The KFC Yum! Center in Louisville was electric on January 6, 2026, as the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals hosted the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils in a highly-anticipated Atlantic Coast Conference clash. With a packed crowd donning red and the echoes of "C-A-R-D-S Cards!" reverberating throughout the arena, the Cardinals entered the contest aiming to snap a seven-game losing streak against their ACC rivals. The last time Louisville bested Duke was back in February 2021—a drought the Cardinals and their fans desperately hoped to end.
Both teams entered with impressive records: Louisville stood at 11-3 overall (1-1 ACC), while Duke boasted a 13-1 mark (2-0 ACC) under fourth-year head coach Jon Scheyer. The Blue Devils, fresh off conference wins over Georgia Tech and Florida State, were favored by 1.5 points according to DraftKings, but analytics sites like KenPom and BartTorvik.com gave the edge to Louisville, projecting a narrow Cardinals win.
Louisville faced a significant challenge before tipoff. Freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., a projected 2026 NBA lottery pick, missed his fifth straight game due to a lingering lower back injury. Head coach Pat Kelsey remained optimistic about Brown's progress, stating, "All of the diagnostic tests and things like that — everything structurally is fine. We've had MRIs done and things like that. It's just: We haven't been able to get the discomfort and the spasms and things like that to settle down. We thought we were turning the corner, but over the last several days (we're) not having him do anything full speed. But we've seen some improvement over the last several days. He's got a great attitude about it; he's got a pep in his step. His teammates know how bad he wants to be out there. I can see him being out there really soon."
Louisville's starting five—Adrian Wooley, Isaac McKneely, Ryan Conwell, J'Vonne Hadley, and Sananda Fru—came out firing. The Cardinals' offense was sizzling from behind the arc, with Ryan Conwell and Aly Khalifa each sinking four three-pointers in the opening half. Conwell, in particular, was on fire, hitting his first three triples and finishing the half with 16 points and five rebounds. Khalifa, not usually known for his outside shooting, went a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, tallying a season-high 12 points before halftime. The Cardinals hit 10-of-21 from downtown in the first half, building a 47-38 lead at the break and sending the Louisville faithful into a frenzy.
Duke, meanwhile, struggled to find its rhythm early. The Blue Devils shot just 5-of-17 from three-point range and 36% overall in the first half. Still, freshman phenom Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans kept Duke within striking distance, scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively, before the break. The rest of the roster, however, was mostly silent, as Louisville's defense hounded the Blue Devils relentlessly. Duke's only clear advantage came at the free-throw line, where they collected nine points on 12 attempts in the first half compared to Louisville's 5-for-6.
Drama unfolded midway through the first half when Louisville's Kasean Pryor appeared to head-butt Duke's Patrick Ngongba, who responded by pushing Pryor away. After a review, both players were assessed technical fouls—a flashpoint that only heightened the intensity on the court and in the stands.
As the second half got underway, the Blue Devils emerged with renewed focus, especially on defense. Dame Sarr, in particular, clamped down on Conwell, limiting his opportunities and cooling Louisville's once-blistering three-point attack. Duke's improved defense sparked a 9-0 run that erased Louisville's lead and gave the Blue Devils their first advantage of the night. With 13:36 to play, Sananda Fru picked up his fourth foul, sending Boozer to the line, where he converted to put Duke up 54-53. From there, the momentum had clearly shifted.
Caleb Foster, who had just four points in the first half, came alive after the break. He attacked the rim with confidence, scoring tough layups and finishing the game with 20 points. Isaiah Evans added a clutch corner three, and Boozer continued to assert his dominance, eventually finishing as the game's top scorer with 27 points. The Blue Devils outscored Louisville 46-26 in the second half, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into an 84-73 victory.
Louisville, so dynamic from deep in the first half, struggled mightily after the break. The Cardinals didn't hit another three-pointer until Khalifa connected with about 11 minutes remaining. Their offense sputtered, making just three of their final 12 shots. As Duke's lead grew, frustration mounted for Louisville. J'Vonne Hadley fouled Boozer on a drive, and the body language on the Cardinals' bench told the story—confidence had evaporated, replaced by visible exasperation.
The crowd, so boisterous early, began to thin with four minutes left as Duke pushed its advantage to double digits. Fru finished with just two points and four fouls, while Conwell led Louisville with 24 points and Khalifa contributed 17. For Duke, Boozer's 27 led the way, with Foster's 20 and Evans' timely shooting providing the support needed to close out the win. The Blue Devils, despite missing graduate center Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, showed resilience and depth in their comeback effort.
Broadcast nationally on ESPN, the contest drew significant attention, with commentators Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, and Kris Budden capturing every dramatic twist. The game also featured a rare betting scenario: While Duke was a slight favorite by the oddsmakers, advanced metrics favored Louisville. In the end, it was the Blue Devils who delivered, improving to 13-1 on the season and maintaining their unblemished ACC record.
For Louisville, the loss stings—not just because it extends their losing streak against Duke to eight games, but also because it came after such a promising start. The Cardinals' recent form had been strong, with wins over Memphis, Indiana, and Kentucky, but back-to-back losses to Stanford and now Duke have exposed some cracks. With Mikel Brown Jr.'s return still uncertain, Coach Kelsey will need to rally his team quickly as they prepare for upcoming ACC battles against Boston College and Virginia.
As the Blue Devils celebrate a hard-fought road win, and the Cardinals regroup, fans are left reflecting on a game that delivered all the drama and intensity expected from one of college basketball's great rivalries. With the ACC season heating up, both teams know there are more battles—and more chances for redemption—just around the corner.
