IU and Louisville announced a three-game series in men's basketball and football Friday morning. Both teams will play at home, on the road and at a neutral site in both sports.
"These series are tremendous for the football and basketball programs at both schools," said IU Athletics Director Fred Glass in the release. "Our alumni, fans and students will be thrilled to compete against such strong programs. I really want to thank Tom Jurich and the head coaches from both schools for working with us to make these great series a reality."
The first men's basketball matchup is scheduled for the 2016-17 season at Indianapolis' Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Dec. 31, 2016. The arena will be equally divided for fans of the two schools. IU and Louisville will then face off at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on Dec. 9, 2017 and in Bloomington on Dec. 8, 2018.
"The Louisville series will be a great challenge for us," said IU men's basketball coach Tom Crean, in the release. "The preparation and execution needed to compete against Rick Pitino and his team is extraordinary. We are excited about the opportunity to face them on a consistent basis and the chance for both schools' fan bases to watch this series take off again is exciting. That first game on New Year's Eve next year should be special."
In football, the Hoosiers and Cardinals will square off on Sept. 16, 2023 at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will also be equally split between the two fan bases. IU will travel to Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024 and then Louisville will travel north to Bloomington for a game on Sept. 6, 2025.
IU and Louisville have combined for 18 Final Fours and eight NCAA championships in men's basketball, with the Hoosiers holding the all-time series lead with a 10-7 advantage. The two schools met last season at Madison Square Garden, where Louisville won 94-74.
The Hoosiers and Cardinals have met just twice on the football field, where IU won both times in the mid-1980s.
"This is a great regional matchup against a tremendous program in Louisville," said IU football coach Kevin Wilson. "It is a win across the board."
Andy Wittry
