A massive December Saturday in downtown Indianapolis is set.
Serving as the opening act for the Big Ten football championship game Saturday evening at Lucas Oil Stadium, IU basketball and Louisville will tip at 2 p.m. ET inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, Dec. 6.
That IU vs. Louisville game will air nationally on CBS. It is being dubbed “the CareSource Invitational Indianapolis – Supporting Mental Health.”
Tickets are available by request here.
In a Louisville release, coach Pat Kelsey commented in the matchup.
“We’ve focused on building a strong, competitive non-conference schedule and the addition of a formidable opponent like Indiana was a great fit,” said Kelsey. “Indianapolis, like Louisville, is a basketball-rich city and playing the game in Gainbridge Fieldhouse is sure to create an elite atmosphere that both fanbases can enjoy. I’m excited for our team to be part of this event come December.”
IU announced the game later on Thursday in a release, and first-year head coach Darian DeVries commented.
“We are excited to have Louisville on the schedule,” DeVries said. “They are a very talented and well-coached team that plays hard every night. This game will provide a real test for us early in the season. There will be an amazing atmosphere in Indy for this great rivalry.”
Under Kelsey, Louisville was one of the better turnarounds in college basketball last season. He took over the Cardinals after an 8-24 season, completely rebuilt the roster, and finished 27-8 in year one.
Indiana and Louisville have played each of the last two seasons, but surprisingly not much overall given their close proximity to one another.
IU has a 12-10 all-time series lead over Louisville after the Cards dismantled the Hoosiers at the Battle 4 Atlantis in The Bahamas last November, 89-61. Indiana rallied for a 74-66 win over Kenny Payne’s Cardinals the prior year at the Empire Classic in New York.
23 of Indiana’s 31 opponents for the 2025-26 season are known:
- Nov. 9, 2025: vs. Marquette, United Center, Chicago
- Dec. 6, 2025: vs. Louisville, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis.
- Dec. 13, 2025: at Kentucky, Rupp Arena, Lexington
BIG TEN OPPONENTS:
Home: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Washington, Wisconsin
Away: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC
Home/Away: Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue
