Their Tuesday night showdown with Wake Forest was a perfect example of their heightened play over the last month. In a matchup pitting two of the top four teams in the ACC against each other, the Cardinals made the Demon Deacons look like a team that was dwelling in the league's basement.

T he Cardinals were still finding their footing when Cooper Flagg and then-No. 9 Duke beat Louisville in the River City on Dec. 8. Head coach Pat Kelsey was in the early stages of

Terrence Edwards Jr. scored 18 points as No. 21 Louisville cruised to a 72-59 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday. A 12-0 run midway through the first half gave the Cardinals (16-5, 9-1 ACC) a 26-11 lead with 8:26 left and they led by 29 in the second half.