Louisville Basketball Prepares Massive Spending Push on Transfer Portal

After an early departure from the NCAA Tournament, the Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball program is not taking it easy.

March 20, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey addresses his team during the second half of the NCAA Tournament first round game against the Creighton Bluejays at Rupp Arena. Jordan Prather-Imagn Images.

The Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team had a successful first season under coach Pat Kelsey.

In his first season as head coach at Louisville, the former College of Charleston coach helped the Cardinals regain relevance in the ACC.

The Cardinals (27-8) finished second in the standings, tied with Duke, and got the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament due to their regular-season victory over Clemson.

Louisville beat Clemson in the ACC semifinals but lost to the Blue Devils in the conference championship.

Despite defeating Clemson twice, Louisville received a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while Clemson had a No. 5 seed.

Both lost. Louisville fell to Creighton Bluejays, 89-75, in the first round.

So Kelsey’s offseason work begins as he prepares for his second season as head coach. When he goes to the transfer portal to attract talent, it appears that he will have a lot of money to deal with in terms of name, image, and likeness.

On3’s Pete Nakos (paid subscription required) reports that Louisville intends to invest heavily on the portal. The initiative and its backers anticipate a budget of $8-10 million when everything is said and done.

It is unclear how this may affect remuneration for collegiate athletes in the future. If the House vs. NCAA settlement is granted, athletic departments that opt in will be able to allocate a portion of their earnings to student-athletes. NIL will not disappear, but under the agreement, each NIL transaction worth $600 or more must go through an independent clearinghouse to guarantee that it has sufficient market value.

Whatever happens, it’s evident the Cardinals don’t want to lose anymore. The program has won three national championships, albeit their 2013 title was vacated owing to NCAA infractions. It has also attended eight Final Fours.

However, Kelsey’s incredible recovery resulted in Louisville’s first March Madness appearance since 2019 under Chris Mack. His replacement, Kenny Payne, lasted barely two seasons until Kelsey was hired.

Today’s collegiate basketball programs may see a one-year turnaround, as Kelsey did with the Cardinals. Maintaining that achievement demands investment. It appears that the Cardinals are poised to make it happen.

Matthew Postins

Matthew Postins covers baseball at multiple SI/Fan Nation websites. He also writes about the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and rodeo for RodeoDaily.

Reyne Smith: “I Think This Might Be the Worst Louisville Team Under Pat Kelsey”

Louisville guard Reyne Smith didn’t hold back in his assessment of the Cardinals’ struggles this season. In a candid postgame interview, Smith reportedly stated, “I think this might be the worst Louisville team under Pat Kelsey.” A strong statement, considering Kelsey is only in his first year at the helm.

So, is Smith right? Or is this simply frustration boiling over after a disappointing end to the season? Let’s break it down.

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Louisville’s Mixed Bag Under Kelsey

When Pat Kelsey took over as head coach, the program was desperate for a turnaround. The previous season under Kenny Payne ended in an abysmal 8-24 record, one of the worst in program history. Kelsey, who built a winning culture at the College of Charleston, was seen as the man to revive the Cardinals.

At first glance, he did exactly that. The Cardinals finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 27-7 record (18-2 ACC), a dramatic improvement from the previous year. They secured a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, a far cry from the irrelevance they suffered before his arrival.

Yet, despite these positive strides, Louisville faltered when it mattered most. They lost in the ACC Tournament championship game to Duke, then suffered a first-round exit in March Madness at the hands of Creighton. For a program with Louisville’s rich basketball history, this was still seen as underwhelming.

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What Went Wrong?

Several factors contributed to Louisville’s late-season struggles:

1. Inconsistent Play in Big Games – While they dominated most ACC opponents, they struggled against top-tier competition. Losses to Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia exposed defensive weaknesses.
2. Reyne Smith’s Injury – The team’s leading scorer suffered a crucial injury in the NCAA Tournament, which may have played a role in their early exit.
3. Lack of Postseason Experience – Many of Louisville’s key players were new to the bright lights of March Madness, and it showed.
4. Depth Issues – While the starting five performed well, bench production was inconsistent throughout the season.

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Is This Really the “Worst” Louisville Team Under Kelsey?

If Smith’s statement is to be taken literally, it would be inaccurate—this is Kelsey’s first team at Louisville. However, if he meant that this team underachieved despite its talent, then there’s a case to be made. Expectations were high, and despite a great regular season, the postseason disappointment left a sour taste.

For a competitor like Smith, falling short of a deep tournament run might make the entire season feel like a failure. However, calling this the worst Louisville team under Kelsey is harsh, considering the drastic improvement from last season.

