5. Louisville (5-0)
The transformative effort at Louisville has been on full display under Pat Kelsey and it’s becoming more and more evident with each passing week. The Cardinals really jumped into the national eye with last week’s win over rival Kentucky as that elite offense just keeps churning out wins and great performances. Even though the offense didn’t play at the same level, the Cardinals proved themselves in a different way this week.
This team went on the road for the first time and came back with a victory, knocking off Cincinnati 74-64 on Friday night. Their first action in nearly a week was the first game they didn’t score at least 96 points, but the defense picked up the slack. Ryan Conwell starred with 25 points while freshman Mikel Brown Jr. stood out with his 22-point, 6-assist effort over the Bearcats.
Now winners of five in a row to kick off the season, Louisville arguable has national title aspirations if they can keep playing basketball this way. There’s still a lot of game to be played and a few bitter ACC rivals standing in their way, but this offense has been outstanding and it’s all about how the season comes together for Kelsey and this group. While many teams have holiday tournaments next week, the Cardinals stay comfortable at home against Eastern Michigan and NJIT.