4. Louisville defense has to get a lot better
Heading into the season, Louisville fans made it clear their defense was a major question mark. The Cardinals went out and grabbed a lot of new faces, many of whom can score at an elite level, but they don't have that lockdown defender just yet. The Cardinals' interior defense was a big concern against Kansas as the Jawhawks controlled the paint, and last night the fans didn't see any drastic improvements.
Kelsey saw Terrence Edwards Jr. and Chucky Hepburn step up and lead the defense last year, and now the fans have to wait to see who will step up again. The Cardinals relied on their hot hands, splashing 23 3-pointers in last night's win, but the defense is becoming an apparent weakness to start the season.
The sky is the limit for this team, but they have to buy in defensively and on the glass. Louisville gave up 24 points in the paint and 28 points off free throws. They improved throughout the game and picked up the intensity, which led to the blowout win, but against elite competition, the bigs have to take better angles and get stops without fouling.