Pat Kelsey and the Louisville Cardinals improved to 1-0 after defeating Chattanooga 84-70. The ending wasn’t the prettiest, and Kelsey made it clear in his post-game that he was disappointed with Louisville’s shooting, but Louisville is 1-0, and that is what matters most.
3 bold predictions for the Louisville Cardinals 2026-27 season
The Cardinals certainly have room to improve if they want to make a run in March and April, but they also showed a lot of good, promising things. So, with Louisville officially 1-0 and the Cardinals' season underway, here are the 3 biggest winners and 2 losers from Louisville's 84-70 win over Chattanooga.
Winner: Adrian Wooley
One of the night's biggest winners was the Cardinals' former 5-star transfer, Adrian Wooley. With Karter Knox still getting back to 100%, Wooley continues to earn a spot as a starter, and tonight he proved why. Wooley finished the night shooting 50% from the field, making seven field goals and finishing with 15 points.
While he shot just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc, he was aggressive, and Kelsey made it clear he wants Wooley to keep attacking the rim and play with that same mindset.
“I loved his aggressiveness,” stated Kelsey. “I want him to be that way. Adrian is great when he is leaning forward and playing downhill and playing on the attack, and you saw that today.”
Winner: Flory Bidunga
Louisville has high expectations for the 2026-27 season, and one major reason is 5-star transfer Flory Bidunga. The Kansas transfer is a preseason All-American, and tonight he showed why. He has the potential to dominate both ends of the floor and has a real chance to earn a double-double every night.
He finished with a game-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, plus nine rebounds, three steals, and one assist. The 5-star transfer will be a dominant force for Kelsey and Louisville, as he is an elite lob threat for the Cardinals and one of the best rim protectors in the nation. There is a lot to look forward to with Bidunga, and tonight was only the beginning of what the 5-star transfer can do.
Flory Bidunga doing Flory Bidunga things in his first game as a Cardinal 🔥@LouisvilleMBB | @GoCards | #GoCards pic.twitter.com/hxZfjXveII
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 3, 2026
Winner: Louisville's potential
The Cardinals' win was a tale of two halves, and the first half had a lot of positives. The Cardinals played fast, used their physicality and speed, and knocked down shots at a reasonable rate. Louisville led by 21 at the break after shooting 57% from the field, 42% from beyond the arc, and dominating the glass.
Yes, a lot changed in the second half, but focusing just on the first half, these Cardinals showed why they have Final Four dreams and expectations. We will touch on the second half shortly, but in the first half alone, Louisville fans saw this team's true potential.
Loser: Free Throws
The Cardinals' second half was a bit underwhelming overall, but the free-throw line caught many fans' and Kelsey’s eye. Louisville shot just 50% from the charity stripe in the second half, going 9-of-18, and finished the game shooting 57.7% from the free-throw line.
In the first game of the season, there are areas you'll want to clean up moving forward, and this is definitely one. Louisville finished 15-of-26 from the free-throw line, and after the game, Kelsey harped on the free-throw shooting.
“Obviously, 15 feet away and the clock is stopped, and you are shooting free-throw, and you shoot 50%; obviously you need to be better than that,” stated Kelsey.
Loser: 3-point shooting
A lot went wrong in the second half, including the 3-point shooting. The Cardinals shot 42% from the 3-point range in the first half, making eight 3-pointers on 19 attempts. However, in the second half, it was a much different story. Louisville went just 1-of-16 from beyond the arc in the second half, finishing 9-of-25 and shooting 25.7% from downtown.
Entering the season, many fans and experts were concerned about Louisville’s 3-point shooting, and if they want to make a deep run this year, they will have to shoot better from beyond the arc. It is only game one, and Louisville has plenty of time to address its concerns from beyond the arc, but after struggling vs. Mercyhurst and now struggling vs. Chattanooga, this remains an area of concern for the Cardinals.
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