Louisville Rallies from Early Deficit, Dominates Second Half in Statement Win
For the first ten minutes of this one, it looked like Louisville was still stuck in Durham. Flat, disjointed, and overwhelmed, the Cardinals came out ice cold and out of sorts, digging themselves a 10-point hole early against a Mustangs team that came out firing.
By the first media timeout, Louisville trailed 14-4, and the defensive effort was nowhere to be found. Four different Mustangs had already buried wide-open threes.
The Cards weren’t just slow-they were sloppy. Mikel Brown, coming off the bench after missing practices, had three turnovers in three minutes.
The energy was off. The rhythm wasn’t there.
Louisville looked like a team still reeling from their last outing.
And yet, somehow, by halftime, they were only down three.
That 47-44 deficit at the break didn’t make much sense on paper, but it said a lot about the spark plug contributions from some key faces-especially Kobe Rodgers. Rodgers logged just under 10 minutes in the first half but made every second count.
Five points, three assists, and a calming presence that helped settle the team down. He was +11 in that short stretch, and it felt like he was everywhere.
Then there was the return of Khani Rooths. After missing time due to illness, Rooths didn’t just check in-he changed the vibe.
His six points and three boards in the first half were solid, but it was his energy that really turned heads. The Cardinals needed a jolt, and Rooths delivered it.
Still, the second half didn’t begin with a bang. Louisville tied the game at 49 after a lengthy review stemming from a physical altercation between Sananda Fru and Samet Yigitoglu-more wrestling match than basketball play.
But even with the game knotted, the Cards couldn’t quite seize control. Five straight chances to take the lead came and went.
Then, finally, the breakthrough.
Aly Khalifa found Isaac McKneely for a smooth bucket to tie it. Rodgers, who continued to play beyond his box score, dropped in a layup to give Louisville its first lead, then dished to McKneely for a three.
Just like that, a 7-0 run in 68 seconds had the Yum! Center rocking.
But this game had more swings in it.
Louisville couldn’t quite put it away. They missed three straight chances to stretch the lead to two possessions, and the Mustangs clawed back, briefly reclaiming the edge at 60-59 and again at 62-61. The game was teetering.
Then came the knockout punch.
Ryan Conwell converted an and-one. Khalifa drilled a three.
Rooths calmly sank both ends of a one-and-one. In the span of 46 seconds, Louisville strung together an 8-0 run, flipping the scoreboard to 69-62 and finally seizing full control.
From there, it turned into a highlight reel.
Brown found McKneely-“McThreely” on this day-for a pair of deep bombs. Brown also connected with Rooths on a gorgeous 40-foot feed that led to a tip-in.
McKneely kept possessions alive with hustle plays and offensive boards. Rooths added a steal.
It was the kind of stretch where everything clicked, and the crowd could finally exhale and enjoy the show.
After a rough first half, Brown rebounded in a big way. He didn’t turn the ball over once in the second half and finished with 20 points.
Rodgers continued to be a difference-maker, leading the team with a +18 in just 12 minutes. Khalifa was +14, McKneely +13 with 14 points and key hustle plays, and J’Vonne Hadley chipped in 10 points and four boards, finishing +11.
But the co-star of the day? Khani Rooths.
Rooths looked every bit the difference-maker Louisville had been missing. He posted a double-double-12 points, 10 rebounds-and was +16 on the floor. More than that, he brought a toughness and edge that helped flip the game.
In total, Louisville turned a 12-point deficit into a 14-point win, outscoring the Mustangs by 26 the rest of the way. The second-half numbers told the story: 11 assists on 14 made field goals, just four turnovers, and a bench that exploded for 47 points compared to just five for the Mustangs.
This wasn’t just a win-it was a reset. A much-needed bounce-back after a rough outing. The Cardinals found their groove, their energy, and maybe even a little bit of their identity.
And for the first time in a while, it was fun again at the Yum! Center.