0 under head coach Pat Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play.

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