Louisville basketball secured a dominant win over South Carolina State, 104-45, from KFC Yum! Center. The Cards' intensity from tip-off was unmatched and it was the defenses that set the tone for the whole game. Louisville jumped to a 13-0 start and held South Carolina State without a field goal until 10:36 left in the first half. And from that point on it just was all Cardinals in dominant fashion.
Louisville saw five players score 10 points or more, including four starters. The one player off the bench who scored double-digits is the fan-favorite Khani Rooths. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward looks like he is going to take a massive leap this upcoming season, as he didn't just score a game-high last night, but scored a career high.
After the game Pat Kelsey talked about Rooths and his role, and the head coach talked about the leadership he brings to the team with a big smile on his face.
Related: 5 encouraging observations from Louisville's big win over South Carolina State
Khani Rooths is poised to have a much bigger role sophomore season
Entering the 2025-26 season, Louisville saw a few key players return to the Cards, and Rooths was one of them. The 4-star commit ranked as high as No. 34 in the 2024 recruiting class, and immediately was a player fans had high expectations for.
Rooths had a solid true freshman season, serving as a spark off the bench and averaging 3.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. But after his 20-point performance against South Carolina State, it is clear he won't just be a spark off the bench, but he is emerging as a leader for this Cardinals squad.
"He leads by example, I mean, he leads by his voice," Kelsey stated after Rooth's dominant performance. "Just because you are not a 'captain' doesn't mean you are not a leader. Khani is always encouraging other players from the bench and communicating with them. He really does empty the tank. We were joking, he like blacks out out there. He plays to exhaustion...He is fun to coach and a really good player."
Many veterans lead this team, but Kelsey made it clear that Rooths stepped up this offseason and is emerging as a leader, on and off the court. The forward possesses the athleticism and skill to become a future NBA player, and after a performance like last night, where he scored 20 points on 66 percent shooting, while adding a team-high seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block, the future looks bright.
Rooths embraces Kelsey and the culture and is incredibly unselfish. He brings a spark of energy off the bench that fires not just the team up but the whole fanbase. The rising star was seen multiple times last night, leading by example with his hustle, but as Kelsey stated, he also stepped up and was a vocal leader.
The sophomore is expected to take a massive leap this season, and after just one game the fans are loving what they are seeing. The sophomore is more physical, taller, stronger, improved all aspects of his game, but especially his shooting, and is now one of the team leaders. The Cards have high expectations this season and Rooths and his leadership is going to have a massive role.