It was an uninspiring first showing for the Louisville basketball team at the YUM Center to open the 2025-2026 college basketball season. The No. 11 Louisville Cardinals hosted the No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks in a highly anticipated exhibition game Friday night that ended in a 90-82 defeat. Head coach Pat Kelsey’s squad has received plenty of preseason hype and added expectations due to the highly talented roster assembled in the offseason. This was the first opportunity for most Cardinals fans to see this roster in action and to get a glimpse of the players and playing style they can expect this season.
Although this game was just a “scrimmage”, the play on the court was not up to par with the anticipation most Cards fans felt in the preseason. The Cardinal offense never seemed to get into a consistent rhythm, leading to ice-cold shooting, especially from the three-point line. The defense did not provide much of a spark either, as the team gave up 90 points to the visiting Jayhawks. Plenty of teachable moments from the game for Coach Kelsey and staff to work through before the start of the season. However, what issues need to be addressed sooner rather than later?
Here are three alarming weaknesses Louisville basketball must fix after Kansas exhibition game