Louisville Heads West to Face Surging Cal in Key ACC Matchup
BERKELEY, CA - The ACC’s West Coast experiment hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Nine teams have already made the trek out west this season for two-game road swings - and they’ve come back with more bruises than wins, combining for a 5-13 record. Now it’s Louisville’s turn to test the waters.
The 13th-ranked Cardinals (10-2) kick off their first Pacific Coast trip of the season tonight with a Quad 1 matchup against a red-hot California squad (12-1). Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET at Haas Pavilion, and this one has all the ingredients of a statement game.
Head coach Pat Kelsey isn’t interested in narratives about travel fatigue or conference-wide struggles out west. “I don’t care about any of that,” he said bluntly on Monday. His focus is squarely on the Golden Bears - and for good reason.
Cal, under third-year head coach Mark Madsen, is off to its best start since the 1959-60 season. That’s not just a nice stat - it’s a sign that this program, once buried in the Pac-12 shuffle, is thriving in its new ACC surroundings.
The Bears came into the week ranked 48th in the NET and 60th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metrics. While their nonconference schedule hasn’t been loaded with top-tier opponents (just two Quad 1 games so far), they’ve made the most of their opportunities.
“They’re playing with an unbelievable amount of confidence,” Kelsey said. “We have the ultimate respect for them. Our guys are preparing with everything they’ve got.”
For Louisville, the timing of this game is intriguing. The Cards haven’t played since December 20, when they cruised past Montana at the KFC Yum!
Center. That break gave the team a chance to reset - and, in Kelsey’s words, focus on the “meat and potatoes” of their offensive and defensive systems before diving into game prep for Cal.
Injury Report: Brown Jr. a Game-Time Decision, Pryor Out
The Cardinals could be shorthanded in the backcourt. Freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who’s missed the last two games with a lower back injury, is listed as a game-time decision. His availability would be a big boost - Brown has shown poise and playmaking ability beyond his years.
Veteran forward Kasean Pryor, however, has been ruled out. The sixth-year senior had been logging solid minutes off the bench recently, averaging just over 10 minutes per game in the Cards’ last three contests. There’s no word yet on the specifics of his injury.
Cal will also be missing some key pieces. Jovani Ruff, Sammie Yeanay, Stephon Marbury II, and Rytis Petraitis are all sidelined for the Bears.
How to Watch and Listen
Tonight’s game will be broadcast on the ACC Network. For those tuning in:
- AT&T U-Verse: Channel 610
- DirecTV: Channel 612
- Dish: Channel 402
- Spectrum: Channels 524 and 937
Chris Sylvester will handle play-by-play duties, with Ben Braun providing analysis.
Streaming options are available via ESPN.com and the ESPN app for cable subscribers. Cord-cutters can catch the action on Fubo, which is currently offering a free trial.
On the radio side, Paul Rogers and Bob Valvano will have the call on the Cardinal Sports Network, airing on WLCL 93.9-FM and WGTK 970-AM in Louisville. Fans can also listen online at GoCards.com.
Betting Odds and Projections
Louisville opened as a 5.5-point favorite on DraftKings, with the over/under set at 158.5. That suggests oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring affair - and with the way both teams can push the pace, it’s not hard to see why.
KenPom gives the Cards a 71% chance to win, projecting a final score of 83-77. BartTorvik.com echoes that outlook, also giving Louisville a 71% win probability, with a projected score of 82-76.
What’s Next for Louisville
This West Coast swing continues Friday when the Cardinals visit Stanford. After that, it’s back to the KFC Yum!
Center for a marquee home matchup against Duke on January 6. That game will be a major measuring stick - but first, Louisville has to handle business in Berkeley.
Cal may not have the national spotlight just yet, but they’ve earned respect across the conference. And if Louisville wants to avoid becoming the latest ACC team to stumble out west, they’ll need to bring their best - on both ends of the floor.
Louisville’s 2025-26 Schedule at a Glance
- Oct. 24: vs. Kansas (Exhibition) | L 90-82
- Oct. 28: vs. Bucknell (Exhibition) | W 99-76
- Nov. 3: vs. South Carolina State | W 104-45
- Nov. 6: vs. Jackson State | W 106-70
- Nov. 11: vs. Kentucky | W 96-88
- Nov. 15: vs. Ohio | W 106-81
- Nov. 21: vs. Cincinnati | W 74-64
- Nov. 24: vs. Eastern Michigan | W 87-46
- Nov. 26: vs. NJIT | W 104-47
- Dec. 3: at Arkansas | L 89-80
- Dec. 6: vs.
Indiana (in Indianapolis) | W 87-78
- Dec. 13: vs.
Memphis | W 99-73
- Dec. 16: at Tennessee | L 83-62
- Dec. 20: vs. Montana | W 94-54
- Dec. 30: at California | 9 p.m., ACC Network
- Jan. 2: at Stanford | 8 p.m., ACC Network
- Jan. 6: vs. Duke | 7 p.m., ESPN
- Jan. 10: vs. Boston College | Noon, The CW
- Jan. 13: vs. Virginia | 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2
- Jan. 17: at Pittsburgh | 8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
- Jan. 24: vs.
Virginia Tech | 3:30 p.m., The CW
- Jan. 26: at Duke | 7 p.m., ESPN
- Jan. 31: vs. SMU | 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2
- Feb. 4: vs. Notre Dame | 7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
- Feb. 7: at Wake Forest | Noon, ACC Network
- Feb. 9: vs.
N.C. State | 7 p.m., ESPN
- Feb. 14: vs. Baylor (in Fort Worth) | 4 p.m., ESPN
- Feb. 17: at SMU | 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
- Feb. 21: vs.
Georgia Tech | 2:15 p.m., The CW
- Feb. 23: at North Carolina | 7 p.m., ESPN
- Feb. 28: at Clemson | TBA, ESPN/ESPN2
- March 3: vs.
Syracuse | 9 p.m., ACC Network
- March 7: at Miami | 2 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
- March 10-14: ACC Tournament (Charlotte, NC)
Louisville Roster Highlights
- **Mikel Brown Jr. ** (G, Fr.) - Game-time decision tonight
- Ryan Conwell (G, Sr.) - Veteran leader in the backcourt
- Isaac McKneely (G, Sr.) - Sharpshooter with big-game experience
- Aly Khalifa (C, R-Sr.) - Skilled big who can stretch the floor
- J’Vonne Hadley (G, 6th Yr.) - Brings toughness and versatility
- Khani Rooths (F, So.) - Emerging talent with two-way upside
Up Next
Tonight’s matchup is more than just another conference game - it’s a test of Louisville’s road mettle and a chance to assert themselves in an ACC that’s still adjusting to its new coast-to-coast identity. Cal has proven they belong. Now it’s Louisville’s turn to show they can handle the challenge.