Louisville basketball fell to the Kansas Jayhawks this evening in their first preseason game. The Cardinals have high expectations entering this season, and after tonight's loss, it is clear they have many areas to improve.
It is just an exhibition game, but the fans were left incredibly underwhelmed in this team's debut. Louisville fell 90-82 to Bill Self and his Jayhawks, but it didn't feel that close at times. So, with the Cardinals' first game in the books, let's take a deep dive into five key observations from Louisville basketball's loss to Kansas.
5 key observations from the Louisville basketball's loss to Kansas
5. Ryan Conwell leads Louisville in game one
The Cardinals' newcomers struggled, but one player who settled in was Ryan Conwell. The 4-star transfer from Xavier showed a lot of potential and his elite ability to score. Conwell started the game shooting just 2-10 and had just 10 points in the first half, but in the second half, he stopped forcing so many shots and became more comfortable.
The lefty guard was penetrating the Jayhawks' defense while also showing off his ability to shoot from beyond the arc. Conwell finished the game with 26 points, and while he clearly was out of control at times, he was the star for Louisville's offense. It will be crucial for the Xavier transfer to not force shots and to share the ball, but he proved he is the real deal in the second half and has the capability to lead this team in points per game.
This Cardinals offense struggled mightily in its debut, but it will take time to build chemistry. Conwell and company have to settle in and not rush every possession, and towards the end of the game, the fans started to see that at times. It was just game one, and it didn't even count, but Conwell proved he is the real deal and an elite scorer.