Pat Kelsey trusts Chucky Hepburn. His trust in this has paid off much more! C. L. Brown

Chucky Hepburn, J’Vonne Hadley, and Reyne Smith are all having career-best seasons since transferring to Louisville.

Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey’s trust in his team’s 3-point shooting has paid off with increased accuracy in ACC games.

Kelsey put together a squad of players with potential but also some risks, and their growth has been critical to the team’s success.

Coach Pat Kelsey’s unflinching trust in his first squad has been the key to Louisville basketball’s success this season.

Simply look at their three-point shooting. Through the first 13 games of the season, the Cardinals were on track to be the worst three-point shooting club in program history.

At the time, they were hitting 29.9% of their shots from behind the arc. Kelsey assumed they were making solid shots and would soon start dropping. He did not adjust the offence or begin promoting midrange shots.

He persevered with the method, and he was correct.

U of L is shooting 37.2% from three in ACC play.

“If we’re hunting great — that means hunting high-percentage shots, great shot, shots that we really value,” she remarked. “And when we create those, I sleep like a baby whether they make it in or not. You cannot rely on makes or misses. You must be process-oriented when it comes to developing excellent offence.

Similarly, becoming a great team is a process.

Kelsey’s first squad at Louisville had only players with numerous seasons of experience in a major collegiate conference, including Chucky Hepburn, Koren Johnson, and J’Vonne Hadley.

Like everyone else, he took a calculated risk:

The two players that followed him from College of Charleston posed significant questions. Can Reyne Smith defend in the ACC? Can James Scott physically compete with the league’s big men?

In 2024, Terrence Edwards Jr. was named Sun Belt Player of the Year. However, his last game at James Madison resulted in a 93-55 loss to Duke in the NCAA Tournament, despite his impressive scoring abilities. How would he do throughout a full season in the ACC?

Noah Waterman, who played during BYU’s inaugural season in the Big 12, had the height, but his tiny body of around 210 pounds prompted concerns about his longevity.

Aboubacar Traore has powerful forward skills despite his tiny stature. The 6-foot-5 senior was named to the All-Big West First Team last season with Long Beach State, but can anyone remember three Big West teams if I mention Long Beach State?

Kasean Pryor showed potential in his single year at South Florida, but after two seasons of rarely seeing the court at Boise State, there was no guarantee he would be successful at the University of Louisiana.

The list could go on.

Kelsey formed this team with a vision and a belief. The Cardinals’ risk paid off as they prepare for their finest run through the ACC regular-season schedule.

Hepburn began three seasons at Wisconsin before taking a risk by transferring to the University of Louisiana to play in a different system. He’s having his finest season ever, averaging 15 points and 6.2 assists per game for the Cardinals.

Hadley started two seasons at Colorado and is having a career-best season at the University of Louisville, averaging 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds.

Smith is averaging 14.3 points and 3.8 three-pointers per game, both career highs. And if he was a weak link on defence, he wouldn’t play 31.5 minutes a game.

Edwards scored 21 points off the bench against Duke then demonstrated unexpected talents by playing 40 minutes at point guard while Hepburn rested against Miami, scoring 27 points and giving out a career-high 10 assists.

The list could go on.

“We’re as good of a gym-dude program as any program in the country,” Kelsey told me. “That’s guys that are committed to working on their craft.”

The Cards are on track to establish a school record for the most ACC victories in a season, despite being a work in progress. They will be favoured in all five remaining regular-season games.

It doesn’t require faith to realise Kelsey has made the correct decisions.

BOZICH | Pat Kelsey is the front-runner for national coach of the year; who are the other contenders?

Louisville, Kentucky (WDRB) The Associated Press men’s national college basketball coach of the year plaque is the most unusual accolade in the sport.

Let me prove it to you.

Keno Davis has received one AP Coach of the Year award.

Rick Pitino has none.

Frank Haith has received one AP Coach of the Year award.

Denny Crum had none.

Matt Doherty has received one AP Coach of the Year award.

Mike Krzyzewski earned nothing.

Is the point made?

Good. Because as we approach the middle of February, it is awards season in college basketball. College basketball, like many other sports, based many of its accolades on how a team, coach, or player does throughout the regular season.