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Looking Ahead

Kelsey has already proven he can win games and bring Louisville back into national relevance. Now, the next step is building a team that can win in March. If he can recruit well, develop depth, and instill the postseason toughness needed to compete with elite programs, Louisville will be back where it belongs.

As for Reyne Smith, his frustration is understandable, but if he chooses to return, he could be a key piece in proving himself—and this program—wrong.

After Louisville coach Pat Kelsey was summoned for a technical, a spectator hurled a full water container onto the court

It is inevitable that emotions will be high during March Madness; however, there is never an appropriate location for supporters to hurl objects onto the court.

However, that threshold was breached during the first-round matchup between Creighton and Louisville at the men’s NCAA tournament in Lexington on Thursday.

Pat Kelsey, the coach of the Louisville Cardinals, was issued a technical foul for entering the court to engage in a discussion with officials with less than five minutes remaining in the game. Someone hurled a full water bottle from the stands in the direction of the Creighton bench as Kelsey’s staff attempted to prevent her from picking up another technicality.

The scene proceeded as follows:

Pat Kelsey gets a tech and a Louisville fan throws a water bottle onto the floor 😬

pic.twitter.com/DcTWHVBk34

— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 20, 2025

The Rupp Arena staff’s ability to identify the individual who hurled the bottle was uncertain; however, there is absolutely no place for such behaviour in the realm of sports. As the personnel laboured to clean the court, play was abruptly suspended.

The unpleasant scenario for Louisville did not improve as Creighton maintained its lead and emerged victorious, 89-75.

C.L. Brown Show: Andy Katz discusses NCAA Tournament prospects for Louisville and UK basketball

In this episode of The C.L. Brown Show, college basketball correspondent Andy Katz is the featured guest. Katz will be present on all platforms where the NCAA Tournament is being devoured this month, including Turner Sports broadcasts, NCAA.com, and @MarchMadnessmbb on social media.

Katz discusses the potential issues he perceives in Louisville basketball’s matchup with Creighton and the team’s seeding. He provides an explanation for why Kentucky is unlikely to face a repeat of last season’s early exit and why the Wildcats should at least reach the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis. In addition, Katz discloses his selection for the Final Four in San Antonio.

5 irrefutable reasons why Louisville basketball will make the NCAA Tournament Final Four

Here are five reasons why Louisville basketball will make it to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

Louisville basketball is back in the NCAA Tournament, but the NCAA Tournament Committee stole them. Louisville basketball is only the second team in history to be ranked as the No. 10 team in the nation while receiving a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Louisville’s route to the Final Four will be challenging, as they will face Creighton in the first round and presumably No. 1 overall seed Auburn in the second. The top five seeds in the southern area are Michigan State, Iowa State, Texas A&M, and Michigan.

Louisville basketball’s road might not necessarily favour them, but the Cardinals earned a spot in the Big Dance, and Pat Kelsey will prepare this squad for a long March run. There are certain obvious factors and statistics that favour Louisville basketball in the South region, which will lead to them winning the South region and making their first Final Four appearance since 2013.

5 critical reasons Louisville basketball will make an NCAA Tournament Final Four run.

Louisville’s NCAA Tournament adventure begins Thursday, March 20, at 12:15 p.m. local time against Creighton. Louisville basketball is poised for a strong postseason run. Here are five reasons why Louisville basketball will make it to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

5. History favours Louisville basketball.

Louisville basketball has undergone the most significant turnaround season in the program’s history. Louisville boosted its victory total by 19 games over the previous record of 13.

The Cardinals’ most successful comeback seasons were in 1985-86 and 2004-05. Both of those teams improved their seasons by 13 victories over the previous year, but they also made it to the Final Four.

The Cardinals 1986 squad would go much farther, winning the whole tournament and securing a national championship. Louisville basketball has enjoyed one of the finest seasons in school history, breaking several records. This record of accomplishing the program’s largest turnaround seemed to presage a Final Four run.

4. Louisville basketball’s clear edge in the first two rounds.

The Cardinals will face Creighton in the first round, which will be held in their own home. Louisville vs. Creighton will be played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The Cardinals are slated to play their home game in this stadium, which will be painted red by fans.

Louisville supporters are among the greatest in the country, and 25 of them will need to come up to help Louisville gain a significant lead. It would be significant if the Cardinals could beat the Blue Jays. Louisville would then face off, most likely against Auburn. The Tigers must be upset that they will face the No. 10 seed in the AP standings in the second round, barely an hour away from their home stadium.

