Louisville basketball is heading to its matchup with Cincinnati 4-0, while the Bearcats are also 4-0. Cincinnati is coming off a season in which it finished 19-16 and 7-13 in the Big 12. Last year, they struggled against the AP top 25, going just 1-4, and with Louisville ranked No. 6 in the nation, it is clear this is a tall task for the Bearcats.
The Cardinals' offense has exploded in the first four games, and a big reason why is this stacked backcourt. Louisville is led by its four newcomers, Mikel Brown Jr., Ryan Conwell, Isaac McKneely, and Adrian Wooley, and Cincinnati's head coach, Wes Miller, has noticed how dominant this backcourt is and revealed what makes it so special.
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Cincinnati’s head coach Wes Miller reveals what makes Louisville basketball so special
In Miller's press conference leading up to this crucial non-conference game, he previewed tonight's matchup. Miller spoke about many Cardinals players and their ability to score and dominate on offense. He talked about Mikel Brown Jr. and how special a player he is at such a young age, his experience with Ryan Conwell, Isaac McKneely, and Adrian Wooley and their ability to shoot from beyond the arc, and even Kobe Rodgers and the spark he brings off the bench.
Miller basically admitted it is a nightmare to gameplan for Pat Kelsey's Cardinals because, when looking at film, rather than locking in on one key guy, they have to focus on four.
"A lot of teams you'll play against have one guy that you can really focus on, Louisville has four," Miller stated in his press conference. "It is hard to game plan for one specific guy. That's why they are the sixth-ranked team in the country and the second-ranked offense in the country."
Miller gave high praise of the Cardinals' backcourt, revealing what makes this team truly special, and he isn't wrong. This backcourt is one of the best in the nation, and through four games, they have been nothing but dominant. Brown and Conwell are both averaging 19.3 points per game, while McKneely and Conwell have made 14 3-pointers and are both shooting over 41 percent from beyond the arc.
Wooley and Rodgers are sparks off the bench, and the Kennessaw State transfer is coming off his best game, where he scored a season-high 11 points and was active on both ends of the floor. The Cardinals are ranked No. 2 in the country in offensive efficiency and are breaking records as they do it.
This offense is averaging 103 points per game and has scored 100 points or more in three of its four games. Cincinnati currently ranks No. 2 in defensive efficiency, so this game isn't going to be a cakewalk for the Cardinals, but if Louisville's backcourt can play up to its standard, the Cardinals have a high chance of pulling this road win off.