Louisville basketball had the program's best season in a long time. The program went on to make its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2018-19 and secured an impressive 27-8 record.
The Cardinals were led by 12 transfers and first-year head coach Pat Kelsey. Louisville was projected to finish ninth in the ACC, and entering the ACC play, it wasn't looking promising.
Louisville was 6-5 at one point, and it looked like it could be another miserable season, but the Cardinals went on to win 21 of their next 22 games. Kelsey stated that the game that sparked their historic season was their whiteout showdown with the Tennessee Volunteers.
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Pat Kelsey just revealed the moment that changed everything for Louisville basketball
In a recent interview with ACCPM, Kelsey was asked if there was a moment last year when it hit him. His answer might shock some, but it was when the Cardinals lost 77-55 in game two of the 2024-25 season.
"Josh Heird talked us into playing Tennessee early on, and they kicked us in the mouth," Kelsey stated to Luke Hancock. "We were walking off the court, and he said, 'Man Pat, I'm sorry you know I made that suggestion and scheduled that game,' and I said Josh, that is exactly what we needed."
Louisville was able to win four straight games after their loss to the Volunteers, including victories over top programs Indiana and West Virginia. The Cardinals went on to have an historic season and Kelsey stated that blowout loss to Tennesse sparked the team and is a key reason why they made the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
"I believe it was kind of the catapult or the catalyst that sprung us into the success we had the rest of the season. But I talk about that game, although we got our teeth kicked in walking out of that whiteout the first time, and looking up at the upper deck and just seeing a packed arena and the energy. A very disappointing game. That press conference we walked out, but to see it revived, we talk about the revival, as you got late in the season and you see the crowds go from 10 to 12 to 14 to 20 to 22 (thousand)."Pat Kelsey
Many might think it was their first ten-win game stretch where they beat North Carolina, Clemson, Pitt, SMU, and others, but it was their first loss of the season. That blowout loss quickly humbled this team, and that painful night ignited a season to remember.
The Cardinals went on to earn more wins last season than they had in the previous three seasons combined. Louisville tied the ACC record for the biggest turnaround in conference history and broke the program's prior record. They were able to earn 19 more wins last season than in the 2023-24 season.
They also made the ACC Title game for the first time in program history. Kelsey went on to win the ACC Coach of the Year award, and according to him, he has that Tennessee blowout to thank.
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