3 Winners and 3 Losers in Louisville’s loss to Notre Dame; Emmanuel Okorafor debuts
By Joshua Tipton
3 Winners and 3 Losers in Louisville’s loss to Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Louisville Cardinals 76-62 to snap a four-game losing streak. The Louisville Cardinals are now 2-19 and the only ACC team winless in conference play. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Fighting Irish enjoyed this one. Despite the new addition of NBA Africa product Emmanuel Okorafor, Louisville was never able to close the gap. Early in the first half, Notre Dame went on a 13-point run and never looked back.
J.J. Starling led the way for the Irish, finishing with 22 points despite playing limited minutes in the second half. Notre Dame did not record a single turnover in the first half, and even added eleven assists. It took the Cardinals twenty-seven minutes to create the Irish’s first turnover, while forfeiting the ball twelve times themselves.
The Losers
El Ellis
El Ellis had moments on the offensive end, but on defense, Ellis could not handle JJ Starling. Ellis’ turnovers and defense were a liability. During the first half of the matchup, Starling was unstoppable, going 7-8 and effortlessly driving to the bucket on Ellis. There were moments when Starling drove right around Ellis for an easy score.
Worsening matters, El Ellis, could not get going on offense. From the early minutes, he looked outmatched and reckless. Frustration set in for him in the second half, and went 4-for-12 from the field, finishing the game with eight points.
Kenny Payne
Mike Brey outcoached Kenny Payne, point blank. Louisville’s man-to-man defensive scheme hasn’t stopped anyone all year, but Kenny Payne relentlessly believes in it. Each time the Cardinals would go into man, almost immediately, the Irish would run a set and knock down a three.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Cardinals could not get it going. The Cardinals need ball handlers because this team can’t create shots. They can shoot, but when they put the ball on the floor, they turn it over. When Hercy Miller entered the game, the offense protected the ball better, but turnovers killed the Cardinals again.
Jae’Lyn Withers
I love what Jae’Lyn Withers brings on defense. He’s the type of player who hustles and wants it. Unfortunately, the Louisville junior averages over two turnovers a game. He finished the game with four total turnovers. On the bright side, Withers wants to create shots for himself, but it’s just not his strength. When he puts the ball on the court, he turns it over 90% of the time.
Love/Hate
Mike James & Kamari Lands
Mike James and Kamari Lands are great shooters. For statistical purposes, Mike James has been shooting nearly 50% from the three-point line. However, both of these guys tend to try to do too much. James has some ability to drive, but that’s not his strength. When these guys dibble, they look like Jae’Lyn Withers and settle for forced shots. They protect the ball better than Withers, but they aren’t going to win matchups by driving in the paint.
Winners
Emmanuel Okorafor
I want to love Emmanuel Okorafor, but he isn’t ready for substantial minutes. During Okorafor’s first minutes of the 2022-2023 season, he repeatedly looked out of place and committed numerous fouls. Emmanuel Okorafor finished the game with four fouls in short minutes. Emmanuel Okorafor may be the critical piece to the 2023-2024 season, but it’s clear he still needs development.
The good news is Emmanuel Okorafor has real potential. He’s an excellent find for Kenny Payne and should be a significant rebuilding piece for the Cards because of his pro-level tools. He can rebound and looks comfortable moving with his back to the basket. He also was impressive on the offensive boards and could make a living cleaning up around the basket.
Roosevelt Wheeler
I loved the minutes Roosevelt Wheeler gave Louisville against Notre Dame. His defense is below average, but he’s a rebounding machine. Wheeler has earned more playing time after the loss of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. The combination of Okorafor and Wheeler could be a nice boost for the Cardinals to build around in the future.
Fabio Basili
Basili has yet to play substantial minutes, but when he was on the court, he protected the ball, played hard defense, and knocked down two triples. The true freshman finished the game with six points, two assists, and a steal, which are solid stats for a couple of minutes of play. Many fans have been asking why we haven’t seen more of Faboli Basili this season.
Louisville’s Upcoming Matchup
Kenny Payne said at halftime the 10-13 Irish, who dropped their last four, “are a hell of an offensive team, and they put us on our backs.” Down twenty-three at halftime, the Cardinals could never make a significant run to close the gap. Louisville narrowed the lead to thirteen at one point, but the Fighting Irish was clearly playing the clock and not trying to run up the score.
The Cardinals return home to the KFC Yum! Center next Wednesday to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.