3. The Cardinals’ X-factor will return.

Reyne Smith will return to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Smith is one of the country’s most dangerous shooters, with the capacity to take over games; just ask SMU. He scored 30 points and set a school record against the Mustangs by making 10 three-pointers.

Smith is not just a dangerous shooter, but he also spreads the floor for this Pat Kelsey offence. Chucky Hepburn and Terrence Edwards Jr., the Cardinals’ premier guards, enjoy playing iso basketball, which involves driving and kicking. This is an ideal scenario for Reyne Smith to find an open area and trust that his teammates will find him.

Louisville basketball’s sharpshooter has 104 three-pointers this year and averages 3.5 per game. The Cardinals’ most obvious strength is their propensity to catch fire, and Reyne Smith is the captain of that boat.

2. Pat Kelsey has the squad psyched up.

Louisville basketball is all over the headlines today, with everyone astonished by the Cardinal seed. Pat Kelsey was on a local radio broadcast to discuss the NCAA Tournament, and he was brutally honest, saying they feel “slighted”.

The committee completely humiliated the Cardinals, and Louisville basketball is eager to prove to the entire nation that they are better than an 8-seed. Kelsey concluded his interview by stating that they will use this as inspiration and that it will ignite a little fire in their stomach.

Pat Kelsey and his Cardinals will start the tournament hungry and prepared to attack. The NCAA Tournament committee provided Louisville’s basketball squad with the necessary desire to succeed.

1. Louisville’s elite playmakers

Chucky Hepburn and Terrence Edwards Jr. may not be household names, but they have proven themselves. They have been neglected all season, and now they will have the opportunity to compete against the best of the best and demonstrate why they are outstanding.

Chucky Hepburn is the team’s face, having been named First Team All-ACC and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Hepburn possesses the ability to lock down the other team’s greatest player before pushing the ball up the court and creating a shot for himself or facilitating and being selfless. Hepburn averaged 16 points and 2.5 steals per game.

Terrence Edwards Jr. was named third-team All-ACC and has improved late in the season. He averages nearly 25 points in March and has scored 20 or more points 13 times this season. Edwards can score at any time and is the Cardinals’ go-to guy when they need him to be.

Edwards averaged 16.6 points and shot over 44% from the field. The explosive pair of Hepburn and Edwards offers the Cardinals a legitimate opportunity to compete with anyone in the league.

Louisville Cardinals news: Basketball makes the Big Dance, baseball in top 25, and more.

Here’s a short recap of the latest Louisville basketball, baseball, and football news, as well as recruiting updates.

On Selection Sunday, March 16, Pat Kelsey and Jeff Walz learnt that their Cardinals had advanced to the Big Dance.

Louisville baseball continues to dominate, as the Cardinals just won an amazing series against a conference opponent. Louisville football recruiting continues to surge, as the Cardinals 2025 roster prepares for their spring game.

It might be difficult to keep pace of all the sports in March, so here’s a brief rundown of all the Louisville Cardinals news for March 17.

Louisville Cardinals news: Basketball makes the Big Dance, baseball in top 25, and more.

Here’s a short recap of the latest Louisville basketball, baseball, and football news, as well as recruiting updates.

• Louisville basketball enters the Big Dance.
• The Louisville Cardinals are dancing!

Pat Kelsey and his Cardinals are surprised and upset by their seeding, but they are appreciative for the opportunity to return Louisville men’s basketball to March Madness. The Cardinals are back in the national championship game for the first time in five years, looking for their first since 2013.

Pat Kelsey and his team drew a disappointing eighth seed and will face Creighton in the first round. The Cardinals face a difficult route to the Final Four. The final AP ranking for Louisville basketball was No. 13, making them the second team in AP Poll history to be rated No. 13 but get an 8-seed.

Jeff Walz’s Cardinals ended the season 22-10 and 13-5 in the ACC. The Cardinals have made 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and this year they were seeded No. 7. Louisville will play Nebraska, the No. 10 seed, on Friday, March 21.

If both teams escape an upset, the Cardinals might face former standout Hailey Van Lith in the second round.

Louisville baseball keeps rolling.

Louisville baseball won their first ACC series against the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels are rated sixth in the country, and the Cardinals win two big games in their ACC clash. Louisville then shut out the Tar Heels, 5-0, in the series finale on Sunday.

The Cardinals are led by junior Jake Munroe, who has a.423 batting average,.707 slugging percentage, four home runs, and 23 RBIs.

