After missing four straight games due to illness, Khani Rooths didn’t just return to the floor for Louisville on Saturday - he made a statement. In an 88-74 win over SMU, the 6-foot-10 freshman reminded everyone exactly what he brings to the table: energy, toughness, and a whole lot of bounce.
Coming off the bench, Rooths logged 20 high-impact minutes and delivered his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. It was his first game scoring in double figures since December 20 against Montana, and he made it count - efficient, active, and loud.
“Khani Rooths was phenomenal,” Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey said postgame. “His nickname is K-9, which is apropos because he is a dog, man. He is a dog.”
And Rooths played like one. He was relentless on the glass, sparked transition opportunities, and provided the kind of physical presence that changes the tone of a game.
His putback dunk in the first half wasn’t just two points - it was an exclamation point. The kind of play that lifts the bench, wakes up the crowd, and shifts momentum.
Rooths went 4-of-5 from the field, hit all but one of his free throws (4-of-5), drew three fouls, dished out two assists, and added a steal for good measure. But more than the stat line, it was the way he played - hard, physical, and with purpose - that stood out.
“I helped set the standard,” Rooths said after the game. “The standard is the standard. Once it starts, the energy is contagious.”
That standard - the one Rooths is talking about - is exactly what Kelsey’s been preaching all season. And after being sidelined, Rooths wasted no time getting back to it.
He’d been back in practice all week following the team’s loss to Duke, and by Friday, he was no longer listed on the ACC injury report. All signs pointed to a return, and Rooths delivered.
“I’m just glad to be back,” he said. “I feel real good.
You see, out there I’m playing hard, and I’m being me. I’m doing whatever I can do to help the team.”
There was no rust, no hesitation - just Rooths doing what he does best. He even joked about a comment Kelsey made earlier in the week, when the coach said Rooths needed to “eat a hamburger” to get his weight back up after being sick.
“I definitely ate several hamburgers,” Rooths said with a grin. “I like hamburgers anyway, so it wasn’t nothing. I’m going to get [the weight] back.”
Kelsey wasn’t surprised by the performance. Not even a little.
“No, it doesn’t surprise me,” Kelsey said. “That’s just who he is.
He’s a high-energy dude. Doesn’t mean he’s going to play well all the time, but I’m telling you - he is going to empty the tank.”
Rooths’ energy was so vital, Kelsey admitted he called a timeout just to keep him on the floor instead of subbing him out.
“I looked over and said, ‘I don’t want to take him out,’” Kelsey said. “We had to get him a blow, get him back in there.
Actually, I even called a timeout one time so I didn’t have to take him out. That’s how valuable he was.”
And that’s the impact of a player like Rooths - he doesn’t just fill a role, he changes the dynamic. On a night when Louisville needed a spark, Rooths brought the fire. The kind of gritty, high-energy performance that doesn’t just show up in the box score - it shows up in the way a team plays, responds, and rallies.
For Louisville, getting Rooths back healthy means more than just another body in the rotation. It means they’ve got their tone-setter back. And if Saturday was any indication, he’s not easing back in - he’s charging forward.