For coach Pat Kelsey and No. 19 Louisville, there’s one thing magical concerning the 2025 calendar.
Louisville was simply 8-5 when 2024 completed, however because the begin of the brand new 12 months, the Cardinals are a strong 14-1 and have performed their means into the thick of the ACC hunt. It is fairly a climb from two earlier seasons underneath Kenny Payne, when the Cardinals went a mixed 12-52, and they’re going to look to proceed the upward trajectory at house towards Pitt on Saturday.
Louisville (22-6, 15-2 ACC) is driving an offense of 4 high-scoring guards by a formidable ACC run in Kelsey’s first season on the helm. Reyne Smith, Terrence Edwards Jr. and Chucky Hepburn sport practically similar convention scoring averages in league play (15.5, 15.5 and 15.4 factors per sport, respectively) whereas J’Vonne Hadley provides 13.9 factors per sport.
“We by no means actually speak concerning the previous,” Kelsey stated of Louisville’s current program stumbles and sudden enchancment. “I imply, we respect our previous … (however) we speak about us and the current and what we will do in our subsequent sport.”
The Cardinals have gained their final six video games, most not too long ago Tuesday’s 71-66 win at Virginia Tech. These 4 high-scoring guards contributed 48 of Louisville’s 71 factors and the Cardinals pressured 22 turnovers to assert the highway victory. Hepburn led the Cardinals’ effort with 15 factors.
Pitt (16-12, 7-10) has not been the beneficiary of a 2025 scorching streak, sitting at simply 6-10 because the calendar modified. The Panthers discover themselves nicely outdoors the NCAA Event bubble.
Regardless of a stable one-two scoring punch of guards Jaland Lowe (16.7 factors) and Ishamel Leggett (16.5), the Panthers have misplaced six of their final eight video games underneath coach Jeff Capel. With the ACC unlikely to surpass a handful of groups making the NCAA Event, Pitt’s ninth-place league file seems to spell doom.
Pitt was most not too long ago in motion on Tuesday, shedding 73-67 at house to Georgia Tech. The Panthers shot simply 36.8 p.c, with Lowe and Leggett notching 45 factors however capturing a mixed 12 for 35 (34.3 p.c). Pitt was additionally outrebounded 37-27 and noticed Georgia Tech go 25 of 28 from the free-throw line.
“We have not been a superb rebounding group all 12 months and actually since January, we have tried various things,” Capel stated of his Panthers. “We’ll proceed to attempt various things. … We’re within the level of the season the place you possibly can’t … put soccer pads on them and do old-school stuff. We’ve got to have a will to go get the basketball.”
The groups beforehand met Jan. 11 in Pittsburgh, with Louisville squeaking out an 82-78 win. The 4 most important Cardinal guards mixed for 67 factors, led by 25 factors and 7 3-pointers from Smith, who ranks second within the nation at 3.7 made 3-pointers per sport.
Lowe and Leggett totaled 40 for Pitt in that sport, however the Panthers have been outrebounded 44-31 by Louisville.
–Discipline Stage Media