
Louisville basketball: Pat Kelsey praises team after NCAA Tournament loss
Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey praises the Cardinals following an 89-75 loss to Creighton in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
- The first game will be played at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, while the 2026-27 matchup will be at Freedom Hall in Louisville.
- The first game will be a homecoming for Louisville coach Pat Kelsey, who grew up in Cincinnati.
Louisville basketball is reportedly adding another longtime rival to its 2025-26 schedule.
The Cardinals and Cincinnati are finalizing an agreement to play a two-year, neutral-site series beginning this season, according to a report from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports on X, formerly Twitter.
This year’s game, per Rothstein, would be played at Heritage Bank Center in downtown Cincinnati. In 2026-27, the teams would play at U of L’s old stomping grounds, Freedom Hall.
Louisville has played Cincinnati more than any opponent in its 111-year history. But they haven’t met on the court since the 2022 Maui Invitational — the Bearcats won, 81-62. Before that? You have to go all the way back to 2014.
The Cards hold a 56-44 lead in the all-time series with UC, which dates back to 1921. This year’s game will be a homecoming for coach Pat Kelsey, who grew up in Cincinnati and both played and coached at Xavier.
As of Friday, Louisville had confirmed three games on its 2025-26 nonconference schedule:
U of L has reportedly agreed to play cross-state rival Indiana on Dec. 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.
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