Louisville baseball moves to 16-3 on the season and enters the top 25 rankings, with the Cardinals currently rated 15th in the country. The Cardinals will play Northern Kentucky tonight at home before travelling to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech.

Louisville Football Recruiting Update

Louisville football loses EDGE rusher Demon Clowney to the transfer portal. Clowney was a former top 250 recruit in the 2020 class who transferred from Charlotte. The Cardinals have signed 20 players from the transfer site and want to add more during the spring window. The spring transfer portal opens on April 16.

Louisville football is rated No. 9 in the class of 2026, with 10 commitments, according to 247Sports. Louisville football has snagged several three-star prospects, but this week the Cardinals signed Jaydin Broadnax, their first four-star pledge in a few years.

Louisville football is still in full flow for spring practice, with Jeff Brohm preparing for the Spring Game on April 11.

Louisville’s Pat Kelsey is ‘hurt’ by the Cardinals’ NCAA Tournament placing and feels insulted

The Louisville Cardinals are possibly the most shocking team in college basketball this season. Pat Kelsey, first-year head coach, swiftly added 12 new players through the transfer portal after inheriting a team with only one player.

Impact players such Chucky Hepburn, Terrence Edwards Jr., Reyne Smith, Noah Waterman, J’Vonne Hadley, and James Scott have radically transformed the program. In his first season as Louisville’s head coach, Kelsey was voted ACC Coach of the Year and led the team to their first ACC Championship trip.

With a 27-7 record, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi predicted the Cardinals as a 6-seed, citing their excellent conference tournament performance. However, the selection committee had a different opinion, placing Louisville not just lower in the seeding but also as an 8-seed. The Cardinals’ berth in the ACC Championship might lead to a second-round game with Auburn, the tournament’s top overall seed. Kelsey discussed the team’s seeding and expressed his discontent with the committee’s choice.

Kelsey expressed his excitement about competing in the national tournament on KY Sports Radio. “I’ll be completely honest with you, we’re watching the selection show and when that popped up, it hurt a little bit.”

Kelsey did not hesitate to state that he believed his squad had been insulted in terms of seeding. As of now, the Cardinals are one of the country’s hottest teams entering the NCAA Tournament.

Maybe the seeding reflects Louisville’s absence from the tournament in recent years. Nonetheless, the Cardinals have advanced to the big dance, but their poor seed may result in an early departure in the Round of 64.

Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston started his career as a reporter for the Marion Tribune, covering local high school football, basketball, and baseball. His interest in athletics began at the age of four, when he played his first year of teeball. Growing up in Tennessee, he had strong feelings for the Tennessee Volunteers and the Atlanta Braves. Hunter is presently enrolled at Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.

Crafted for fans since 1886.

Pat Kelsey responds to public outcry about him receiving ACC Coach of the Year over Jon Scheyer

Pat Kelsey led Louisville to a 25-6 overall record and an 18-2 conference record, earning him the ACC Coach of the Year award in his first season. However, there was significant backlash on social media when he received the honour.

Some fans felt their coach should have received the honour over Kelsey, but in the end, the Cardinals’ head coach gained the honour after transforming Louisville into an ACC contender. During the conference tournament earlier this week, Louisville’s head coach spoke out about the topic.

“No. Kelsey remarked, “I don’t pay any attention,” following Louisville’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal triumph on Thursday. “Obviously, there are a lot great coaches in this league, and several of them could have easily earned the honour. My mom emailed me a visual from Duke, but after reading everything, I thought, “Wow, that’s pretty impressive. Maybe he should have won it.”

Kelsey is referring to Duke’s social media release of a graphic highlighting all of the reasons why the head coach, Jon Scheyer, should have been named ACC Coach of the Year. The statistics extended far beyond Duke’s 19-1 record against ACC opponents and its projected No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

However, Kelsey was chosen for the award after taking over a team that had just had two of its worst seasons in recent memory. Kelsey went on to guide Louisville to 18 wins in the ACC alone, establishing his place as conference coach of the year, despite only winning 12 games in both seasons.

“I do not know. These don’t matter. “All that matters is fighting with this team to win a championship,” Kelsey said. “We’re really fortunate to progress; survival and advancement is what they say in tournament play, and we’re lucky to do so.

“I’m excited to find out who we’ll be playing. It’ll be a restless night, but it’ll be pure adrenaline. This is the most enjoyable time of the year. March is collegiate basketball season. College basketball fans all throughout America witnessed a thriller today, and we were lucky to advance.”

Kelsey made these comments after the Cardinals upset Stanford in the quarterfinals. They progressed to the title game against Duke after defeating Clemson 76-73 in the semifinals on Friday. The game between Louisville and Duke will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be live on ESPN.

