Louisville Climbs to No. 20 in AP Poll Ahead of High-Stakes Rematch with No. 4 Duke
Louisville basketball is starting to look like a different team-and the AP voters are taking notice. After back-to-back statement wins, including a 41-point blowout over Pitt and a solid 14-point victory over Virginia Tech, the Cardinals have jumped three spots to No. 20 in the latest AP Poll. Now sitting at 14-5 overall and 4-3 in ACC play, they’re gaining momentum at just the right time.
A big reason for that surge? The return of Mikel Brown Jr.
After missing eight games over a 42-day stretch with a back injury, the five-star freshman point guard came back in a big way. In his first game back, Brown poured in 20 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
He also dished out six assists, showing the kind of poise and playmaking that had Louisville fans buzzing earlier in the season. His presence immediately elevated the Cardinals’ offense, and with him back in the mix, Louisville is starting to resemble the top-10 caliber team many thought they could be.
But the real test comes tonight.
Louisville heads into a marquee ACC matchup against No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium-a rematch of their January 6 meeting, where things unraveled quickly for the Cards.
In that game, Louisville held a 12-point first-half lead and went into the break up nine, only to get blitzed in the second half. Duke outscored them 46-26 after halftime, riding big performances from Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, who combined for 50 of the Blue Devils’ 84 points.
This time around, it’s a different story. Brown is back, and that changes the entire complexion of the matchup.
Louisville is 10-1 when their star point guard is on the floor, including signature wins over then-No. 9 Kentucky and then-No.
23 Indiana. His ability to control tempo, create for others, and score at all three levels gives the Cardinals a legitimate shot-even in the hostile environment of Cameron.
Still, the odds are stacked against them. Louisville enters the game as a 7.5-point underdog, with ESPN Analytics giving them just a 22.7% chance to pull off the upset. But if the Cardinals can bring the same energy they’ve shown since Brown’s return-and avoid the kind of second-half collapse that doomed them earlier this month-this could be the moment they announce themselves as a true contender in the ACC.
The conference race is heating up. North Carolina (No. 16) and Virginia (No. 17) are both ahead of Louisville in the rankings, while Clemson sits just behind at No.
- A win over Duke wouldn’t just be a statement-it could shift the landscape of the ACC standings and set the tone for the second half of the season.
Tip-off between Louisville and Duke is set for 7 p.m. local time at Cameron Indoor. With Brown back in the fold and the Cards trending up, all eyes will be on Durham tonight.