Welcome back Kasean Pryor.
Louisville got February off to a successful start, thanks in part to Pryor, who had been as invisible as a David Copperfield illusionist trick for most of the season until providing a spark off the bench to help the No. 24 Cardinals (16-6, 6-4 ACC) finish strong after another slow start and defeat Notre Dame 76-65 Wednesday night in the KFC Yum! Center.
Pryor, a 6-10 senior forward who sat out last season due to knee surgery, scored all 10 of his points in the second half and also grabbed five rebounds as U of L handed the hapless Irish (11-12, 2-8) their third straight loss and eighth in the last nine games.
Pryor, who hit 5-of-6 field goal attempts, had been AWOL from the rotation for the last three games, hadn't played in five of the previous nine and had scored just eight points in his last six appearances. But he got his chance because starting forward J'Vonne Hadley suffered a back injury in practice Monday. Hadley started but lasted only three scoreless minutes before retiring for the evening. Pryor's points were his most since he got 11 against Memphis on Dec. 13 and his 15 minutes were his longest since logging 16 against Jackson State in the second game of the season three months ago.
"I feel really well," Pryor said afterwards. "I'm confident in my movements. I knew it was just a matter of time before I got back playing at the level I needed to. I was coming back from a serious injury and we have a really good team so I knew it would take me awhile to work my way back into the rotation.."
"I'm really proud of Kasean," U of L coach Pat Kelsey said. "He had a phenomenal game. The last couple of weeks he's had a different edge to him. His process in practice has been spectacular, you know, kind of stacking days togther. He's had some setbacks, but he didn't hang his head or feel sorry for himself. He had a great attitude."
U of L also got a second straight strong performance off the bench from Khani Rooths, who followed his 12-point, 10-rebound performance against SMU Saturday with 12 points and 12 boards in 26 minutes, hitting 5-of-9 shots.
"Khani is blossoming before our eyes, if you will," Kelsey said. "He just brings it, like he did the other night. He impacted the game with his effort, his toughness."
Pryor's and Rooth's contributions helped overcome sub-par nights by Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell, who combined to hit just 2-of-14 from 3-point range. Conwell scored 12 points, while Brown had a season-low six points.
After falling behind 10-2 at the start, the Cards clawed their way back, used an 8-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half to take a 38-28 lead and then went on to lead by as many as 19 points, 73-54, with a 14-0 run that increased their margin from 59-54 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining.
Isaac McKneely led U of L with 13 points, all on threes, and Sananda Fru had 12, but the Cards made just 7-of-31 shots from downtown for 22.6%. Cole Certa, a junior guard whose mother, Kim, played for Male High School, topped the Irish with 18 points.
"It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but we figured out a way to get out with a victory," Kelsey said. "Mikel and Ryan are two of our premier scorers and for them to have an off night and for everybody else to really step up, it's encouraging."
Now the Cards will head for Wake Forest (11-11, 2-7) for a noon game on Saturday before returning home to face N.C. State (17-6, 8-2) Monday night.
Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey argues with referee Don Dailey during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
