Louisville basketball is heating up at just the right time. Winners of four straight in February, the Cardinals have surged to an 18-6 record and suddenly find themselves just three games back from the top of the ACC standings. This isn’t just a hot streak-it’s a momentum shift, and it’s coming from more than just the usual suspects.
Sure, the headlines have gone to Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell-and rightfully so. Brown lit up NC State for 45 points, setting a new ACC freshman scoring record.
Conwell followed with a 31-point outing that included five threes. That kind of backcourt firepower is the engine of this team.
But what’s making Louisville dangerous now is what’s happening in the frontcourt.
Enter Khani Rooths and Kasean Pryor.
They’re not leading the team in scoring, and they’re not the first names on the scouting report. But over this four-game stretch, they’ve stepped into bigger roles and delivered the kind of complementary play that turns a good team into a serious contender.
Let’s start with Pryor. The senior forward has battled through a tough season coming off an ACL injury, and minutes have been hard to come by.
But in the win over Notre Dame, he tied his season high with 16 minutes and made them count-going 5-for-6 from the field and finishing with 10 points. That was just his second double-digit scoring game of the season, but it was a reminder of what he can bring when healthy and confident.
Across this win streak, Pryor has scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting. It’s not just the numbers-it’s the timing.
He’s showing flashes of the player Louisville hoped he’d be, and more importantly, he’s earning the trust of head coach Pat Kelsey. Earlier this season, Pryor dropped 11 points in just 11 minutes against Memphis.
Now, as the postseason looms, he’s positioning himself as a reliable contributor off the bench who can give Louisville quality minutes in the paint.
Then there’s Rooths, who’s already carved out a consistent role but seems ready to take another leap. He’s scored in double figures in three of the last four games and posted double-doubles against both SMU and Notre Dame. His energy, versatility, and two-way impact have been critical during this stretch.
When Rooths is on the floor, good things happen. Over the last four games, he’s averaged about 20 minutes per game-and it’s no coincidence that Louisville has won all four.
In games where he’s played fewer than 13 minutes, the Cardinals have typically struggled. His presence matters, and his development is giving Louisville a much-needed spark as they gear up for the final stretch.
Rooths brings a blend of size, athleticism, and defensive presence that makes him a matchup problem, especially for smaller lineups. Speaking of which-Louisville faces Baylor next, a team that runs small with only one starter taller than 6-foot-5. That sets the stage for the Cardinals’ frontcourt to assert itself on the glass and in the paint.
Make no mistake-the Cardinals are still led by their guards. Brown and Conwell are the stars, and they’re going to carry the scoring load.
But what’s elevating this team from solid to scary is the emergence of players like Rooths and Pryor. They’re not just filling minutes-they’re changing games.
As March creeps closer, Louisville is starting to look like a team no one wants to see in the tournament. And if the frontcourt keeps trending upward, the Cardinals’ Final Four hopes might not be as far-fetched as they once seemed.