Louisville basketball is just around the corner, with the Cardinals' season set to kick off in a few weeks when UofL travels to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the University of Kansas in an exhibition game on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Louisville enters the season with high expectations, as Pat Kelsey built one of the nation's most expensive and talented rosters.
Karter Knox opens up about choosing Louisville despite brother's Kentucky roots
Kelsey added eight transfers, including 5-star transfer Flory Bidunga and two former 5-stars, Jackson Shelstad and Karter Knox. Louisville has many games to look forward to, but the one that, of course, stands out is the in-state showdown with Kentucky on Dec. 12.
This game always stands out on the college basketball schedule, as this rivalry is one of the best in the sport. Louisville got the best of the Wildcats last year, defeating Kentucky 96-88 and snapping a three-game losing streak to the Cats. Now, Knox just sent a strong message to Kentucky and the rest of the nation that this team is hungry and ready to make some noise.
Louisville fans will love Karter Knox’s confident message about Kentucky
Knox comes from a successful basketball family, as his older brother Kevin Knox II was a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but also played for UofL’s biggest rival, Kentucky. Karter was asked about the family rivalry and facing his older brother at his former schools, and Louisville fans will love his response.
“We do, and we had a lot of talks about it, and I told him, I said, you know who's going to come out on top. We haven’t beaten them in 10 years at Kentucky, but this year is going to be a different outcome,” stated Knox. “This is the best team in the nation right here. We got all the dogs on the floor, and it is hard to play against a team with all dogs on the floor.”
I asked Karter Knox about playing his brother's alma mater (UK) this season. pic.twitter.com/xYP1bgBMHb
— Kendrick Haskins (@KendrickHastv) October 8, 2026
The Cardinals fans are starving for a win over Kentucky in Lexington. The last road win came in the 2007-2008 season, when Louisville won 89-75. The Cardinals have lost eight straight in Lexington, but Knox sends a bold message to fans and the Wildcats that this year will be different.
This is the energy and confidence Louisville fans love, and this team needs. This could be not only a rank-vs-rank matchup, but a top-15, maybe even a top-10 showdown, depending on how the first month of basketball goes.
If Louisville defeats Kentucky this year, it wouldn’t just snap an eight-game road losing streak against the Cats; it would also be the first time Louisville has won two straight against Kentucky since 2007-08 and 2008-09. So, Knox and the Cardinals are looking to snap multiple streaks this year in this intense rivalry, and his bold message has fans absolutely fired up.
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