Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey couldn’t have drawn up a better New Year’s Day for the trajectory of his program.
Step 1: Have Mikel Brown Jr., a consensus top-three point guard in the Class of 2025, announce his signing during a timeout in the first half of the Cardinals’ game against North Carolina at the KFC Yum! Center.
Step 2: Snap U of L’s (9-5, 2-1 ACC) five-game losing streak to the Tar Heels (8-6, 1-1) with an 83-70 victory – his first against a Power Four opponent on Denny Crum Court.
Only 364 days to top this. No pressure.
With conference play now in full swing, there aren’t many opportunities for marquee wins remaining on Louisville’s schedule. Even this one over UNC, which entered 2025 ranked 42 in the NET, lacks some of the luster it would have had in years past.
But, like J’Vonne Hadley told reporters after the Cards narrowly beat Eastern Kentucky last weekend, the league is open. And, unlike the past three seasons, they are firmly in the race – not looking up from rock bottom – with a frontloaded slate to work with.
If they consistently bring the effort they had against the Tar Heels, they should be in good shape in the standings when the calendar flips to March. That best explains how Kelsey’s team was able to pull out a victory despite going 6-for-26 from 3-point range and having four players with one foul to give down the stretch.
Louisville grabbed a 16-15 lead at the 9:51 mark of the first half, and North Carolina was able to draw level only once the rest of the way, 61-61 with 8:37 to play in regulation, after keeping within single digits most of the evening.
The Cards outscored the Tar Heels 22-9 from there, including a 12-0 run over the final 2:59.
Chucky Hepburn scored a game-high 26 points on 5-for-8 shooting and a 16-for-20 clip from the free-throw line. He also tallied a game-high seven assists.
Reyne Smith added 17 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc.
Having won consecutive conference games for the first time since January of 2022, Louisville next plays at 4 p.m. Saturday against Virginia inside John Paul Jones Arena, where it hasn’t won since Feb. 17, 1990.
Then, the Cards have a Quad 2 game against Clemson and a Quad 1 game at Pittsburgh next week.
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
