Louisville basketball improved to 2-0 on the season after the Cardinals dominated Saturday with a 105-57 victory over Morehead State. Four of five starters finished in double digits, and three bench players added 10 points or more.
Pat Kelsey is making a major push for Louisville’s dream 5-star PG Cayden Daughtry
Pat Kelsey was clearly frustrated with the Cardinals' second half in their opening win over Chattanooga, and Louisville answered with a dominant 48-point victory. Louisville finished the game shooting 54% from the field, 34% from beyond the arc, and 71% from the free-throw line.
In the Cards' 48-point win, obviously a lot went well. However, one player in particular stepped up after his first game and that was Obinna Ekezie Jr.
Obinna Ekezie Jr. dominated in the Cardinals second win
The 5-star freshman entered the season with lofty expectations, as he ranked No. 14 overall and No. 1 among centers in the 2026 recruiting class. Ekezie played exceptionally well in the Cardinals' preseason game against Kansas, scoring 16 points in 19 minutes, plus 8 rebounds and 5 blocks.
However, his first game didn’t go quite like that, as Ekezie finished with just five points in 9 minutes and played only two minutes in the second half. However, Kelsey challenged the 5-star freshman, and he responded with a dominant double-double performance.
Ekezie led all players with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, while also adding 13 rebounds and two blocks.
Obinna Ekezie Jr. was unstoppable today for @LouisvilleMBB 😮💨
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 7, 2026
20 PTS
8-12 FG
3-6 3PT
13 REB
2 BLK pic.twitter.com/pCSqGkbkAN
“I thought the second half was really bad, and we challenged him on physicality, toughness, effort, and I thought all the guys responded with that,” stated Kelsey. “He played with a sense of aggression. Thirteen rebounds, obviously the 20 points, but scored inside and out.”
The 7-foot-2 center showcased why he was a 5-star and the No. 1 center in the class even after reclassifying. At his size, shooting 50% from beyond the arc and being a real threat is huge for this Cardinals offense. Ekezie made three 3s on Saturday, including an impressive corner three that was off the pass and it was a quick catch-and-shoot with a defender's hand in his face. But he isn’t just a shooter by any means. He can dominate the paint.
He added 13 rebounds, including three offensive rebounds. One was a nasty one-handed putback dunk, and when you watch the play, you will see Ekezie got physical right when Jackson Shelstad made his stepback move. Ekezie boxed out his defender and got great position, which led to the one-handed slam. Ekezie also got the ball right at the block and backed his defender down, and at 7-foot-2, when he gets the ball that close to the basket and plays with that physicality, it was an easy layup for the center.
And that is the physicality Louisville and Kelsey need and want from Ekezie. The 5-star freshman has the potential to be one of Louisville’s biggest sparks this season. He showed that against Kansas and again on Saturday.
If Louisville wants to go on a Final Four run, they need Ekezie to build on this performance. He quickly answered Kelsey’s challenge, and now he must keep playing with the aggression and physicality he showed on Saturday.
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