The Battle of the Bluegrass has arrived ahead of schedule this season, but don’t expect the intensity to show up late. Louisville and Kentucky are set to collide in a ranked edition of their annual grudge match, and both sides are rolling into the showdown with some early-season swagger.
Year two under Pat Kelsey couldn't have started much louder for Louisville. The Cardinals smashed South Carolina State 104-45 in the opener and then lit up Jackson State 106-70. That’s back-to-back 100-point outings to open a season, something UofL has never done before and hasn’t even come close to since 2010. The tempo is high, the confidence is higher, and the vibes around the Yum! Center are noticeably different from the last few years.
Kentucky, under second-year head coach Mark Pope, hasn’t exactly been easing its way in either. The Wildcats brushed off a slow start vs. Nicholls to eventually pull away by 26, then turned around and absolutely torched Valparaiso 107-59. Pope has the offense humming early, and Kentucky looks fast, unselfish, and deep, a familiar recipe in Lexington.
This will be the 58th meeting between the rivals, and history has tilted heavily Big Blue. Kentucky holds a 40-17 series advantage and has taken three straight, including last year's 93-85 win at Rupp. Louisville has only managed three victories in the last 17 matchups, something the home crowd will be very aware of when the ball goes up.
The timing of this one adds an odd twist. The rivalry traditionally lands right around Christmas, tension, holiday stress, fireworks, the whole bit. But this season’s meeting is the earliest in series history, beating out a November 26 clash back in 1983. No holiday break. No long build-up. Just two unbeaten teams squaring off right now.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Louisville vs Kentucky NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Louisville vs Kentucky: Date and tip-off time
The Cardinals will face off against the Wildcats in an exciting NCAAM game on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 8:00 pm ET or 5:00 pm PT at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
| Date | Tuesday, November 11, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 8:00 pm ET or 5:00 pm PT |
| Venue | KFC Yum! Center |
| Location | Louisville, Ky. |
How to watch Louisville vs Kentucky on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between Cardinals and Wildcats live on ESPN nationally. Streaming options are available on Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
Streaming the game with a VPN
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Louisville vs Kentucky team news & key performers
Louisville Cardinals team news
Ryan Conwell (15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 41.7% from deep) came out firing again on Thursday, pouring in 19 points and snagging eight boards in Louisville's 106-70 blowout of Jackson State. The 6-4, 215-pound senior from Indianapolis has drilled five of his first 12 triples this season, looking every bit like a confident, seasoned scorer. And his winding college journey perfectly sums up this modern, transfer-heavy era, Louisville is his fourth stop after previous stints at South Florida, Indiana State, and most recently, Xavier. While with Xavier last year, Conwell proved he could score on big stages too, averaging 12.0 points across matchups with SEC competition in South Carolina and Texas.
Meanwhile, Khani Rooths (18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 61.9% shooting) might just be Louisville's early-season revelation. The 6-10, 220-pound sophomore from Washington, D.C., has looked every bit like a player ready to turn the corner, if not kick down the whole door. He opened the season with 20 points, seven boards, and three assists in a 103-45 dismantling of South Carolina State, then followed it with a workmanlike double-double (16 and 10) in the win over Jackson State.
It's a dramatic glow-up from last season, where Rooths played just 13 minutes against Kentucky and didn't scratch the scoring column. Now? He's emerging as one of Louisville's most dynamic pieces, long, athletic, decisive, and maybe just tapping into what he can become.
Kentucky Wildcats team news
Collin Chandler is firing away with zero hesitation, averaging 14.5 points, 3.5 boards, 4.0 assists, and drilling 53.3% from deep. He's hit 8-of-15 from three across Kentucky's two blowout wins. When he gets daylight, the net barely moves.
Mouhamed Dioubate has been the quiet backbone of the rotation. The junior is posting 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds a night while shooting 61.5% from the floor. He was a difference-maker in marquee matchups at Alabama last season, and early signs suggest he's ready to do the same in Lexington.