Louisville basketball secured its first win of the 2026-27 season as the Cardinals defeated Chattanooga 84-70. Much of the attention after the game went to the Cardinals' second half, when UofL shot 50% from the free-throw line and 1-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Pat Kelsey’s frustration reveals what Louisville must fix immediately
After the game, Pat Kelsey expressed frustration with Louisville’s second-half effort, saying he was disappointed and “ticked off.”
“I was disappointed. I’m not gonna come in here and sugarcoat things. I just can’t do that. I’m a little disappointed, I’m a little ticked off, and I’m excited about getting back to work.”
However, he wasn’t disappointed in the whole game, and neither were the fans. Louisville entered the season with lofty expectations, and in the first half, they showed how good this team can be.
Louisville's first half proved why they are a Final Four contender
Entering the season, Kelsey and this Cardinals team have realistic Final Four expectations, and in the first half they proved why. Louisville added 11 players this offseason, including multiple 5-star players in Flory Bidunga and Obinna Ekezie Jr., as well as multiple 4-star transfers, including Jackson Shelstad, Karter Knox, and Alvaro Folgueiras.
In the Cardinals' win earlier this week, the second half raised a few eyebrows, but the first half drew positive attention from fans and the media. Louisville led by 25 with a minute left in the first half, and they dominated both ends of the floor.
They showed they can play physically, shoot at a high rate, and cause havoc on the defensive end, proving they are a legit Final Four contender.
“We have a chance to be really good and we have a chance to be really special,” stated Kelsey. “You saw what is possible in the first half.”
Louisville shot the ball at a high rate, going 57% from the field, including eight 3-pointers on 42% shooting from downtown. The Cardinals played fast and got open looks, starting on the defensive end of the floor, where Chattanooga scored just 0.89 points per possession.
“The pace was great, pitching that ball ahead, and we made shots,” stated Kelsey. “The first half was really, really good on both ends”
At the end of the game, Flory Bidunga led the Cardinals with 16 points and 9 rebounds, and key returner Adrian Wooley added 15 points on 50% shooting from the field. This game wasn’t perfect, and Kelsey made that clear with the Cards' second-half performance, but in the big picture, there was plenty to be excited about in the Cardinals' first half.
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