Pat Kelsey issues blunt message about Louisville revenge vs. Kentucky
12/15/2024 09:28 AM
Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey is eager for another shot at Kentucky. The Cardinals lost to their bitter in-state rival on the hardwood Saturday, 93-85.
Kelsey acknowledged after the loss how painful it is to take for fans.
“I wanna beat ’em worse, we got 365 days until we go up against these guys again,” Kelsey said, per the Louisville Sports Network.
Both Louisville basketball and Kentucky are under new leadership this season. Kelsey is with the Cardinals, while former Kentucky player Mark Pope leads the Wildcats. Kentucky is ranked already under Pope, who replaced the legendary John Calipari.
The loss drops Louisville basketball to 6-5 on the season.
Pat Kelsey’s Louisville basketball squad is banged up moving into ACC play
The Cardinals started out the season with an incredible run at the Battle for Atlantis, reaching the championship game. Louisville basketball dropped the title game to Oklahoma, but things already looked sharp for Kelsey’s squad.
Injuries have decimated the team. Louisville basketball is without Aboubacar “Kader” Traore and Koren Johnson, who both sustained significant injuries. Kasean Pryor is also out after tearing his ACL in the Bahamas at the Atlantis tournament. The Cardinals are down to essentially eight rotation players.
Kelsey said his team has changed its on-court strategy following the devastating string of injuries.
“We are doing somethings to slow the game down,” he said, per Sports Illustrated. “Probably running more set plays that we normally have in the past. We have to allow our guys to get a – I don't want to say 'rest' – but executing set plays makes the possessions go a little longer and makes the defense against us labor a bit. We are doing some things to change.
“We are not the same team we were two and a half weeks ago when we were playing 11 guys. Obviously, we were downhill, getting the ball rebounds, tilting the floor, attacking the basket. We definitely made some adjustments because of our rotations. Never, ever, ever make any excuses or give any explanations. It is what it is.”
Kelsey is in his first season at Louisville. He replaces Kenny Payne, who struggled through two seasons at the ACC school. Payne won just 12 games in two seasons.
The new coach is already trying to change the culture. Kelsey famously walked around campus to get Louisville students excited about a game against Tennessee. Even though the Cardinals lost that game, Kelsey is certainly winning hearts and minds with his passion.
Louisville basketball next plays Florida State on Saturday.
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