The Louisville basketball team's 2025-26 season is officially underway after the Cards' massive win over South Carolina State. The Cardinals didn't show many flaws and played nearly as perfectly as they could have, but there are some questions that fans have after the first game.
So, what are the three biggest questions after the Cardinals' dominant 104-45 win Monday night?
3. Is the Cardinals turnovers something to worry about?
The Cardinals still struggled with turning the ball over last night. Louisville fans want to see the Cards take care of the ball just a little more, as they turned it over 17 times. Mikel Brown Jr. had a couple of forgettable turnovers, which were due to miscommunication, and that will improve as the team continues to develop chemistry. However, moving forward, Kelsey addressed that he would like to see the Cardinals be a bit sharper with the ball and give it away less.
This isn't something to stress about right now, but against Kansas, they had 20, and against Bucknell, they had 14. The Cards' goal should be to stay in the 10-12 range, and Kelsey will make sure that it steadily improves as the season progresses.
2. Can the Cardinals' defense be that dominant against better competition?
The Cardinals' defense was smothering the Bulldogs all night long, mainly due to its intensity and aggressiveness. The Cardinals forced 25 turnovers last night, which was 12 more than their made field goals, as the Bulldogs only made 13 shots. Louisville held South Carolina State to just 45 points, forcing them to shoot 22.8 percent from the field and 10.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The Cardinals' defense was incredibly active throughout the night, setting the tone from the start. But, against elite teams and better competition, can the fans expect the same tenacity and intensity? The defense was the fans' biggest question going into the season, and last night certainly raised their expectations, but when Kentucky arrives at KFC Yum! Center on Nov. 11, can the fans expect the defense to step up and play with the same energy? After last night, the fans certainly expect an active group with a lot of intensity.
1. When will Kasean Pryor be available?
Kasean Pryor is medically cleared to play, but Kelsey has made it clear he won't return until he is confident. Kelsey doesn't want to rush his return at all, and now that he missed the season-opener, the fans are wondering if he will be available for the showdown with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Pryor's availability is Louisville's biggest question at the moment. Louisville doesn't have any lead on when he will return, just that he is medically cleared. He continues to warm up before games, and he is passing the eye test, but as of now, Louisville fans don't know when he will return from his torn ACL a year ago.