LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half and No. 12 Louisville held on to defeat No. 9 Kentucky 96-88 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals led 78-58 with 12:24 remaining before the Wildcats attempted a comeback.

Collin Chandler’s 3-pointer made it 88-84 with 4:02 left. Brown, however, scored Louisville’s next five points to keep the Wildcats from drawing any closer.

Kentucky is the highest-ranked opponent the Cardinals have beaten since a win over then-No. 3 Duke on Jan. 18, 2020.

Brown showcased the skills that made him a five-star point guard recruit, leading the Cardinals (3-0) to their first victory over the Wildcats (2-1) since Dec. 26, 2020.

His 29 points on 8-of-16 shooting and 10-of-11 from the foul line were the most by a Louisvi

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