Pat Kelsey and the Louisville Cardinals got a much-needed, bounce-back win against the SMU Mustangs 88-74 at the KFC YUM! Center on Saturday. The win comes off the worst loss of Kelsey’s Louisville basketball coaching career (31 points) against the ACC leader, the Duke Blue Devils.
This game got the Cardinals back on track and restored faith in the direction of Louisville as they enter the final stretch of their season. One of the major keys to Louisville’s comeback win was the 20 minutes provided by sophomore Khani Rooths off the bench.
Rooths has been one of the fans' favorite players this season, and someone everyone believes deserves more time. After his eyebrow-raising performance, the sophomore earned high praise from his star teammate, Mikel Brown Jr.
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Mikel Brown Jr. reveals what makes Khani Rooths so important for Louisville
Rooths provided a spark early in his return, with highlight dunks and incredible defense leading Louisville’s turnaround from their slow start. He was a consistent strength in the lineup, finishing the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Rooths remained a key fixture in the lineup most of the second half, providing a strength in a position that has consistently been a weakness for Kelsey and Louisville throughout the season.
Rooths’ teammate Mikel Brown Jr., also a recent returnee from injury, had major praise for Rooths' play in the SMU game postgame.
“We missed him," Brown stated after the game on Saturday on Rooths. "Just that energy that he brings off the bench, that fire, the intensity, the grit, and just the will to want to guard and play hard. We definitely missed that on the bench and feels so great to have him back.”
Rooths is someone the Cardinals need to give more time to, especially in big-time games. He is averaging just 8.8 minutes per game in the five games against ranked teams, and yesterday proved the Cardinals need him out there in big-time moments.
Rooths' performance today should be proof enough that the Louisville Cardinals are a better team when Rooths plays the “4”. The Cardinals were playing their best basketball today when Rooths took the “4” and Hadley or o others shifted over to the “3” position. His aggressiveness and physicality bring new factors to the lineup, particularly on defense and with his rebounding ability, that have been missing in his absence.
Before this season and as the season began, all Cardinals fans were looking to Khani Rooths to take that next step to morph from a role bench player to a breakout star. Although the latter has not yet happened, Rooths has shown flashes that he is ready to take that next step. This game was no exception, and should be used as a sign that he is ready to take on an enhanced role with this team.
Not only is he ready for more minutes, but he may also very well be the key to Louisville resolving its recurring issues down low. If Khani Rooths can turn himself into a true weapon in the frontcourt, the Cardinals' postseason expectations may be higher than the last few games have led Cardinals fans to believe. The Cardinals now have their full roster and are primed to have a strong finish to the season.
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.