Cards Welcoming Pressure Of High Expectations - Kelsey Expects A “Really Good” Team

By RUSS BROWN Photos By Louisville Athletics

Sure, 11th-ranked Louisville was dominated by No. 19 Kansas in its opening exhibition game, trailing by as many as 18 points in a 90-82 loss, but that did nothing to cool coach Pat Kelsey’s optimism and enthusiasm for his team’s outlook this season. 

“I told the guys, one thing they don’t have to worry about, which is our team is going to be really, really good,” Kelsey said. “We will get better because of the things we’ll learn from watching tape of that game. We will look back at this and be able to be good really quick.” 

The Cards will certainly need to fast track their development because Kelsey has put together one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation before ACC gets underway in January. And U of L won’t waste any time, hosting No. 9 Kentucky on the earliest date in the modern history of the series, on Nov. 11. In case you missed it, the Wildcats preseason won against No. 1 Purdue 78-65 in an exhibition game in Rupp Arena and Boilermakers coach Matt Painter said it could have been worse. 

On Nov. 21 comes a trip to Cincinnati. Then in December U of L will travel to No. 14 Arkansas, play unranked but highly-regarded Indiana in Indianapolis, host Memphis and face No. 18 Tennessee on the road. 

“We’ll be alright, we got punched early last year too,” said returning starter J’Vonne Hadley, referring to a 77-55 homecourt shellacking by Tennessee. “We’re a really talented team. You guys (the media) will see it when it all comes together for sure.” 

Kelsey has said that his second Louisville team could be “special.” He engineered the biggest turnaround in the country last year, soaring from eight wins in Kenny Payne’s final season to a 27-8 record. Despite having to replace every single scholarship player on the roster with transfers, the Cards finished just one game behind ACC regular season champion Duke with an 18-2 mark, advanced to the league tournament title game for the first time since joining the conference in 2014-15 and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in six years. 

Now U of L faces heightened expectations, as evidenced by its preseason ranking. But the players are willingly embracing the pressure. 

“Our mindset is the same whether we’re ranked 25th, first, or nothing at all,” returning forward/center Kasean Pryor said. “We’ve got veteran guys, we have high standards, and there’s always pressure at Louisville. Pressure is a reward. We’re excited for the opportunity and looking forward to making a run at being No. 1 in the country.” 

“Louisville basketball has a rich history of winning and success,” Hadley said. “Every time we put on that jersey, we’ve got to prove something and just hoop. That’s really all there is.” 

Once again, U of L has an extensively revamped roster, although not approaching last year’s wholesale change. Hadley, a transfer from Colorado, is the only full-time returning regular, opening all 35 games while averaging 12.2 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds. Pryor played in seven games, starting three, before suffering an ACL tear in the seventh outing against Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship and missing the rest of the season. He didn’t play against Kansas. 

The Cards will feature seven newcomers, headed by guard Mikel Brown, who is expected to be an NBA lottery pick, plus sophomore guard Khani Rooths and two players who redshirted last year -- Aly Khalifa and Kobe Rodgers. Kelsey says the chemistry among the players, which was a strong suit last season, was again evident soon after summer workouts began. 

“We’re very particular in who we recruit, not just in athleticism and length and basketball skill, but the character piece is very, very important,” Kelsey said. “And it’s much easier to put together a team that’s centered on that power unit, which is based on love for teammates, that’s their true nature, that’s who they are at their core. So I love how the guys have come together, how chemistry has come together. It’s a really good group.” 

Similar to last season, Kelsey is emphasizing defense, saying that is the factor that will determine the team’s level of success. 

“The caliber of our team will be the caliber of defense we become,” he said. “We’ll be able to score. That’s not in question. But the identity has to be defense, above all. We’re always going to be a bow your neck, grit your teeth, gritty, tough man-to-man team. But we’ll add some variations that I won’t tell you about. I’m not going to give away all our secrets yet.” 

Last season was marketed as “ReviVILLE”, but no slogan has been revealed for this season and Kelsey said there won’t be one because it isn’t necessary. 

“I just don’t think at Louisville, you need a word every year,” Kelsey explained. “You don’t need a big marketing slogan to get the people in this town excited. Like there is no apathy. There never has been, never will be. So the next thing is all we say to our guys every day about the identity of this team, it’s just to be a great Louisville Cardinal team. That’s our aspiration. 

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to coach this team this year,” he said. “People talk a lot about the ReviVILLE team last year. That’s last year. This group has a chance to be special, a special makeup of young men both from an experience standpoint, talent standpoint, leadership standpoint.” 

Including UK, U of L will play its first four games in the KFC Yum! Center, with warmups against South Carolina State (Nov. 3) and Jackson State (Nov. 6) before the Wildcats’ visit. The toughest stretch will come one month into the season when the Cards will face Arkansas, IU, Memphis and Tennessee in succession from Dec. 3-16.