Once again, a disappointing performance from the Louisville Cardinals against a top-25 opponent as the Cardinals fell at home to No. 16 Virginia 79-70. Virginia took the lead from the start and never relinquished it to Louisville for the rest of the game. tried their best to stay with Virginia; however, each time the Cardinals started to gain a little momentum, the Cavaliers were right there with an answer to put out the comeback flames.
Louisville basketball is in the midst of a downward spiral against quality teams, as they move to 12-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play. It’s a disappointing start for a team that earlier this season believed a Final Four appearance was more than possible. These types of thoughts are now being questioned by all as the Cardinals continue to be a completely different team with point guard Mikel Brown Jr. If Brown’s injury continues to linger and he does not come back to play with the Cardinals this season, the season, as well as its end, could turn ugly quickly. Time will tell if Pat Kelsey and crew can overcome all of this adversity and get this team back on track.
Here are 5 observations from Louisville’s loss to the Virginia Cavaliers.
5. Louisville unable to overcome dismal early half starts
Well, that was definitely one way to start a game. Before the first TV timeout was able to take place, the Cardinals found themselves down 14-0 after an absolutely ice-cold shooting display. It forced Louisville to play from behind for most of the first half, putting the Cards in a tough hole to dig out of right from the start.
Most mentally weak teams would roll over and accept their fate, however, the Louisville Cardinals toughened up, found (and made) good shots on offense, and clawed their way back into the competition. The Cardinals worked all the way back and found themselves down by only 5 at the half. Not only did the aggressiveness increase, but Louisville also has a cold-shooting streak from the Cavaliers to thank for the comeback.
The second half started very similar to the first, with the Cavaliers racing out to an 11-point lead by the first TV timeout. The Cardinals kept fighting the whole second half, but were unable to find the clutch shots or get the needed stops required to win the game. The effort was there, the execution left little to be desired.
4. Virginia dominates around the rim
Louisville was outmanned and outmatched most of the night around the rim, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Virginia’s big men won the battle of the boards, outrebounding Louisville 44 to 36. The Cavaliers also made their presence known with their blocking, finishing with 9 blocks. Louisville could get to the basket, but the big men made it very hard to finish or get off a shot.
It was another team that had better athletes and elite length that had given Louisville problems all night. Virginia exploited the Cardinals' weakness to their advantage, both on defense, as mentioned above, and on offense, as the big men drew more attention down low, creating open shots for the perimeter scorers. It’s a sign to Cards fans that things just might not be adjusted with a problem that has been known all season.
3. Aly Khalifa continues to play with increased confidence
Aly Khalifa is playing extremely well in the minutes he is currently given. His passing ability remains elite, finding cutters heading to the rim with the slickest passes imaginable. Khalifa is also developing his outside shot into a deadly weapon, hitting 2 3-point shots after being left open by the defense. The spacing he allows on the offensive ends provides for many open driving lanes that lead to kick-out and further high-quality shot attempts.
Khalifa finished the game with 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 blocked shot in just 18 minutes of play. This level of production is greatly welcomed by Pat Kelsey and the coaching staff and is the perfect complement to Sananda Fru's game and play. If Louisville wants to turn this season around, they will need more of this play (especially the shooting) from Khalifa as they continue their journey through conference play.
2. Isaac McKneely hit another level with his aggressiveness
It was evident from the start that former Virginia Cavalier Isaac McKneely had this game circled on his calendar for a long time. It is only natural to expect new players to up their game when their former team comes to town. McKneely was no different as he battled each position to find his shot early and often. He raced off to a hot start, with 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting, leading the Cardinals into the halftime break.
McKneely kept his hot streak going in the second half, finishing the game with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals for the Cardinals. Although he was able to convert on big shots needed in clutch moments as the game ended, McKneely was the go-to guy most of the night and the best Cardinal on the floor. It was fitting that the former Cavalier put up his season-high in points against his old team; it's just unfortunate that the Cardinals couldn't walk away with the win at the same time.
1. Louisville’s ceiling gets lower and lower without Mikel Brown Jr.
Since Mikel Brown Jr. was ruled out after the Memphis matchup, the Cardinals have been 3-4. Sure, three of the four losses came against ranked opponents (including Virginia), but that stretch also includes a tough road loss to Stanford. Louisville has looked out of sync on offense, the shooting has been downright bad in many stretches, and the threat to take the ball to the basket effectively and aggressively just is not there.
After the win against Kentucky earlier in the season, most of Card Nation was thinking about a potential Final Four run. Given the start of conference play, we may all need to adjust our expectations for this team. The perceived depth is not able to perform at a high level off the bench, our shooters are unable to hit the percentage needed to win games, and Louisville continues to be bullied down low. It’s amazing just how much one player’s absence can impact a team, but we are seeing it play out right in front of our eyes. Louisville has several current issues that may prevent it from making a deep run in the tournament.