Slick floor general Deron Rippey Jr. already appears to be near the top of the 2026 UNC basketball recruiting wishlist.

Louisville outscored UNC 13-1 in the game’s final three minutes to pull away and beat the Tar Heels in ACC basketball on Wednesday night.

UNC has won two of the three games in the series, including a 90-74 win at the Smith Center in 1987.  Coming off a one-point win at Notre Dame, the Tar Heels will try to hand the Mustangs their second straight loss to a squad from Tobacco Road.

As things stand, the UNC basketball recruiting team has extended offers to seven 2026 prospects. Reidsville High School (N.C.) power forward Kendre Harrison, who recently committed to Oregon, remains the only Tar Heel target in the cycle to announce a decision or even eliminate Hubert Davis & Co. from contention.