Louisville basketball played in its first exhibition game on Tuesday, and the Cardinals' fans have a lot to be excited about. Louisville fans were unfortunately unable to watch this game in the Bahamas, but they were able to follow along with the stats throughout, and a few players really stood out from the rest.
Flory Bidunga was the star of the show, proving exactly why he was the No. 1 overall transfer and the perfect fit for Pat Kelsey. The Cardinals have needed someone with a dominant paint presence, and while it was just an exhibition win in July, Bidunga dominated, securing a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds and adding an eye-popping six blocks.
Another player who stood out to Cardinals fans is an under-the-radar addition whom the national media pays little attention to. The Dayton transfer De’Shayne Montgomery had an eye-popping first game with Louisville, leading the Cards in scoring.
De'Shayne Montgomery proves Louisville landed a portal gem
Kelsey had to replace all five starters and nine players in total this offseason, and Montgomery is a transfer who will surprise many college basketball fans. The Dayton transfer is an elite two-way player expected to be that key lockdown defender for Louisville, but yesterday he made an early statement that he is an offensive threat as well.
Montgomery got the start for the Cardinals with the 4-star transfer Karter Knox out, and the Dayton transfer took full advantage of the opportunity. He led Louisville in scoring with an impressive 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds and four assists in just 23 minutes.
It's a final for @LouisvilleMBB in an impressive debut in a 49 point exhibition win over the Bahamas squad! The Cards were dominant on both ends offensively as well as lockdown on D. The Cards were led by Bidunga with a double-double and Montgomery adding 20 points! pic.twitter.com/vB6M3jbiMj
— Raashaan Myers (@raashaan) July 28, 2026
The 4-star transfer from Dayton had an impressive stepback 3-pointer that really stood out to the Cardinals fans yesterday and showed he can be that elite 3-and-D guy for Kelsey. Coming to Louisville, Montgomery made the All-A10 Third Team after averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game, and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from beyond the arc.
What excites the Cardinals fans the most is his ability to defend, as his 2.1 steals per game ranked No. 2 in the A-10 and No. 19 in Division I basketball this past season. In 2023-24, Montgomery was the MAAC Rookie of the Year while with St. Mary’s, averaging 13.2 points, 3.5 steals, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Now, Montgomery has already made a statement with the Cardinals, proving he can be a key asset on offense, while Louisville fans know he will be an elite defender. Outside of Louisville fans, not many are talking about the addition of Montgomery, but this exhibition game performance could be a preview of what is to come this upcoming season.
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