How Louisville basketball pulled off an incredible comeback against Stanford at the ACC Tournament

No. 2-seeded Louisville basketball recovered from 15 points down with 14:32 remaining in regulation to defeat Stanford on a game-winning jumper from Chucky Hepburn as time expired in the ACC Tournament.

How did Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals complete the comeback? “Everybody just stayed together and held each other accountable,” Terrence Edwards Jr. explained.

Charlotte, North Carolina — In the locker room, Frank Anselem-Ibe and Khani Rooths were rewinding the last seconds of regulation on an iPhone. Were their eyes fooling them?

“I knew it was cash,” Anselem-Ibe explained.

Louisville basketball advanced to the semifinal stage of the ACC Tournament for the first time since entering in 2014, thanks to Chucky Hepburn’s last-second shot from the left elbow.

The highlight-reel performance closed up the Cardinals’ greatest comeback of the season and earned Hepburn a FaceTime conversation with former University of Louisville standout Donovan Mitchell.

Where does this rank among the senior point guard’s top moments from his college career?

“Top two,” Hepburn said, “and it is not No. 2.”

Louisville will face No. 3 Clemson at the Spectrum Centre on Friday at 9:30 p.m., following their first postseason win in three years. Another victory, and it will face either No. 1 Duke or No. 5 North Carolina in Saturday’s championship game.

Here’s how Pat Kelsey’s Cards made their amazing comeback:

‘I didn’t need to say much’



Kelsey took a timeout with 14:32 remaining in regulation with Louisville on the ropes.

The Cardinals trailed No. 7-seeded Stanford by 15 points, 52-37, despite defeating them by 20 points in the regular-season finale at the KFC Yum! Centre. Hope was in short supply from the outside.

Kelsey told reporters afterward that the Cardinal was the aggressor for the majority of the night, breaking U of L’s string of 20 consecutive games with a halftime lead. The ACC Coach of the Year called the aforementioned stoppage of play with Kyle Smith’s team on an 11-0 run and shooting 3 for 9 from the field after the break.

What would you say in such a situation? With an experienced team like Kelsey’s, it only takes about 30 seconds of what the 49-year-old Cincinnati native refers to as “aggressive counselling.”

“I didn’t have to say much after that,” Kelsey explained. His teammates grabbed it from there—and ran with it.

“Coach always tells us, ‘Stick together; play (our game) for 40 minutes,” Noah Waterman said. “We weren’t worried — even when we were down 15.”

“Nobody argued,” said Terrence Edwards Jr., who scored a game-high 25 points. “Everybody just stayed together and held each other accountable.”

“We just all looked at each other and said that we weren’t going to lose,” Hepburn told the crowd.

What happened next will be widely discussed in Louisville.

“How these guys responded to that adversity was amazing,” Kelsey told me. “I’m very, very, very proud of them.”

First, Edwards halted the bleeding with back-to-back layups. With 12:16 remaining, he knocked down a jumper in the paint, sparking a 16-3 run for the Cards, including baskets from Hepburn, James Scott, and J’Vonne Hadley, to tie the game at 60 with 7:41 on the clock. U of L outscored Stanford 13-5 over the following 5:45, taking its greatest lead of the night, 73-65, into the final 1:56.

“They just started driving us 1-on-1 a little in the middle of the floor,” Smith said; “and we couldn’t quite sustain it.”

That was only the beginning of this wild ride to the finish. Despite playing its second game in as many days, the Cardinal still had one more run in the tank, scoring eight consecutive points to tie with 32 seconds remaining. Its final bucket was a fast-break, and-1 layup after a poor pass from Hepburn, prompting Kelsey to call another timeout and set up for the final possession.

‘Pop-A-Shot’

Two Stanford defenders leaped Hepburn once and again as he dribbled the ball past midcourt. According to Edwards, this removed Louisville from the set it planned to run.

With 5.1 seconds left, he had the ball in his hands at the top of the key and launched a step-back, double-clutch 3-pointer over a leaping Oziyah Sellers. Scott’s comments came to mind at the time: “Put it on the rim; I got you.”

“I thought his shot was going to go in; I’m going to be honest,” Waterman told reporters. “I believe (in) everybody on the team, so I thought it was a buck.”

The shot that sent @LouisvilleMBB to it’s first-ever ACC Tournament Semifinals. pic.twitter.com/gCeeB9vj69

— ACC Men’s Basketball (@accmbb) March 14, 2025

It was not. The ball struck the rim, then the backboard, and briefly rested in Chisom Okpara’s hands with 2.9 seconds remaining. Smith stated that he attempted to call a timeout while his side was in control, but Scott knocked the ball loose, allowing Hepburn to recover near the left elbow with ample of room to shoot before the buzzer.

