Louisville closes out Wake Forest late as Pat Kelsey and Khani Rooths address road win
Cardinals withstand late tie, finish with decisive defensive stretch
Louisville extended its Atlantic Coast Conference momentum Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, winning 88-80 at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Cardinals entered the final five minutes in a tie game and closed on an 8-0 run, with the final stretch defined by defensive stops and late free-throw execution.
Wake Forest pulled even at 80-80 with 4:44 remaining, but did not score again. Over that closing segment, Louisville repeatedly forced empty possessions while converting at the foul line to protect the lead. The Cardinals went without a field goal for the final 6:38 yet still finished the game by making free throws in response to Wake Forest’s misses.
Key numbers: efficiency early, free throws late
Louisville shot 52.9% from the field and led by as many as 15 points early in the second half before Wake Forest’s rally tightened the game. The deciding sequence came after Wake Forest missed two free throws with a chance to take its first lead; Louisville then made the remaining plays required to separate.
- Final score: Louisville 88, Wake Forest 80
- Halftime: Louisville 43, Wake Forest 34
- ACC records after the game: Louisville 7-4; Wake Forest 2-8
Individual performances shaped the finish
Sananda Fru led Louisville with 17 points, making all seven of his field-goal attempts. Louisville also received 15 points from J’Vonne Hadley. Freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. recorded eight assists, helping steady Louisville’s offense through stretches when its shot-making slowed.
Off the bench, Khani Rooths reached double figures with 13 points, continuing a productive run in rotation minutes as Louisville navigated its midseason schedule. Louisville had six players score in double figures.
Wake Forest was led by Juke Harris, who finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds. His three-point play with 5:19 left tied the game at 78-78 and marked Wake Forest’s last made basket. Wake Forest played without Nate Calmese for a second consecutive game due to an ankle injury.
Postgame: coach and player remarks focus on closing execution
After the win, head coach Pat Kelsey and Rooths addressed the outcome in postgame media availability, focusing on Louisville’s ability to regroup after the lead shrank, execute defensively late, and convert free throws to finish a conference road game.
What’s next
Louisville’s schedule continues immediately with a home game against NC State on Monday, Feb. 9. Wake Forest is set to travel to Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 11.