No. 11 Louisville gets one more tune-up before the season starts, and this one comes with plenty of familiar faces on the other side.
The Cardinals will play No. 17 Kansas in an exhibition game Wednesday, Oct. 21 at historic Phog Allen Field House.
ESPNU will carry the game, with tip set for 7:00 p.m. ET in Lawrence, Kan.
Louisville coach Pat Kelsey talked about the matchup Monday, and he did not undersell what the Cardinals are walking into.
"We're playing against a Hall of Fame coach, so obviously they are very well schooled," Kelsey said. "They have a great scheme.
They are extremely talented. They are one of the most athletic teams in the country.
I think they're going to be one of the best defensive teams in the country."
Kansas already has one exhibition under its belt, rolling past Pittsburg State 80-62 last Friday night. The Jayhawks also made a roster move Monday, adding former Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. The 6-foot-9 fifth-year player put up 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for Purdue last season.
There’s plenty of intrigue around the return of Flory Bidunga to Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Bidunga spent two seasons at Kansas before transferring to Louisville before this season.
Last year, he was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and also earned All-Big 12 First Team and All-Defensive Team honors. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
Kansas also features former Louisville guard Tre White, now a senior for the Jayhawks. White started 35 games for Kansas last season and led the team with seven double-doubles. In the exhibition win over Pittsburg State, he topped Kansas with 16 points.
Louisville’s roster also carries a few notable markers. Of the 10 players on the team who were on an NCAA DI roster in 2025-26, six played for teams that reached the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Across their college careers, those players have combined for 15 NCAA Division I Tournament appearances and a 15-15 record in 30 tournament games.
The Cardinals also have a program first in the post. Senior Gabe Dynes, at 7-5, is the tallest player to ever suit up for Louisville, and freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. stands 7-2.
Louisville has never had two players above 7 feet on the same roster before. Other 7-footers to play for the Cardinals include Dennis Evans (7-1, 2023-24), Anas Mahmoud (7-0, 2014-18), Matz Stockman (7-0, 2014-17), Jonathan Huffman (7-0, 2005-07) and Felton Spencer (7-0, 1986-90).
There are also several Cardinals nearing major scoring milestones. Jackson Shelstad (1,077), LJ Wells (1,055) and De'Shayne Montgomery (1,014) have all reached 1,000 career points, while Alvaro Folgueiras (975), Seth Trimble (971) and Adrian Wooley (922) are close behind.
Louisville native Tyran Stokes, a freshman for Kansas, scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in the exhibition. Christian Reeves, a 7-foot-2 transfer to Kansas from the College of Charleston, posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Reeves started his career at Duke, spent two seasons there, and then played at Clemson in 2024-25.
The teams also come into the matchup carrying their preseason rankings. Louisville is No. 11 in the AP poll, No. 17 in KenPom and No. 17 in the Net. Kansas checks in at No. 17 in the AP poll, No. 8 in KenPom and No. 21 in the Net.
After Wednesday’s game, Louisville will host Mercyhurst in an exhibition on Oct. 28.
Kansas is scheduled to host No. 2 Duke for an exhibition on Oct.
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