Louisville Basketball Rallies Past Notre Dame

Cardinals overcome slow start to defeat Fighting Irish 76-65 in ACC matchup

Feb. 4, 2026 at 9:07pm

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The No. 23 Louisville Cardinals overcame a slow start to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 76-65 in an ACC college basketball game on Wednesday. After trailing for much of the first half, Louisville went on a 14-7 run and a 31-16 extended run to take control of the game. The Cardinals weathered a rocky second half but pulled away late with a 14-0 run to seal the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps Louisville in the hunt for a top spot in the ACC standings, as they improve to 16-6 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The loss drops Notre Dame to 11-12 on the season and 2-8 in the ACC, further damaging their postseason hopes.

The details

Louisville was led by Isaac McKneely, who scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Khani Rooths, Sananda Fru, and Ryan Conwell each added 12 points for the Cardinals. After trailing for much of the first half, Louisville took the lead for good with a 14-7 run late in the opening period. The Cardinals then extended their advantage with a 31-16 run spanning the end of the first half and start of the second.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
  • Louisville led Notre Dame 31-25 at halftime.

The players

Pat Kelsey

Head coach of the Louisville Cardinals basketball team.

Isaac McKneely

A Louisville player who led the team with 13 points.

Khani Rooths

A Louisville player who scored 12 points.

Sananda Fru

A Louisville player who scored 12 points.

Ryan Conwell

A Louisville player who scored 12 points.

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What’s next

Louisville will next face Wake Forest on the road this Saturday at noon.

The takeaway

Louisville's ability to overcome a slow start and pull away late shows the team's resilience and potential to make a deep run in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.