Louisville basketball has a big one tonight.
The Cardinals are set for a high-stakes ACC matchup against NC State, a team sitting two games ahead of them in the conference standings. At 7-4 in ACC play and 17-6 overall, Louisville is right in the thick of the race for a coveted double-bye in the ACC Tournament. And with the Wolfpack holding a 9-2 conference record, this one has major postseason implications written all over it.
Games like this tend to bring a little extra electricity to the KFC Yum! Center-and not just from the fans. Louisville is also using the spotlight to host one of the top in-state prospects in the 2027 class: Braxton Keathley, a 6-foot-5 combo guard out of Martin County High School in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
This will be Keathley’s second visit to Louisville, and it comes at a time when his stock is soaring. He’s drawing early attention from a handful of Power Four programs, including Purdue-who’s already hosted him on an unofficial visit-as well as Kentucky, LSU, Florida State, and others. With more than eight Division I offers already in hand, Keathley is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after names in his class.
And the numbers back it up.
Keathley is putting up video game stats this season, averaging 34.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. Just this past week, he dropped 42 points, grabbed 8 boards, and snagged 4 steals-all in just three quarters of action. He also knocked down 7-of-12 from beyond the arc in that outing, showcasing the kind of range and confidence that coaches at the next level love to see.
Ranked as high as No. 189 nationally in the 2027 class and No. 49 among shooting guards, Keathley is more than just a scorer-he’s a complete offensive weapon. He’s already recorded three triple-doubles this season and has shown the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he brings a physical presence to the guard position, with the versatility to play on or off the ball.
In Kentucky's 2027 recruiting scene, Keathley currently ranks second only to Louisville commit Ferlandes Wright, a four-star guard who already pledged to the Cardinals. Wright and fellow 2027 commit Isaac Ellis have given Louisville an early foundation in that class-and adding Keathley would only strengthen what’s shaping up to be a dynamic group.
For now, though, the focus is on tonight. A marquee ACC battle, a buzzing home crowd, and a top in-state recruit in the building. It’s the kind of stage that Louisville fans-and recruits-remember.