Louisville basketball is inching closer to its official regular-season debut, with the Cardinals set to take on Chattanooga on November 2. The Cardinals are coming off their first exhibition win, in which Louisville defeated No. 17 Kansas in a thrilling preseason matchup.
Louisville’s Flory Bidunga continues to get major national recognition before the season
The Cards' win had plenty of highlights, including 4-star transfer Jackson Shelstad, who shot 8-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Another newcomer who quickly turned heads was Louisville’s 5-star freshman, Obinna Ekezie Jr.
The Cardinals' freshman dominated his first college basketball game. He made plays on both ends of the floor, but his ability to splash it from downtown really stood out.
Obinna Ekezie Jr. is ready to be the Cardinals stretch four
Entering the season, Louisville fans knew Ekezie could shoot it from beyond the arc, but what he did Wednesday night was eye-popping, to say the least. The 5-star freshman is 7-foot-2 and 240 pounds, but can space out the floor and be a legit threat from beyond the arc. He hit four 3-pointers on six attempts, and after the game, he made it clear he has the green light from Pat Kelsey.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Ekezie said when asked if he has the green light from downtown. “I have been working on it a lot. I have been working on it for a long time, and I feel like the coaches believe I can do it. So, I am going to bring that to the team.”
No one expects Ekezie to shoot 67% from beyond the arc this season, but if he can stay a major threat from 3-point range, that opens this offense up to a whole new level. Many experts, including Field of 68, have raised concerns about the Cardinals' spacing and the power forward position, with Jeff Goodman saying he was worried about the Cardinals' shooting.
“I just think you got to get offense out of that four spot and spacing,” stated Goodman about Louisville’s biggest X-factor. “To me, that is the biggest X-factor. Folgueiras or Ekezie, one of those guys has to really emerge as a floor-spacing four-man who can step out, because if that doesn’t happen, man, do they have enough shooting?”
However, Ekezie quickly made a statement to Goodman and the nation that he can be that stretch four for Kelsey and can step out and knock down 3s at a high rate. And now, if Ekezie emerges as the Cardinals' true stretch four, this team won't just be a top-10 team in the nation; it'll have what it takes to compete with everyone and be a real National Title contender.
There is so much to be excited about with this Louisville team, and the Cardinals' win over Kansas proves it. Louisville's next preseason game is on October 28, when they will make their home debut in front of UofL fans.
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