LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — Louisville defeated Notre Dame 76-65 in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals led 38-32 at halftime and maintained a steady advantage throughout the second half before a crowd of 14,787. Louisville improved to 16-6 overall, while Notre Dame fell to 11-12. Cole Certa led all scorers with 18 points for the Fighting Irish. Louisville’s offense was balanced, with Isaac McKneely scoring 13 points and Ryan Conwell, Khani Rooths and Sananda Fru each adding 12. Fru also blocked three shots. Notre Dame shot 11 for 27 from 3-point range but struggled at the free-throw line, making just 6 of 14 attempts. Louisville capitalized on second chances with 15 offensive rebounds.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive intensity and offensive struggles, the Louisville Cardinals used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for a 76-65 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball on Wednesday night at KFC Yum! Center. A crowd of 14,787 watched as Louisville, improving to 16-6 overall, maintained a steady pace throughout, scoring 38 points in each half. Notre Dame, which fell to 11-12, kept the contest within reach for the first 25 minutes but could not sustain its offensive flow against the Cardinals’ length and pressure. The most critical juncture of the game arrived early in the second half. After trailing 38-32 at halftime, Notre Dame opened the period with a burst. Brady Koehler hit a 3-pointer and later added a layup, while Carson Towt threw down a dunk off a Braeden Shrewsberry assist, capping a 7-3 run that cut Louisville’s lead to 41-39 with 17:47 remaining. Louisville coach Pat Kelsey immediately called a full timeout to halt the Irish momentum. The stoppage proved pivotal. Out of the timeout, the Cardinals tightened their defense, forcing Notre Dame into a series of rushed shots and turnovers. Over the next six minutes, Louisville engineered a 13-3 run that effectively sealed the game. The spurt was fueled by balanced scoring, including a 3-pointer from Mikel Brown, a layup from Adrian Wooley, and interior baskets from Kasean Pryor and Sananda Fru. When Khani Rooths converted a free throw with 11:43 left, the Cardinals had built a 57-44 advantage, a margin the Irish would never seriously threaten again. The game was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. Louisville posted an offensive rating of 107.7, scoring 76 points on 71 possessions. Notre Dame managed an offensive rating of just 93.3, scoring 65 points on 70 trips. The Irish shot a respectable 11 for 27 from 3-point range but were hampered by a 24-for-62 performance overall from the floor and a crippling 6-for-14 showing at the free-throw line. Louisville, while cold from deep at 7 for 31, dominated inside, outscoring Notre Dame 42-26 in the paint and outrebounding them 15-10 on the offensive glass, leading to 18 second-chance points. Cole Certa led all scorers with 18 points for Notre Dame, connecting on four 3-pointers. Koehler added 11 points, two blocks and two steals. Jalen Haralson contributed eight points and five assists. Louisville showcased its depth with six players scoring in double figures. Isaac McKneely led the way with 13 points. Ryan Conwell, Sananda Fru and Khani Rooths each scored 12. Fru, the 6-foot-11 forward from Berlin, Germany, was particularly impactful defensively with three blocks. Rooths added a game-high 15 rebounds. Kasean Pryor chipped in 10 points off the bench. The Cardinals’ defense was the story, holding Notre Dame to 38.7% shooting and generating 12 turnovers, which they converted into 15 points. Notre Dame’s nine steals kept them temporarily afloat, but they could not overcome their own scoring droughts. The loss extends a difficult stretch for Notre Dame, which has now dropped four of its last five games. Louisville, which entered as a 14.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, has won two straight following a road loss at Duke. Notre Dame returns home to face Florida State on Saturday. Louisville travels to face Wake Forest, also on Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — The Louisville Cardinals, riding high in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, will look to defend their home court against a struggling Notre Dame team seeking an upset when the teams meet Wednesday night at KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals (15-6) enter with momentum after an 88-74 home victory over SMU last Saturday. Louisville has won three of its last four, with the lone loss in that stretch coming on the road against then-Duke. Forward Khani Rooths is coming off a standout performance against SMU, recording a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes of play. His energy and efficiency will be key against the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame (11-11) aims to halt a three-game skid, most recently an 86-72 loss at Syracuse. The Fighting Irish have lost six of their last seven games, with several defeats coming in close contests, including a double-overtime 100-97 heartbreaker to Virginia. Their fortunes hinge largely on the play of standout guard Jalen Haralson, who is averaging 18.7 points over his last seven games. He poured in 26 points in the loss at Syracuse and scored 20 with seven assists in the marathon game against Virginia. Louisville has shown dominance at home this season, boasting a 10-2 record at KFC Yum! Center. Notre Dame, conversely, is 2-6 in true road games. The Cardinals won the first meeting this season, 75-62, in South Bend on Jan. 10. In that game, Louisville held Haralson to 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting while Rooths contributed 3 points and two blocks. For Notre Dame to reverse its recent fortunes, it must find consistent scoring beyond Haralson and improve a defense that has allowed 86.3 points per game during its three-game losing streak. Louisville will look to control the paint and leverage its depth to wear down the Irish. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EST tipoff on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026.