“I was just at the perfect spot at the perfect time,” Hepburn added.

“It was just like Pop-A-Shot,” Kelsey explained. “I don’t even think he jumped.”

Hepburn wasn’t thinking about the turnover he made on the possession before this one.

“If it’s still on my mind,” he said, “I probably don’t even hit that shot.”

Swish. Comeback is complete. Pandemonium. Another epic event for the guy who kissed the Dunking Cardinal emblem before leaving the Yum! Centre last weekend. According to statistician Kelly Dickey, this is Louisville’s first game-winning shot at the buzzer in the tournament since Scooter McCray’s tip-in against Arkansas on March 24, 1983, which set up the “Dream Game” vs archival Kentucky.

See you Friday night.

“Hopefully there’s more luck in the genie bottle,” Kelsey was saying.

UofL’s Pat Kelsey wins ACC Coach of the Year, Hepburn earns defensive accolades

Louisville, Kentucky —

Pat Kelsey, the Cardinals’ first-year head basketball coach, has been voted the ACC Coach of the Year.

The No. 13 Cardinals and Kelsey ended the regular season with a victory against Stanford this weekend. This improved UofL’s record to 25-6 heading into the ACC Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Kelsey’s accomplishments in year one included leading the Cardinals to the final game of the Baha Mar Hoops Tournament early in the season and finishing on a nine-game winning run.

Kelsey’s strong finish helped the Cardinals tie for second place in the ACC.

Kelsey garnered 47 votes, outperforming Duke’s Jon Scheyer, who received 27. He is the first Louisville coach to collect the league award since Rick Pitino was awarded CUSA Coach of the Year in 2005.

In addition to Kelsey’s ACC honour, guard Chucky Hepburn was voted ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Hepburn is the first Cardinal to earn this honour. He was also selected for the All-ACC First Team.

Terrence Edwards, a guard, was chosen to the All-ACC Third Team.

If history holds true, Pat Kelsey and Louisville basketball have already won the ACC title

Pat Kelsey & Louisville Basketball is a championship formula in the works.

Pat Kelsey, the head coach of the Louisville men’s basketball team, has had a significant impact on the schools he has led. He appears to have wasted little time, as early indicators of his stay at Louisville indicate that the Cardinals’ first-year head coach is quickly converting the program into something remarkable.

Louisville’s season may still have one game left in the regular season, but Kelsey’s track record suggests that the Cardinals will rise to the No.1 seed in the ACC, and being crowned ACC Tournament winners is not only plausible, but quite likely.

With Kelsey in command, the program is in strong hands, and if his extended winning runs are any indication, it may only be a matter of time before the Cardinals lift an ACC championship trophy.

Pat Kelsey & Louisville Basketball is a championship formula in the works.

Pat Kelsey has had an instant impact on the Louisville basketball program, which finished last in the ACC last season with an ugly 3-17 record in league play and 8-24 overall. After starting 6-5, the Cardinals won 10 consecutive games before losing to Georgia Tech. They have since won eight more, bringing their total to 24-6 and 18 of their last 19.

Louisville basketball’s overwhelming victory run appears to be a trend Pat Kelsey has followed throughout his coaching tenure. Kelsey’s track records suggest that extended victory streaks have been a hallmark of his teams, and history shows that those runs typically result in championships.

Prior to joining UofL, Kelsey was the head coach at Charleston and Winthrop, where he established a winning culture and drastically transformed those programs.

In Kelsey’s second season at Charleston, the Cougars went 31-4, capturing the program’s first CAA title since 2008. Kelsey led the Cougars to a 20-game winning streak and landed Charleston in the top 25 for the first time in years.

Pat Kelsey also guided the Winthrop Eagles to a 23-2 record, including a school-record 21-game winning streak, a Big South tournament championship, and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Kelsey was charged with a similar scenario with the Louisville Cardinals program, as UofL was considered floundering in previous years. However, Kelsey’s winning 18 of 19 games and establishing two major win streaks may be a premonition that the Cardinals are on track to earn the ACC regular season title.

Pat Kelsey’s history indicates that when his team has extended winning streaks, he frequently brings hardware to the program. The Cardinals have never won an ACC Tournament crown, and Kelsey’s victory run suggests he wants to put his name in the program’s history once more.

