Louisville basketball needs a spark, and fast. The Cardinals have lost two games in a row and are now 11-4 on the season. Their most recent loss came at the hands of the No.6 team in the land, the Duke Blue Devils.
Louisville’s game with Duke became its to lose when they went into the half up 47-38. However, Duke would outscore the Cardinals by 20 in the second half and complete the comeback, beating Louisville 84-73. Moving forward, Louisville needs to regroup quickly, focus on defensive adjustments, and find ways to close out games to get back on track.
It didn’t help that the Cardinals were without Mikel Brown Jr., but something must change if the Cardinals want to have a shot at a deep tournament run. This change might take the form of giving Khani Rooths a bigger role.Â
Khani Rooths could be exactly what Louisville needs to get back on track
The sophomore forward is averaging 16.7 minutes a game, which puts him as the seventh man on the roster. Rooths might not be the biggest offensive threat for the Cardinals, but his 6-foot-10 frame makes him a nightmare on the defensive side of the ball. Cardinal fans have noticed the forward’s defensive play and agree that Rooths deserves a bigger responsibility in the Cardinals' rotation.Â
I just want more minutes for Khani Rooths. Good night.
— Peyton (@peytonjstidham) January 7, 2026
Adding Rooths to a bigger role in Louisville’s game plan could benefit the Cardinals in a number of ways. Most importantly, the Cardinals would have another big game-changer. Louisville mainly relies on Sananda Fru for defensive presence in the paint and for a chunk of inside scoring. Besides Fru, the Cardinals mainly run an all-guard lineup, which at times hurts them defensively. Giving Rooths more minutes gives Louisville another big man to play defense, which the Cardinals lack.
Imagine seeing this man in 9 minutes of play in the first half vs Duke go for 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists (0 TO), 1 block, and pretty much looking like the biggest impact athlete for your team and decide that he only deserved 3 minutes of court time in the second half. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/qpR78MfN4w
— Raashaan Myers (@raashaan) January 7, 2026
More minutes in the rotation would also allow Rooths to develop even more offensively. Just in a three-minute increase from last year, Rooths has doubled his points per game average and has shown great signs of potential. He scored 20 points in the Cardinals' first game of the year, and then had a double-double in the second game with 16 points and 10 rebounds.Â
This type of play would be a huge advantage for the Cardinals in ACC play and could take the team to a whole new level.Â
Louisville needs a spark to get back on track if it wants to have a chance at an ACC title and a chance at making a run in March. Rooths is a player who can be that spark. His athletic ability makes him a valuable member of the defensive unit, and with time, he could be a reliable option on offense as well.
Rooths averages 6.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 44 percent from the floor. The Cardinals have to fix some things, and one thing the fans want to try is giving Rooths more minutes.
March is approaching soon, and with Rooths in the rotation, Louisville could be one of the nation’s most feared teams by then.
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