The University of Louisville men’s basketball team took center stage at the KFC Yum! Center on January 11, 2026, hosting Boston College in a matchup that carried more intrigue than the average midseason conference clash. With both teams desperate for a win—Louisville trying to snap a two-game skid and Boston College still seeking its first ACC victory—the stakes were unmistakably high. But it was the swirling storylines off the court, from injury woes to surprise roster moves, that truly set the tone for this afternoon showdown.
Louisville entered the contest reeling from a tough 84-73 loss to Duke just days earlier. The Cardinals had led by as many as 12 points in the first half and nine at halftime, only to see their lead evaporate in a disastrous second half. Head coach Pat Kelsey called it “as much adversity as we’ve faced since we came together June 5.” That adversity would only deepen as the team prepared to face the Eagles without two of its top contributors: freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. and leading scorer Ryan Conwell. Brown, sidelined by a nagging lower back injury, missed his sixth consecutive game, while Conwell was ruled out due to a knee injury picked up in practice earlier in the week. Conwell’s absence was particularly crushing—he’s been averaging an impressive 19.9 points per game on 40.8% shooting, including 37.3% from beyond the arc.
With the Cardinals’ backcourt depleted, all eyes turned to London Johnson, the former G-League guard who committed to Louisville in October and arrived on campus in mid-December. Initially, Johnson was expected to redshirt the 2025-26 season, preserving two years of eligibility. But as injuries mounted, the coaching staff made a pivotal decision: Johnson was activated and available for the Boston College game. “Louisville no longer intends to redshirt Johnson for the 2025-26 season,” a university release stated on the morning of January 11. Kelsey expressed his excitement, remarking, “London is a very talented point guard with size who also has the ability to play off the ball. London brings experience, talent, toughness and a winning mindset to our organization. He is a trailblazer in a lot of ways and has handled the unwarranted scrutiny like the mature, classy young man that he is.”
Johnson’s journey to Louisville has been anything but conventional. Once a consensus four-star recruit and a standout at Norcross High School in Georgia, he led his team to a GHSA Class 7A State Championship, pouring in 27 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the title game. He was a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist and earned a spot on the Atlanta Tip-Off All-Metro Team. Instead of heading straight to college, Johnson chose the professional route, joining the G-League Ignite in 2022. Over three seasons, he played 100 games, averaging 8.3 points and 3.4 assists per contest. His best statistical season came in 2023-24, where he averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.2 rebounds. Most recently, he split time with the Maine Red Claws and Cleveland Charge, posting 3.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in just over 13 minutes per game. Internationally, Johnson shined for Jamaica at the 2021 FIBA CentroBasket U17 competition in Mexico, averaging a staggering 36.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across five games.
Despite being available, Johnson did not see game action against Boston College. Coach Kelsey addressed the media’s curiosity: “We are excited to welcome London Johnson to our Louisville family… He deserves an opportunity to play collegiate basketball like every other player within his five-year window from high school. Times have changed and we choose to embrace change rather than just complain about it… especially when it creates opportunities for student athletes like London.” Still, with Johnson on the bench, Louisville’s guard rotation remained razor thin.
Louisville’s starting lineup featured Kobe Rodgers, Isaac McKneely, Adrian Wooley, J’Vonne Hadley, and Sananda Fru. The Eagles countered with Fred Payne, Luka Toews, Donald Hand Jr., Jayden Hastings, and Boden Kapke. The Cardinals, heavy favorites according to both FanDuel (21.5-point spread) and DraftKings (23.5-point spread), were projected by KenPom and BartTorvik.com to win comfortably, each giving Louisville a 97% chance of victory and predicting final scores in the mid-80s to low-60s range.
Yet, the game didn’t start as expected for the Cardinals. Without Brown and Conwell, Louisville’s offense sputtered. Adrian Wooley led the way with eight points in the early going, but sharpshooter Isaac McKneely struggled, missing all five of his shot attempts—including four from three-point range. On the other side, Boston College’s Fred Payne caught fire, leading all scorers with 14 points in the first half. The Eagles, led by coach Earl Grant, took advantage of Louisville’s offensive woes and held the lead throughout the first 20 minutes. The halftime deficit was a surprising twist for the home crowd, who had come expecting a bounce-back performance.
Boston College, winless in ACC play and projected to finish near the bottom of the conference, had recently dropped games to Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. Still, their backcourt duo of Donald Hand Jr. and Fred Payne—who combine for 28.7 points per game—proved a handful for the shorthanded Cardinals. Louisville’s defense, which had been exposed in the second half against Duke, was again tested by the Eagles’ quickness and perimeter shooting.
Coach Kelsey remained resolute despite the adversity. After the Duke loss, he noted, “Player-led teams are way more powerful, are way better, than coach-led teams. ... We’ve got to respond better; and we will.” The message seemed to resonate in the locker room, with veteran leaders like J’Vonne Hadley and Isaac McKneely rallying the squad. “What they said was extremely encouraging,” Kelsey added, hinting at the team’s determination to weather the storm.
As the second half unfolded, Louisville’s offense began to find a rhythm, thanks to the efforts of Wooley and the supporting cast. The Cardinals, aiming for their 12th win of the season and a crucial second ACC victory, looked to build momentum heading into a challenging slate of games—three of their next five matchups are against ranked opponents, starting with Virginia on January 13.
For fans unable to make it to the KFC Yum! Center, the game was broadcast on The CW (WBKI-TV) with Tom Werme and Seth Davis on the call, and streamed via platforms like Fubo. Louisville’s overall record stood at 11-4 (1-2 ACC) after the contest, while Boston College dropped to 7-8 (0-2 ACC).
While the afternoon didn’t go exactly as the Cardinals had hoped, the activation of London Johnson signaled a new chapter for Louisville basketball. With key players set to return soon and Johnson waiting in the wings, the Cardinals have reason for optimism as they navigate a pivotal stretch in their season. The road ahead remains challenging, but as adversity mounts, so too does the resolve of this Louisville squad.
