Earlier this week, Louisville basketball secured a huge exhibition win over Kansas. Jackson Shelstad and Obinna Ekezie Jr. delivered a big-time performance, combining for 39 points, with each making four 3-pointers.
Louisville just did something at Kansas that hadn’t happened since 1993
While it was only an exhibition game and some fans may not want to overreact, Fox Sports' Aaron Torres is here to tell everyone just how big this win truly was. The insider has been high on the Cardinals all offseason, and after this win, he made it clear why everyone should look out for the Cardinals.
Louisville's win over Kansas has Fox Insider all-in on Cardinals
Torres has been one of the few college basketball insiders to speak extremely highly of Louisville this offseason, and actually is calling them underrated. He believes they should have been ranked higher than No. 11 in the AP Polls, and their win over Kansas backs him up.
“Going on the road, and if you watch the game they both were very clearly competing hard, Louisville looks the part,” stated Torres on the Cardinals. “I think they are a top 10 team. My final preseason poll I had them at like No. 8, second in the ACC behind only Duke.”
The Cardinals' win over Kansas felt like a statement win for UofL. Yes, it is preseason, but Torres is here to tell everyone this team is the real deal.
In the past, the Cardinals haven’t been able to beat top-25 teams, especially on the road in a tough environment, but they did that on Wednesday. Shelstad and Ekezie rose to the occasion and became the Cardinals' two best players, and Louisville’s depth and experience also stood out.
This Cardinals team looked completely different from what it did when Louisville faced Kansas in a preseason matchup last year. They were fast, they shot 47% from downtown, they were physical, and they have two elite centers who can take over the game.
This preseason win feels like it is foreshadowing a fun year for the Cardinals. Louisville has struggled against ranked opponents since Kelsey arrived, but Torres and Cardinals fans now have reason to believe the script will flip this season. The Cards have a tough schedule, having to face No. 19 Texas Tech, No. 7 Texas, No. 16 Michigan, No. 23 Kentucky, No. 14 Miami, No. 9 Virginia, and No. 2 Duke, but Cardinals fans now have a reason to believe Kelsey and Louisville not only will compete with these teams but also win these big-time games.
Torres has been on the Louisville train all offseason, and he isn’t hopping off now. The Cardinals are a top-10 team in his eyes, and in their win over Kansas, they certainly looked like one.
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