The Ville answered back in a big way on Monday night.
After dropping game one to La Familia, the Louisville men’s basketball alumni team flipped the script in game two of their best-of-three opening round series in The Basketball Tournament, rolling to an 82-62 win at Freedom Hall. It was The Ville’s first victory over La Familia after starting 0-2 against the Kentucky alumni squad, including Saturday’s 72-68 loss at Memorial Coliseum.
Now the series heads to a winner-take-all game three on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. EST at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington.
The opening quarter was tight and messy, with neither side finding much of a groove. The Ville hit just 4-of-11 from the floor and 1-of-6 from three-point range, while La Familia went 4-of-13 overall but managed to go 3-of-6 from deep. That edge from beyond the arc helped the visitors take an 11-9 lead after one.
The second quarter is where the game turned hard in Louisville’s favor. Just as Kentucky’s alumni controlled that stretch in game one, The Ville seized control in game two by locking in defensively and getting the ball inside.
La Familia was held to 3-of-12 shooting in the period, while The Ville, led mainly by Harrell and a clear commitment to attacking the paint instead of settling, went 10-of-16 from the field. That surge produced a 24-7 quarter and a 36-22 halftime lead.
The pattern held after the break. La Familia found a little more rhythm, but still only managed to shoot 8-of-24 across the third and fourth quarters. The Ville stayed efficient on the other end, going 13-of-25 during that stretch and pushing the margin to 74-49 heading into the Elam Ending.
La Familia did put up 13 points in the Elam Ending, but the hole was too deep. Trey Lewis knocked down a three, Matthews followed with one of his own, and Harrell finished things off with a layup to seal the blowout.
In Other News...
Louisville Suddenly Has A New Recruiting Tease At Point Guard
Tai Bell has quietly become one of the more intriguing names on Louisvilles early point guard board. The 2028 four-star from Miami Columbus is already drawing national attention, with 27 offers and a list of campuses he has seen in person, and he has been in contact with the Cardinals staff as he continues sorting through a fast-moving recruitment. He is ranked No. 28 in his class by 247Sports, but Bell clearly sees room to climb and is treating the process like a long runway rather than a quick decision.
For Louisville, the appeal is obvious: Bell is talented, still early in his high school career, and open enough to keep the Cardinals in the conversation if the relationship keeps growing. He has also pointed to the way Mikel Brown Jr. fit into the program as part of what makes Louisville interesting, which gives the staff a natural selling point as it keeps evaluating whether to push ahead. For now, the next step seems to be more contact and more clarity, with official visits still not on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kelsey Is Making Louisville A Real Threat For Elite Forward
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Kamissoko has talked openly about his ongoing communication with Kelsey and his interest in how Louisville plays, which gives the Cardinals a real foothold in a crowded recruiting race. With top programs circling and visits still a topic to watch, the next step in the process could go a long way toward showing whether Louisville is simply involved or truly emerging as a serious threat here. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kelsey Just Sent Another Big Recruiting Signal At Louisville
Pat Kelseys staff keeps showing it is willing to get in early and stay aggressive on the trail, and the latest example came with a scholarship offer to one of the top wings in the 2027 class. The move fits the broader push around Louisville basketball right now, with the Cardinals working to build real momentum with elite prospects before the cycle gets crowded and the national heavyweights fully settle in.
The recruiting board is already taking shape around several high-end targets, and this latest offer only adds to the sense that Louisville wants to be in the mix for a class with real upside. Asa Montgomerys profile has drawn plenty of attention nationally, and the Cardinals are also chasing other premier names such as Darius Wabbington and DeMarcus Henry as Kelsey continues to signal that the program plans to recruit at a much higher level. [Read more 🡒]