The Cardinals face Stanford at home, while Duke travels to UNC tomorrow night to face the Tar Heels.

The Cardinals’ winning streak at Louisville is more than simply luck; it demonstrates the program’s success. History implies that Kelsey and the Cardinals’ victory run has them set up for a ring ceremony. Cardinals supporters, gather your popcorn because this team’s sky is the limit.

Reyne Smith talks on his friendship with Pat Kelsey ahead of Louisville basketball’s senior day

Louisville basketball sharpshooter Reyne Smith, the only player on the squad who has spent all four years under coach Pat Kelsey, will have an emotional senior day.

Smith, who is from Tasmania, has always had a talent for shooting the ball. Kelsey has helped him become perhaps the greatest in Division I this season.

This is the narrative of Smith falling in love with the game, meeting Kelsey, and forming a friendship that will endure their entire lives.

Pat Kelsey’s pause revealed more about his connection with Reyne Smith than the accolades the Louisville basketball coach bestowed upon the Australian player.

“He’s a winner,” Kelsey told reporters during the Cardinals’ season-opening exhibition against Young Harris College in October. “Sometimes, people mistake him for what Skip Prosser used to call’suburban jump shooters.'” That is not Reyne.

“That’s his deal — and he shoots the blood out of the ball — yet he’s tough as nails and appears on every single scouting report. He is always precisely where he is supposed to be. It’s almost like having another assistant coach because he understands what we do and how to execute it so effectively. He’s a selfless guy who puts the team first.”

Then comes the pause. Perhaps Kelsey was reminded of the day Smith committed to play for him at Winthrop, when he jumped into the pool at his Rock Hill, South Carolina, home after getting the news. Perhaps it was a realisation of how much time had gone — or that concentrating solely on the next item in front of him would not avert the inevitable.

“It’s a shame I only get to coach him for one more year,” he told me. “Because he’s a joy.”

With a crowded senior day versus Stanford at the KFC Yum! Centre on Saturday, Kelsey is likely to say the same thing about players on his debut U of L roster. Smith’s family travels from Tasmania to accompany him to Denny Crum Court, which will have a different impact.

“He’s like a son to me,” Kelsey said after a Feb. 16 win against Notre Dame. Smith became only the third player in school history to hit 100 shots from beyond the arc in a season.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Smith told The Courier Journal later that night. “It’s starting to feel a little more real: It’s coming to the end.”

Smith, of course, is the only Card who has spent his whole four-year college career with Kelsey and his crew. He was the first to transfer in last March, only hours after the coach named his renovation “The ReviVILLE” on X, previously Twitter. All he’s done since then is improve his skills and become a fan favourite, making umbrella hats a must-have accessory in the student section.

“It’s kind of emotional to see the success he’s had this year; because he came with me from Charleston,” Kelsey elaborated. “He’s better here than he was there—and he was really excellent there. It’s absolutely amazing to see, and it’s a credit to hard effort.”

This is the story of Smith discovering basketball, his shot, Kelsey, and a second family.

He’s always been able to shoot it.

During an interview on The C.L. Brown Show in January, Smith revealed that he began playing Australian rules football as a child in Ulverstone. He started playing basketball in first grade and remained with it because of the individuals it made him close to.

A wise decision; by his early teens, he was competing in a national championship competition. His coach was Louisville assistant Michael Cassidy, a fellow countryman who is new to coaching.

“I should find a photo,” Cassidy told The Courier Journal last summer. “The guy is tiny and little, but he’s always been able to shoot it.

“We’ve always joked about how we can’t stay away from one other. It’s been like four separate programs.”

When Smith placed second in made 3-pointers during the week-long contest, he decided to dedicate himself to the sport in the hopes of one day being Australia’s best marksman. He spent a lot of time on YouTube, namely viewing a Sports Science video on Klay Thompson’s jumper, and worked hard in the gym.

 

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Smith informed Paul Rogers of the Cardinal Sports Network that he was confidence in his ability to shoot the ball after setting the Cardinals’ single-game record of 10 three-pointers against SMU on January 21. “I work way too hard to even think twice about my shot.”

“There are very few people I’ve ever coached,” she added, “who are as invested in their game as he is.”

Cassidy eventually came knocking with an invitation to play for the elite Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. It was founded in 1981 to improve the country’s prospects of winning an Olympic medal, and it has produced basketball players like Andrew Bogut and Patty Mills.

Smith was determined to advance his game to Division I level, so this was a no-brainer; he moved away from home at the age of 17. Since then, the distance has only increased.

