9. Louisville Cardinals
After a first-round tournament exit, Louisville retools with Isaac McKneely (Virginia) and Ryan Conwell (Xavier). Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. could be a breakout star for coach Pat Kelsey’s reenergized program.
Kelsey felt the program deserved better following 18 wins in the ACC. But, the tournament did not prove that theory, as they had a tough time slowing down the dynamic Creighton Blue Jays offense in the first game of the tournament.
It was a strong first season for Kelsey, and with the Cardinals back inside the Top 10 to start the season, the basketball-rich blood of Louisville seems to be on the way back. The Cardinals welcome J’Vonne Hadley back after scoring 12.2 points per game. Sanada Fru could be a wildcard for this team, as he brings his international flavor to the squad.
The Cardinals will get started with their 2025-26 season on November 3rd as they host South Carolina State.
- Head Coach: Pat Kelsey (2nd season)
- Home Arena: KFC Yum! Center; Louisville, KY
- 2024-25 Record: 27-8
- 2024-25 Conference Record: 18-2
- 2024-25 Advancement: Reached NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals after falling to Duke in the ACC title game picked up an 8 seed and fell to No. 9 Creighton 89-75 in the first round.
- Leading scorer: Terrence Edwards Jr., 16.7 per game
- Leading rebounder: J’Vonne Hadley, 7.3 per game
- First Game: Monday, November 3rd, 2025 vs. South Carolina State
Add us as a preferred source on Google