No. 11 Louisville defeated No. 17 Kansas 89-83 in an exhibition men’s basketball matchup on October 21, 2026, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The victory snapped a 58-game home exhibition winning streak for the Jayhawks dating back to 1993.
The matchup marked the second part of a home-and-home series between the two schools, following a 2025 game in Louisville where the Jayhawks secured a 90-82 victory at the KFC Yum! Center. Although the game did not count toward either team’s official regular-season record, it carried high intensity and national television coverage on ESPNU as reported by Sports Illustrated.
Louisville’s Second-Half Surge Overcomes Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse
Kansas controlled much of the first half, building an early advantage behind defensive pressure and transition offense. The 17th-ranked Jayhawks took a 37-36 lead into halftime as freshman Tyran Stokes capitalized at the free-throw line. Tre White led Kansas with 12 points before the break, while Melvin Council Jr. added 11 according to Hutch Post.
The momentum shifted immediately after intermission. No. 11 Louisville connected on eight of its first 11 three-point attempts in the second half, outscoring the hosts 53-46 over the final twenty minutes. Adrian Wooley and Alvaro Folgueiras hit early long-range shots before Jackson Shelstad scored eight consecutive points to stretch the Cardinals’ lead to double digits.
Kansas mounted a late rally when Stokes stole the ball and drove for a layup, narrowing the deficit to 82-80 with 2:16 remaining. Keanu Dawes later finished a dunk to bring the Jayhawks within 85-83. However, Louisville sealed the win at the free-throw line in the final minute after Kansas committed a late turnover.
Flory Bidunga Faces Boos in Return to Lawrence
The evening carried substantial emotional subtext surrounding Flory Bidunga, the former Kansas forward who earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in Lawrence last season before transferring to Louisville during the offseason. Thousands of Kansas fans booed Bidunga throughout the pregame shootaround and during the contest.
During the second half, a section of students launched an obscenity-laced chant directed at the Louisville junior. The public-address announcer shut down the chant at the request of Kansas coach Bill Self and athletic director Travis Goff.
Bill Self said he expected Flory Bidunga to be booed, but he felt anything beyond that was uncalled for.
On the floor, Kansas limited Bidunga to five points and three rebounds while he battled foul trouble.
With Flory coming back, this place is very special to him. It was a difficult week for him because he knew what he was walking into. A part of his heart is here and will always be here, and that made us better. I thought Flory handled it well. He knew what he was walking into, and I think he’s relieved to have it over with.
Pat Kelsey, Louisville Head Coach
Player Performances and Coach Reactions After the Exhibition Loss
Jackson Shelstad led all scorers with 23 points for Louisville, including four three-pointers, while teammate Obinna Ekezie Jr. added 16 points off the bench with four shots from beyond the arc. For Kansas, Tre White scored 25 points, exceeding his highest single-game output from the previous season, and Melvin Council Jr. chipped in 20 points alongside Stokes’ 15 points.
Kansas freshman point guard Taylen Kinney missed half of the contest due to cramping issues brought on by a warm environment inside Allen Fieldhouse. Self indicated after the game that medical staff administered an intravenous line and expects Kinney to return for the team’s final exhibition.
Luckily it don’t count on our record, but definitely this one hurts, so we could take this — it’s early in the season — take this pain and take it to the next game and learn from it for later on.
Tre White, Kansas Senior Guard
Louisville will host Mercyhurst on October 28 at the KFC Yum! Center in its final exhibition before opening the regular season against Chattanooga on November 2 according to The Louisville Cardinal. Kansas remains at Allen Fieldhouse to host No. 2 Duke on Sunday for its final tune-up before regular-season play begins.
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