Louisville vs UNC odds, prediction, pick, UofL basketball game today

Revised Feb. 23, 2026, 12:51 p.m. ET

The Louisville basketball team has an opportunity today to secure a crucial Quad 1A away victory against No. 19 North Carolina.
Currently, the 20th-ranked Cardinals hold a 0-6 record in Quad 1A matchups this season, with an average losing margin of 15.2 points.
Who will emerge victorious in this Atlantic Coast Conference clash? Our game prediction is provided below.

CHAPEL HILL, NC — “The Precious Present” served as last week’s central theme for Louisville basketball. Head coach Pat Kelsey shared the book with his squad from the inexpensive seats at the KFC Yum! Center just two days before their impressive 87-70 triumph over Georgia Tech.

“I’m simply reminding them of the unique significance of that locker room environment — the bond and fellowship — and to maintain a sense of appreciation and embrace it,” the coach remarked following their victory. “Because it will conclude sooner than you expect.”

For the No. 20 Cardinals (20-7, 9-5 ACC) to sustain their positive momentum, they must demonstrate their capacity to secure a high-profile road win. Thus far, they are 0-4 in Quad 1A away games. This represents the most evident deficiency in their NCAA Tournament credentials.

Fortunately, they have two chances this week to alter that pattern, beginning with today’s contest against No. 19 North Carolina (21-6, 9-5) at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Under the guidance of fifth-year coach Hubert Davis, the Tar Heels begin today’s game positioned 27th in the NET rankings and 30th in KenPom.com‘s adjusted efficiency metrics, following their 77-64 victory at Syracuse over the weekend. UNC has been without one of the ACC’s top freshmen, forward Caleb Wilson, since he sustained a left-hand fracture during a Feb. 10 defeat against Miami.

Before UNC’s contest with the Orange, Davis indicated that Wilson was scheduled for further imaging this week. The 6-foot-10 Atlanta native continues to be the Tar Heels’ leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, respectively. He also tops the team in steals (1.5) and blocks (1.4).

“Aside from routinely passing the ball to him, he’s engaging in all other activities,” Davis stated on Feb. 20. “Naturally, he’s not participating in five-on-five drills or anything involving contact. … Upon his return, he’ll be in prime physical condition; he’ll be prepared to play.”

Beyond Wilson, Henri Veesaar stands out as North Carolina’s most impactful player. The 7-foot junior forward, who transferred from Arizona, is averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds over 30.7 minutes per game. Despite a prior lower body injury, he returned for the Syracuse victory, contributing 19 points, three rebounds, and three blocks.

Here’s the essential information for following today’s game remotely — followed by our score forecast:

Louisville and North Carolina are slated to begin their game at 7 p.m. today at the Smith Center.

The matchup between the Cards and the Tar Heels will be broadcast on ESPN, which can be found on channel 602 for AT&T U-Verse; channel 206 for DirecTV; channel 140 for Dish; and channel 506 for Spectrum subscribers.

Dave O’Brien will provide play-by-play commentary, Jay Williams will serve as the analyst, and Molly McGrath will report from the sideline.

If you have a cable subscription, you can stream the game live via ESPN.com and the ESPN application. For those without cable, Fubo offers a livestreaming option, and you can access a free trial here.

Louisville is favored by 2½ points (-118) on DraftKings, which has established the over/under at 160½ points (-115).

No. 19 North Carolina 81, No. 20 Louisville 79: Both KenPom.com and BartTorvik.com view this game as evenly matched; KenPom predicts an 81-80 win for the Cards (with a 51% likelihood), while BartTorvik favors the Tar Heels 81-80 (also 51% likelihood). Nevertheless, I require evidence of Kelsey and his team securing a Quad 1A road triumph before selecting them to do so, especially given their defensive struggles against elite competition. UNC may not be at full strength, but I believe they possess sufficient talent to challenge UofL. Louisville must be effective from beyond the arc for this away game and prevent the unproductive possessions in crunch time that cost them during last week’s defeat against SMU.

Friday, Oct. 24: vs. Kansas (exhibition) | SCORE: Kansas 90, Louisville 82
Tuesday, Oct. 28: vs. Bucknell (exhibition) | SCORE: Louisville 99, Bucknell 76
Monday, Nov. 3: vs. South Carolina State | SCORE: Louisville 104, South Carolina State 45
Thursday, Nov. 6: vs. Jackson State | SCORE: Louisville 106, Jackson State 70
Tuesday, Nov. 11: vs. Kentucky | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. Ohio | SCORE: Louisville 106, Ohio 81
Friday, Nov. 21: vs. Cincinnati | SCORE: Louisville 74, Cincinnati 64
Monday, Nov. 24: vs. Eastern Michigan | SCORE: Louisville 87, Eastern Michigan 46
Wednesday, Nov. 26: vs. NJIT | SCORE: Louisville 104, NJIT 47
Wednesday, Dec. 3: at Arkansas (ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: Arkansas 89, Louisville 80
Saturday, Dec. 6: vs. Indiana (at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis) | SCORE: Louisville 87, Indiana 78
Saturday, Dec. 13: vs. Memphis | SCORE: Louisville 99, Memphis 73
Tuesday, Dec. 16: at Tennessee | SCORE: Tennessee 83, Louisville 62
Saturday, Dec. 20: vs. Montana | SCORE: Louisville 94, Montana 54
Tuesday, Dec. 30: at California | SCORE: Louisville 90, California 70
Friday, Jan. 2: at Stanford | SCORE: Stanford 80, Louisville 76
Tuesday, Jan. 6: vs. Duke | SCORE: Duke 84, Louisville 73
Saturday, Jan. 10: vs. Boston College | SCORE: Louisville 75, Boston College 62
Tuesday, Jan. 13: vs. Virginia | SCORE: Virginia 79, Louisville 70
Saturday, Jan. 17: at Pittsburgh | SCORE: Louisville 100, Pittsburgh 59
Saturday, Jan. 24: vs. Virginia Tech | SCORE: Louisville 85, Virginia Tech 71
Monday, Jan. 26: at Duke | SCORE: Duke 83, Louisville 52
Saturday, Jan. 31: vs. SMU | SCORE: Louisville 88, SMU 74
Wednesday, Feb. 4: vs. Notre Dame | SCORE: Louisville 76, Notre Dame 65
Saturday, Feb. 7: at Wake Forest | SCORE: Louisville 88, Wake Forest 80
Monday, Feb. 9: vs. N.C. State | SCORE: Louisville 118, N.C. State 77
Saturday, Feb. 14: vs. Baylor (at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas) | SCORE: Louisville 82, Baylor 71
Tuesday, Feb. 17: at SMU | SCORE: SMU 95, Louisville 85
Saturday, Feb. 21: vs. Georgia Tech | SCORE: Louisville 87, Georgia Tech 70
Monday, Feb. 23: at North Carolina, 7 p.m., airing on ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 28: at Clemson, 2 p.m., airing on ESPN2
Tuesday, March 3: vs. Syracuse, 9 p.m., airing on ACC Network
Saturday, March 7: at Miami, 2 p.m., airing on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU
Tuesday, March 10, through Saturday, March 14: ACC Tournament (Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina)

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