Louisville basketball earned its first win in the conference schedule as the Cards defeated Cal last night, 90-70. Louisville earned its 11th win of the season and improved to 11-2 on the year. The Cards' first official road win came in dominant fashion, as their vicious offensive attack was just too much for the Golden Bears.
Louisville was once again without star point guard Mikel Brown Jr., as announced just before tip-off that he would be out for the third straight game. Brown has a back injury that has kept him out of these three games, and he has not played since December 13. Louisville fans are beginning to worry about this injury and whether it could even keep him sidelined next week in the massive showdown against Duke.
However, despite Brown missing the last three games, Louisville fans are seeing one of their newcomers step up and shine in the bright light. Adrian Wooley once again proved why he was a 5-star transfer, and the Louisville fans simply can’t stop talking about him.
Adrian Wooley is emerging as a true star for Louisville basketball
Wooley has emerged as one of Kelsey’s dominant offensive stars. He transferred into Louisville with high expectations, as he was the C-USA Rookie of the Year and made the conference All-First Team after averaging 18.8 points a game and shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc.
And since Brown has gone down and missed these last three games, Wooley has stepped up and shone in this bright light. Across the three games he has started since Brown’s injury, he is averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Last night, Wooley had his best game of the season, showing why he is a two-way player who can use his athleticism and length to be not only a dominant offensive player but also a defensive force. He finished with 21 points, a season-high, four rebounds, two assists, while shooting 64.3 percent from the field and splashing three 3’s and shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
The lefty guard's athleticism and ability to create his own shot makes him an elite guard off the dribble who loves attacking the rim. Wooley frequently uses a pump fake to get the defender off balance, then attacks the rim and finishes at the cup, either through contact or untouched. He has incredible patience that allows him to get a much more open look, and with his ability to dribble and get to the rim, he is becoming a dominant star for this Cardinals team.
His three made 3-pointers last night came on catch-and-shoot opportunities. His ability to knock down catch-and-shoot 3-pointers at a high rate adds a lethal element to his game, helping Louisville's offense space out. It is rare to see someone with his ability to attack the rim, create his own shot, and shoot at a high rate, and Louisville fans are witnessing Wooley emerging as a star right in front of them.
As for the defensive side, he was consistently pestering Cal's guards and had a hand in the face at all times. He caused multiple tough looks last night and bad shots for the Golden Bears, proving why Kelsey is so high on his ability to defend.
Louisville fans want to see Brown back on the court immediatley, but it is worth noting Wooley is emerging as a special player on this roster and is officially becoming one of Kelsey’s star players.