Louisville basketball is taking on the Kentucky Wildcats this afternoon in a thrilling rivalry showdown that has both fan bases buzzing with excitement. The Cardinals and Wildcats both enter this game 2-0, and Louisville will look to improve to 3-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 season and end a three-game losing streak in this rivalry game.
The Cardinals and Wildcats are both led by some new faces, as both added some elite freshmen and transfers. Louisville fans look to pack the KFC Yum! Center tonight and pull off the upset over the No. 9 Wildcats. Earlier this week, the line favored Louisville by 3.5 points, and just this morning it changed to 4.5. However, just hours before tipoff, the line continues to change drastically in favor of the Cardinals.
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Louisville vs Kentucky spread is on the move
4.5 points already seemed like a large amount of points for the Cardinals, but Vegas recently moved it again to 6.5 points in favor of Louisville, according to FanDuel. For the moneyline, Louisville is the dominant favorite at -275, while Kentucky is a significant underdog at +220.
When Louisville is favored by five points or more since 1988, the Cardinals are 4-0. Additionally, this is the largest spread in this rivalry showdown since 2012 and the fifth-largest spread since 1988.
At 6.5 points, Louisville is the largest favorite its been in its series vs. Kentucky since it was a 7-point favorite in an 80-77 win on Dec. 29, 2012, and the fifth largest favorite it's been since 1988.
— Kelly Dickey (@RealCardGame) November 11, 2025
UofL is 4-0 vs. Kentucky since 1988 when favored by more than 5 points.
The Wildcats have a few players battling injuries as Pitt transfer Jaland Lowe is still on a minutes restriction, and Arizona State transfer Jayden Quaintance is still out, making Vegas lean toward Louisville's way more and more. The Cards are still waiting to hear if J'Vonne Hadley is going to return, but the Cardinals fans are getting more and more confident as the line continues to change in their favor.
Louisville needs to ensure that the emotion and the line don't affect how they play. The Cardinals have struggled against the Wildcats, as they are just 2-8 in their last 10 matchups, making tonight's game no easy win, despite what the spread says. A win over Kentucky would be the biggest win of the season, as this game is as big as it gets for a regular-season game, especially in November.
Tipoff between Louisville and Kentucky is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 8 pm ET.