ACC/SEC Challenge on Deck for Cardinals

Wednesday, December 3

Fayetteville, Ark.

7:15 p.m.

University of Louisville

#25 Arkansas

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December 02, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Arkansas Game Notes Louisville Game Notes Pat Kelsey Press Conference

No. 6 Louisville travels for its first true road game at No. 25 Arkansas on Wednesday night on ESPN

By: Dana Brown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men's basketball is set for its first true road game on Wednesday evening, taking on Arkansas in the ACC/SEC Challenge in Fayetteville. The game will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 7:15.

UofL finished November an undefeated 7-0 for the first time since 2019-20, most recently defeating NJIT 104-47 on Wednesday evening. Arkansas fell to Duke in a neutral site game on Thanksgiving 80-71, moving to 5-2 on the year.

The Cardinals are an even 4-4 against the Razorbacks all-time, but hold a 1-0 mark when playing in Fayetteville. Louisville won the only meeting at Arkansas between the teams, a 91-88 overtime victory on Dec. 21, 1996. UofL head coach has never faced Arkansas, but is 0-1 against Razorback head coach John Calipari as he took his Winthrop team to Kentucky in 2018.

GAME 8
Listen: Cardinal Sports Network (WLCL 93.9 FM & WGTK 970 AM flagship);
Streaming (Paul Rodgers, pxp | Bob Valvano, analysis)
Watch: ESPN (Karl Ravech, pxp | Jimmy Dykes, analysis)
Live Stats: Arkansas Statbroadcast

CARDINAL NOTES

Louisville will face Cardinal Forever, national champion and former head coach of the Cardinals Kenny Payne, who is an assistant for the Razorbacks.
Louisville netted 20 3-pointers against NJIT on Nov. 26, the second-most made 3's in a single game in program history. It's just the second time ever the Cardinals have made at least 20 3's in a game. UofL is the third team in DI this season to make at least 20 3-pointers against another DI team.
Louisville's back-to-back 40-point wins (87-46 over Eastern Michigan & 104-47 over NJIT) is the program's first set of back-to-back 40-point victories since 2012-13.
Senior guard Ryan Conwell is the only DI men's basketball player since at least 2010-11 to log at least 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes or less, according to Sports Reference.
Louisville has had two games of at least 24 assists, the first time since 2010-11 that the program has had multiple games of 24+ assists; the Cardinals had five games of at 24+ assists that season.
Louisville's positive 38 rebounding margin against NJIT on Nov. 26 was the third-largest rebounding margin by any team against a DI opponent this season, and the largest rebounding margin in program history.
Louisville is 34-0 under Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play.
With two 50-point victories on the season (104-45 vs. South Carolina State & 104-47 vs. NJIT), it marks the first time Louisville has had two 50-point victories in one season since 2004-05.
A pair of Cardinals represent Louisville on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List, Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List and the Wooden Award Preseason Watch List; both Ryan Conwell and Mikel Brown Jr. were named to the esteemed lists.
Freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Preseason Watch List while senior guard Ryan Conwell was named the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Preseason Watch List.
Head coach Pat Kelsey is the reigning ACC Coach of the Year - he is one of 10 active DI head coaches that have earned a Coach of the Year honor in three or more DI conferences.
There were 14 players returning to DI this season that had made at least 175 3-pointers with a career 3-point field goal percentage of 38% or more; Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely are two of those 14