Louisville basketball defeated USF this afternoon in a thrilling victory that advances the Cardinals to the second round. It is the first time Louisville will play in the round of 32 since 2017, when Donovan Mitchell was still with the Cards, and now Louisville will try to move on to the sweet sixteen for the first time since 2015.
USF fans eating heaping helping of crow after Louisville basketball's big win
The season hasn’t gone as many had hoped or planned. Louisville was once ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation and had the sixth-highest odds to win the National Title, but they ended the season 23-10 and are now the 6-seed. However, today’s win is an emotional one for Louisville and its fans, but also for Pat Kelsey. This win marked the Cards' head coach's first NCAA Tournament win, and when the players were asked what it meant for them to earn Kelsey’s first Big Dance win, Ryan Conwell’s answer proves why Kelsey is going to be a successful coach for Louisville.
The Pat Kelsey era at Louisville is just getting started
Louisville’s season has been a constant roller coaster of ups and downs, and while many were left disappointed and frustrated with Kelsey after the ACC Tournament, the love these players constantly have for Kelsey is why the program will continue to trend up.
“I think PK is one of the best coaches in America,” Conwell stated after today's win. “Nobody sees the work he does behind closed doors. Nobody sees him always at the facility. Every time we pull up, his car is always there. He works so hard, and he loves us. He is not just a coach to us, but he is a mentor. He’s like a father figure. He’s everything, and he’s always there for us, and it means the world to get that done for him.”
Conwell’s emotional message on why Kelsey is such a great coach is exactly why Louisville will continue to be a top program in college basketball. Kelsey is a players' coach, and Conwell, stating he is one of the best coaches in America, is why great players like Conwell will continue to transfer to play under Kelsey and for Louisville.
The Cardinals won just 12 combined games in the two seasons before Kelsey, and immediately since Kelsey arrived, he has brought this program back to the top of the ACC. Kelsey snapped Louisville’s NCAA Tournament drought last year after taking the Cardinals to their first ACC Tournament Title game and won a program record 18 conference games in the regular season. And now this season, he snapped their eight-year drought without a March Madness win.
Louisville will have a big challenge with Michigan State on Saturday, especially without Mikel Brown Jr., but Conwell’s postgame comments prove Kelsey will continue to bring in stars, whether it's from recruiting classes or the Transfer Portal, and with these stars he brings to Louisville, he will continue to take this program to the next level.