Many awards finish their voting periods before the NCAA Tournament begins. For more information, see the records of Keno Davis (2008, Drake), Frank Haith (2012, Missouri), and Matt Doherty (2001, North Carolina).

How can Crum, Pitino, and Coach K be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame but not on the list of AP National Coach of the Year winners?

My guess: Voters favor coaches whose teams won more games than projected. The individual who goes above and beyond expectations is frequently chosen.

That being said, who are the men outperforming expectations this winter and positioned themselves to win the AP award?

By my calculation, there are seven contenders, lead by Louisville coach Pat Kelsey. I’ll rank them based on how much improvement they made at their school throughout the previous season.

Plus-7

Georgetown’s Ed Cooley, who left Providence, has led the Hoyas to a 15-9 record after starting 8-16 the previous season.

The Hoyas finished tenth in the Big East last season. They are presently sixth with victories against Creighton and Villanova. That isn’t Coach of the Year material, but Cooley has been an improvement over Patrick Ewing.

Darian DeVries, West Virginia: Following Bob Huggins’ sudden departure last season, the Mountaineers were a total wreck. But DeVries has constructed a Top 20 defense while defeating Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, and Iowa State. After going 8-16 in their first 24 games last season, the Mountaineers are now 15-9.

He’ll need a strong finish to win national coach of the year, but DeVries is a viable choice for the Big 12’s top coach.

Rick Pitino, St. John’s:Surprised to see this name? Do not be. Pitino is already on track to become the first coach to lead six different teams to the NCAA Tournament. With a strong finish (such as winning the Big East regular season championship), he might earn his first AP national coach of the year honor.

A year earlier, the Red Storm were 14-11 after 25 games. This Pitino club is 21-4, with four losses by three points or fewer. The Red Storm are ranked second in the country for defensive efficiency. Pitino does not have a terrific three-point shooting squad, hence the Red Storm rank 80th in offensive efficiency.

But, with his return to the top of the collegiate game following his stop at Iona, Pitino is a legitimate national story and a top coach of the year candidate.

Plus-10

Dennis Gates, Missouri: After winning 25 games in his first season, Gates was considered a coach of the year candidate. Last year, his Tigers finished 0-18 in the SEC. Ooof.

Their 18-6 record is a significant improvement from their 8-16 start last season. He has wins against Kansas, Florida, Arkansas, and both Mississippi schools. The Tigers are sixth in the SEC, which means the following three people on the list have superior credentials.

According to Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington, the Commodores haven’t had a winning team since the 2012 SEC Tournament in New Orleans, led by Jeff Taylor, John Jenkins, and Festus Ezeli.

At the same point last season, Jerry Stackhouse had Vandy 7-17 overall and 2-9 in the league. Byington, a former James Madison coach, has won 17 of 24 games, including thrilling victories against Tennessee and Kentucky.

He has work to do to be considered for national coach of the year, and the competition in the SEC will be intense. But Byington has made a strong first impression in Nashville.

Plus-11

Dusty May of Michigan:Consider this a reminder of how severely the Wolverines struggled last season before dismissing Juwan Howard. Michigan finished 8-16 overall, with a 3-10 record in the Big Ten. Michigan fell against Long Beach State, McNeese State, Minnesota, and Penn State.

Check the Big Ten standings. The Wolverines (19-5, 11-2) hold a half-game lead over Purdue and a full game over Michigan State. May’s squad is ranked in the top 25 nationally for offensive and defensive efficiency. They will take their 5-game winning run to Ohio State on Sunday.

Dusty May is the Big Ten coach of the year and a top contender for the national award. I won’t even address the Indiana chitchat.

Pat Kelsey, Louisville: At this stage last season, the Cardinals had won their final game. They finished 8-17 overall, 3-11 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Cardinals can win their 20th game on Sunday night against Notre Dame. With a 12-2 record, the Cards are tied for second place in the ACC with Clemson and possess the tiebreaker.

Kelsey has done everything wonderfully, from roster construction to motivation, strategy, game day preparation, and fan engagement, propelling Louisville from dismal to scary national significance.

He leads the ACC coach of the year competition and is my selection for national coach of the year.