LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – A rivalry victory delivered a major rankings reward for Louisville men’s basketball.

The Cardinals surged six spots to No. 6 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday, following their 96-88 home win over then-No. 9 Kentucky. Freshman sensation Mikel Brown Jr. led the way with 29 points, powering Louisville to its biggest win yet under head coach Pat Kelsey.

The jump marks Louisville’s highest AP ranking since the 2019-20 season, when it reached No. 1 in December.

Meanwhile, Kentucky dropped three spots to No. 12 after the loss. Purdue reclaimed the No. 1 ranking from Houston following a marquee 87-80 win over Alabama, which fell three spots to No. 11.

AP Top 10:

Purdue (44)

Houston (12)

UConn (2)

Arizona (2)

Duke (1)

Louisville

Michigan

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