LAWRENCE, KS — The curtain rises on Louisville basketball's 2026-27 season with a blockbuster of a dress rehearsal at one of the sport's most storied venues.
Pat Kelsey's No. 11 Cardinals face No. 18 Kansas tonight at Allen Fieldhouse in the return game of a home-and-home exhibition series. The record will not reflect today's result, but it's shaping up to be a foundational moment for the members of UofL's overhauled roster — 11 newcomers, one scholarship returner.
"There is going to be a learning curve in terms of who we are," Kelsey said Oct. 19. "You find out (the) most about yourself when you're in a cauldron like that on a stage like that, so we'll come out with a lot more answers on where we're at and where we need to go."
Coming off a 24-11 finish to 2025-26, the Jayhawks enter Year 23 under Hall of Famer Bill Self with a mix of proven veterans and budding stars. They have won 58 consecutive exhibitions at Allen Fieldhouse dating back to 1994.
Two storylines of note: Flory Bidunga, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, is back in Lawrence after transferring to Louisville for his junior season. Meanwhile, KU boasts a couple of five-star freshmen with Kentucky roots, Tyran Stokes and Taylen Kinney. Both were at one point high-priority recruiting targets for Kelsey.
Here's what you need to know to follow today's game from home:
Louisville vs. Kansas basketball start time
The Cards and the Jayhawks are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. inside Allen Fieldhouse.
What channel is Louisville vs. Kansas basketball on?
The exhibition between Louisville and Kansas will air on ESPNU, which is channel 605 on AT&T U-Verse; channel 208 on DirecTV; channel 141 on Dish; and channel 514 on Spectrum.
Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Seth Greenberg (analyst) will be on the call.
If you subscribe to a cable package, you'll be able to livestream the game via ESPN.com and the ESPN app. If you don't have cable, you can livestream the game via Fubo, which offers a free trial here.
How to listen to Louisville basketball vs. Kansas on the radio
Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (analyst) will have the call on the Cardinal Sports Network (WLCL 93.9-FM and WGTK 970-AM in Louisville).
You can also listen online via The Varsity Network.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What channel is Louisville basketball exhibition vs. Kansas on today?
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