Louisville cracking the top 25 wasn’t exactly on my preseason bingo card.
Honestly, just winning double-digit games felt like a stretch given what we’ve seen from the Cardinals in recent years. This is a team that went 6-14 in ACC play in 2022, followed by a brutal 2-18 mark in 2023 and 3-17 in 2024. Finishing anywhere but dead last in the conference would’ve been a step in the right direction.
Enter Pat Kelsey. Louisville fired Kenny Payne at the end of last season and brought in Kelsey from Charleston, where he built a winning program over the last three seasons. He wasted no time reshaping the roster, bringing in 13 new players—12 from the transfer portal—and in less than a year, he’s pulled off one of the most impressive turnarounds in college basketball.
Picked to finish ninth in the ACC preseason poll, the Cardinals have blown past expectations. With four regular-season games left, they’re 21-6 overall and 14-2 in ACC play, tied with Clemson for second in the conference and just one game behind Duke. They’re also two wins away from breaking the program record for ACC wins (15, set in 2019-20) and just one victory shy of securing a 14-game improvement from last season, which would also set a school record.
A big reason for Louisville’s resurgence? The trio of Wisconsin transfer Chucky Hepburn, Charleston transfer Reyne Smith, and James Madison transfer Terrence Edwards Jr. Hepburn has been a steady floor general, Smith provides lights-out shooting, and Edwards Jr. brings a scoring punch that’s helped fuel the Cardinals' rise.
As fun as this season has been, an ACC title isn’t likely in the cards—Louisville already lost to Duke once, and the Blue Devils (-1000) remain heavy favorites at BetMGM. The Cardinals sit at +1200 behind Clemson (+1000), and their national title hopes are a long shot at 100-1.
The bigger question? Whether Kelsey can keep this momentum rolling. With four of five starters set to graduate, he’ll have to reload the roster again this offseason. But after what he’s done in year one, it’s hard to imagine Louisville slipping back to the bottom of the ACC anytime soon.
Related
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.