All that can be said after a performance like the one Cardinals fans witnessed tonight is simply, wow. An absolute masterclass of a scoring performance by Louisville on all fronts, especially from distance, as the Cardinals absolutely embarrassed the NC State Wolfpack 118 to 77. Louisville basketball got off to a hot start early and never took its foot off the gas.
It was a statement win not only by beating one of the best teams in the ACC in blowout fashion, but also putting the rest of the ACC on notice that the Cardinals are strong and ready to go for a memorable March run. Pat Kelsey and his extremely talented team gave the nation a strong example of just what they can do on any given night.
Here are 4 exciting takeaways from Louisville’s blowout win against the NC State Wolfpack.
4. Lights out shooting sparks Cardinals massive first half
It is nights and performances like tonight that show the true vision that Pat Kelsey had when he brought in the elite crop of shooters from the transfer portal and Mikel Brown Jr. prior to this season. Sure, this night will stand out to all of the others with the sheer amazing touch these shooters have had this game. However, this performance shows just how dangerous this Cardinals team can truly be as March quickly approaches.
Louisville shot the lights out in the first half, finishing shooting 73% from distance with 8 makes on 11 attempts. The Cardinals kept the massive night going in the second half, finishing with 18 makes on 30 attempts (60%) in one of Louisville’s top offensive nights of the season. Louisville will need nights similar to these as they progress through the rest of the ACC schedule, leaning on the strength that has made them great to this point in the season.
3. Louisville owned the boards on both ends of the floor
The elite set of 3-point shooters was not the only ones having a great night for the Cardinals. The frontcourt also dominated its domain, outrebounding the Wolfpack 42-28. The Cardinals were able to get the proper positioning around the basket and outman a team with size and length down small. The increased number of rebounds prevented costly second-chance opportunities for the Wolfpack but also gave Louisville plenty of transition opportunities, which set up timely 3-point shots.
Louisville’s frontcourt appears to be working through its early- and midseason woes, finding its strengths and playing to the best of its ability. Tonight was a sign of improvement for the Cardinals and a strong showing of how they can compete with the best teams in the ACC down low. Pat Kelsey will expect more of the same moving forward as the Cardinals continue their push towards postseason basketball.
2. Louisville is playing their best basketball at the right time
Since Mikel Brown Jr. returned from the injury, the Louisville Cardinals are 5-1, with the only loss coming against a tough Duke squad on the road. The offense is clicking at its highest efficiency of the season, with great shot selection, elite passing, and a flow that creates plenty of opportunities for all of Louisville’s weapons. It seems that everything is going Louisville’s way at the moment for the Cardinals.
With less than a month to go until conference tournament time, the Cardinals may be finding the right lineup rotations at just the right time. This game was led by heavy minutes from all the starters, with some bench minutes sprinkled in at opportune times. The final stretch of the ACC schedule has all of the makings of a long win streak for the Cardinals to enter the postseason. Louisville’s elite weapons are doing just what they were brought here to do, show up night after night and show out.
1. Mikel Brown Jr. shows why he is a top 10 NBA draft pick
Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. put on an absolute show at the YUM! Center last night. The phenom posted a career-high 45 points (a Louisville freshman single-game record and ties the Louisville single-game record), with a memorable 10-for-16 shooting from behind the arc. It seemed that Brown could do very little wrong, a glimpse into just how special a player he truly is. His ability to work within the offense and find his own shot when needed makes him a deadly weapon for Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals.
Having Louisville’s most talented player playing his best basketball near the end of the season has the makings to turn this postseason into a memorable one for Cards fans. Brown showed that when he is in the zone, absolutely no one can handle his natural scoring ability. The best part of this performance is that it happened against a high-quality, anticipated NCAA tournament team. Louisville and Mikel Brown Jr. showed the rest of the league that they should be regarded as one of the best teams in the conference and will be a difficult matchup as the season enters its final stretch.