Louisville will get its second measuring-stick sport of the younger season Wednesday when the Cardinals sq. off towards No. 14 Indiana within the opening spherical of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The 2 colleges, separated by simply 100 miles, will play one another in a neutral-site early season match for the second straight 12 months. Final season, the Hoosiers used a 13-2 run over the ultimate 3:38 to tug out a 74-66 win within the third-place sport within the Empire Traditional in New York.
The Cardinals (3-1) have gained two straight since dropping to then-No. 12 Tennessee 77-55. The final time they have been two video games over .500 got here in late January 2022. Louisville gained at dwelling Friday, beating Winthrop 76-61 regardless of a season-high 20 turnovers.
Coach Pat Kelsey employs a balanced assault and rotates a number of gamers all through the sport. No participant averages greater than 27.3 minutes per sport, and 5 common 10 or extra factors per sport. Louisville’s prime two scorers, guard Reyne Smith (14.8 factors per sport) and ahead Kasean Pryor (12.8), have but to start out a sport.
This would be the second journey to the Bahamas for Kelsey’s Cardinals. The crew performed within the Baha Mar Hoops Summer season League and registered two blowout victories.
After the Cardinals beat Winthrop on Friday, the first-year Louisville coach stated his squad has potential however nonetheless wants work. That stated, he added he is seen his crew, which returned just one walk-on from final season’s 8-24 crew, present important progress.
“All these guys come from elements far and wide, from completely different applications which have completely different terminology,” Kelsey stated. “Basketball is a common language, however everyone calls one thing one thing completely different. I believe now they’re form of getting within the groove the place they actually, actually know conceptually and from a terminology standpoint precisely what we do.”
The Hoosiers (4-0) didn’t want the wholesale roster modifications Louisville required within the switch portal as coach Mike Woodson had three starters return from final season. Ahead Mackenzie Mgbako, who began all 33 video games as a freshman in 2023-24, leads Indiana with 18.8 factors a sport. Myles Rice, a guard who performed at Washington State final season, ranks second with 14.8 factors.
Indiana final performed on Thursday, beating UNC Greensboro 69-58. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 17-3 lead, however the Spartans rallied to tie the rating at 40 simply 4 minutes into the second half earlier than Woodson’s crew pulled away for good.
“We have got to go and clear this sport up earlier than I begin fascinated by the Bahamas,” Woodson stated after the win.
Regardless of the vastly completely different roster from final season, Louisville may have some expertise enjoying towards the Hoosiers. Start line guard Chucky Hepburn performed the earlier three seasons for Wisconsin and earned All-Defensive Group honors within the Large Ten final season. In two video games final season towards Indiana, he scored 21 factors, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out eight assists and registered 5 steals.
–Area Stage Media
