6. Louisville (4-0)
The difference between Louisville before and after the hiring of Pat Kelsey was like night and day for this program. Stuck in purgatory, the Cardinals looked the part of a team on a rise last season and have been impressive early again this year. After all Kelsey and his staff put together another strong transfer class, added a few key freshmen, and have a team they believe came make national waves just a few months from now.
They made their first big wave of the season with an electric effort on Tuesday, winning 96-88 over rival Kentucky. That brilliant offensive showing gave them a Top 10 win, with 29 points from Mikel Brown Jr. and 24 out of Ryan Conwell. Another great offensive performance came in Saturday’s 106-81 victory against Ohio. Conwell led the charge with 22 points and 6 rebounds while Brown added 19 points and 7 assists over the Bobcats.
The Cardinals have a very talented lineup and the offense has been firing basically on all cylinders. Will this team continue averaging over 100 points per game? The answer is probably not yes, but between Brown and Conwell and the rest of the lineup there’s definitely the talent to be a national contender. Louisville’s first test away from home comes next week at Cincinnati.