“My mom’s like my biggest fan and wants me to chase my dreams,” she remarked. “She hates seeing me leave; but she knows that this is something I love to do.”

‘Comfortable’

Kelsey had success recruiting at the Australian Institute of Sport (Xavier Cooks) before to Smith’s arrival, developing contacts with coaches along the way. When the young guard began to build a reputation for himself, they contacted the Cincinnati native on his behalf.

“I’ve always loved watching Reyne play,” said Washington Wizards assistant Adam Caporn, who was the senior teacher at the institute’s Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence while Smith and Cassidy were there. “(He) can play anywhere and help a team anywhere with that level of shooting and toughness.”

Kelsey offered Smith two things if he committed to Winthrop. The first was that, in accordance with Australian customs, he would not have to address him as coach. The second move was the aforementioned backflip into his pool.

“I didn’t think anything of it,” Smith said. “When I called him to say I was committing, I kind of forgot about it.”

Kelsey then raced outside, flipped his phone camera around, and asked his son, Johnny, to record him diving into the lake while wearing his clothing.

“I’m like, ‘Oh my God,'” Smith explained. “Coaches with so much enthusiasm are hard to come by in Australia. “It was quite funny.”

 

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Kelsey have great expectations for Smith. When his signing became official, the coach stated, “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him; but I believe he could be Winthrop’s next great Australian.” However, that never materialised. Instead, he followed him and Cassidy to Charleston, where he broke the program record for most 3-pointers made in a game twice as a junior, finishing with 1,212 career points on 37% shooting from distance.

Smith praised Kelsey and his team for making him feel at ease during his adjustment to life in America. That’s one of the reasons he was so eager to join what they were creating in Louisville. Despite receiving offers from other institutions through the NCAA transfer site last spring, he chose not to pursue them.

“Especially during holidays like Thanksgiving (or) Christmas, PK’s always stressing to make sure that I’m OK and I’ve got something going on; and, if not, I can always come to his house,” Smith informed me.

“That’s what’s been so amazing for me: him underlining how welcome I am to come over anytime I want, and a variety of other staff members stating that if I ever need a home-cooked dinner, I can come over. Things like those simply make it feel so much simpler, and you feel a lot more at ease in that setting.”

‘It won’t endure forever.’

Smith, who had lived and breathed Kelsey’s culture for three years, came into the 2024-25 season as an expert at maintaining a forward-thinking attitude. But he was also acutely aware of the wider picture: time was of the essence.

“You kind of go in every day just with a different appreciation,” Smith claimed, “and understanding that it’s not lasting forever.”

Smith, as Kelsey mentioned after the Notre Dame win, had a smooth adjustment from the Coastal Athletic Association to the ACC. Entering March, he was nine 3s away from breaking his career high of 112 from 2023-24 and 19 shy of overtaking Taquan Dean’s 122 from 2004-05 for the top place in the U of L record book.

“His light is neon,” Kelsey explained. “Name a (shade) of green that’s greener than green and he’s got it.”

“When a play gets called for him, and you’re on the end of the screen, you just really want to do your job,” said sophomore forward James Scott, who played with Smith at Charleston before following him to the Cards. “Because you know that, if you do your job and he gets any type of space, he’s going to hit the shot.”

 

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Smith’s 3.71 triples per game stood second in DI entering March and, if he continues at this rate, will be the highest by an ACC player since JJ Redick averaged 3.90 for Duke in 2005-06. He was also on track for the second-best conversion rate from outside the arc of his career, at 38.5%. Then there were his career-best 81 rebounds and career-low 20 turnovers.

“He’s a really good all-around player,” Kelsey explained.

Although he will soon leave Kelsey & Co. behind, Smith’s playing career is far from done. Snipers with his range are likely to find a home in the professional ranks, and he should be called upon to represent Australia in international events, including as the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup. But when the ball stops bouncing, he wants to be a coach. He replied that teaching the game is too much pleasure to give up totally.

“He’s a great leader; he’s unbelievably bright basketball-wise; he’s got a dynamic personality,” Kelsey told me. “I’ll try to talk him out of this ridiculous racket, but what’s in your blood stays in your blood. Typically, you have no control over the situation.”

Kelsey’s regimen is also having an impact on him.

“I’m forever in debt to this staff for what they’ve done for me — for not only my basketball career but also for me as a person; kind of shaping my life so, when I leave the program, I’m not only a better basketball player but also a better man,” Smith said. “They always talk about how proud they are of me, but the feeling’s mutual.”

Brooks Holton, a Louisville men’s basketball reporter, may be reached at bholton@gannett.com and followed on X at @brooksHolton.