Rakeem Buckles scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures, as Louisville opened its season with an impressive 88-73 victory over Butler in the first regular-season game at the Cardinals’ new home, the KFC Yum! Center.

Louisville (1-0) used an 11-3 run to pull out to a 27-15 lead and then closed the first half with another 12-2 spurt to go into the break with a commanding 41-23 cushion.

The Bulldogs started cold offensively, hitting just 7 of 30 first-half shots (23.3 percent).

After trailing by as many as 24, Butler (1-1) scored seven consecutive points to make it a 61-50 game with 6:37 to go, but it could not get any closer.

Shelvin Mack finished with a game-high 25 points for the Bulldogs and Matt Howard added 23, but their teammates offered little help, shooting a combined 7 of 35 from the field. The Cardinals got 13 points from Terrence Jennings and 12 each from Preston Knowles and Elisha Justice. Mike Marra chipped in with 11 points.