2. Bench production
The college basketball world is starting to realize the talent of Louisville's starting five. What’s going under the radar, however, is the bench production from this squad. The depth on this team is unreal and will be a significant reason for Louisville basketball's success this season.
The Cards have 75 points off the bench in their first two games of the season. Part of that is Rooths dropping 20 points off the bench in the season opener, but he moved into the starting lineup in their last game against Jackson State due to J’Vonne Hadley missing the game. If Hadley misses this game and Rooths remains in the starting five, the bench will still be in a great spot, especially with the return of Pryor.
The combination of Aly Khalifa, Adrian Wooley, Kobe Rodgers, and Pryor is one of the deepest benches in college basketball. The bench will play a significant role in the game, especially if some players get into foul trouble due to the physical nature of the game. The starting five gets all the praise, but the bench is just as crucial for this Cards team.