Louisville leaned on its physicality, depth, and a timely second-half surge to put away Notre Dame, 76-65, in a game that showcased the Cardinals’ growing identity as a team that doesn’t need a singular star to take over - just a collective commitment to doing the dirty work.
After a sluggish start that saw Notre Dame race out to a 16-7 lead in the opening seven minutes, Louisville clamped down defensively and flipped the momentum. The Cardinals never trailed again after that early stretch, holding the Irish without a lead for nearly the final 35 minutes of play.
The turning point came midway through the second half when Louisville ripped off a 14-0 run that stretched the lead to as many as 19. It wasn’t flashy - it was physical, methodical, and relentless.
The Cardinals dominated the glass all night, outrebounding Notre Dame 46-35, including a whopping 16 offensive boards. That effort on the glass didn’t just pad stats - it extended possessions, wore down the Irish defense, and helped Louisville control the tempo when it mattered most.
Offensively, Louisville didn’t rely on any one scorer to carry the load. Isaac McKneely led the way with 13 points, drilling all four of his three-point attempts, but this was a team win through and through.
Ryan Conwell and Sananda Fru chipped in a combined 24 points, and the Cardinals’ balanced attack kept Notre Dame from locking in on any one option. Louisville shot 43 percent from the field, and while they struggled from deep (just 23 percent from three), they made up for it with physical play inside and timely trips to the free throw line, converting 13-of-18.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, lived and died by the three. The Irish knocked down 11-of-27 from beyond the arc (41 percent), with Cole Certa leading the way with 18 points on five threes.
But outside of their perimeter shooting, the offense sputtered. Notre Dame shot just 39 percent overall and left key points at the line, going only 6-of-14 on free throws - a tough pill to swallow in a game that stayed within reach until the final minutes.
Turnovers were even at 12 apiece, but Louisville made theirs count, turning extra possessions into second-chance points and keeping the Irish on their heels. Carson Towt was Notre Dame’s most consistent presence inside, grabbing 10 rebounds to go with six points and three assists. Brady Koehler added 11 points and four boards, and Braeden Shrewsberry knocked down a late three following a steal that briefly injected some life into the Irish - but by then, it was too little, too late.
The story of the night was Louisville’s ability to impose its will down the stretch. The Cardinals didn’t shoot the lights out, but they didn’t need to.
They played harder, tougher, and smarter when it counted. That’s a formula that travels - and one that could make them a tough out as conference play heats up.
Next up, Louisville heads to Wake Forest for a Saturday noon tip, looking to build on a win that was as much about grit as it was about execution.