Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey has his crew within the ACC championship sport in his first season. Kelsey’s Cardinals bought an enormous win over Clemson on Friday night time within the convention match semis. It was a sport in contrast to every other for Kelsey.
“That is essentially the most bodily sport I’ve ever coached in…it was very apparent early on how the sport was gonna be known as…I’ve plenty of respect for Brad and this system he constructed,” Kelsey mentioned postgame, per Louisville Sports activities Community.
Louisville basketball defeated Clemson within the ACC match, 76-73. The Cardinals almost blew a double-digit lead, and the officiating has been criticized. Many Clemson followers felt Louisville did not get known as sufficient for fouls.
Louisville marches on to face Duke within the ACC title sport on Saturday night time.
Pat Kelsey is rolling at Louisville
Louisville basketball had been down the previous couple of seasons, earlier than Kelsey arrived. The college parted methods with Kenny Payne earlier than the 2024-25 marketing campaign. Louisville followers hoped Kelsey would get the crew again to respectability.
Kelsey has performed all that and rather more. Louisville basketball has overcome accidents to key gamers, to seek out themselves close to the highest of the ACC standings. Kelsey is making a case that he ought to be nationwide coach of the yr.
The Cardinals confirmed folks early this season they had been a very good squad. Louisville reached the finals of the Battle for Atlantis within the Bahamas, earlier than shedding to Oklahoma. The squad then rolled via a lot of the ACC schedule, shedding simply two convention video games. The crew has received 11 contests in a row.
Louisville has the respect of Clemson basketball coach Brad Brownell.
“I do not know that you would be able to simply give attention to one participant; that is why Louisville is absolutely good,” Brownell mentioned, per the Louisville Courier Journal. “They have a number of guys that may have large nights.
“(Hadley) wasn’t even the all-conference man. He is an ideal participant, however we have to protect as a crew (and) develop a plan to attempt to make it exhausting for them.”
Kelsey is even making a reputation for himself on the Louisville campus. He walked round campus earlier this yr, firing up Cardinals followers earlier than a sport towards Tennessee. Kelsey can be issuing an invite to former coach Rick Pitino to return and go to the varsity.
Louisville and Duke play Saturday at 8:30 ET. Sunday is Choice Sunday, and the Cardinals are a lock to get within the match.