The Louisville men’s basketball team kicked off its first season under head coach Pat Kelsey with a commanding win, defeating Morehead State 93-45 on Monday night at the KFC Yum! Center.
“I’m really proud of our team,” Kelsey said after the game. “They played with incredible effort and executed the game plan with precision. Over the last few days, they’ve been laser-focused on preparing for this matchup, just like they were for our previous games. We have a veteran group that takes preparation seriously. Now, we’re turning our attention to a huge game on Saturday against an excellent, well-coached team. It’s a tremendous opportunity, and we’re excited for it.”
The Cardinals seized control early with an 18-3 surge that lasted nearly nine minutes, building a 27-8 lead. The run featured three 3-pointers from Kasean Pryor, Chucky Hepburn, and J’Vonne Hadley. Louisville ended the first half on a 10-1 run, going into the break with a 41-14 advantage—the largest halftime lead of the game.
Louisville’s defense was stifling throughout the first half, allowing Morehead State to make just three of their 28 field goal attempts. The 14 points scored by the Eagles marked the first time Louisville held an opponent under 20 points in a half since November 25, 2020, when they limited Evansville to 16.
The second half saw more dominance from Louisville, highlighted by two 8-0 bursts. The first spanned just 85 seconds and pushed the Cardinals ahead 60-23. Later, Reyne Smith knocked down consecutive three-pointers during another 8-0 run, extending the lead to 50 points with just over three minutes left in the game.
The Cardinals’ defensive effort was relentless, holding Morehead State to just 23.1% shooting from the field and forcing 21 turnovers while committing only five themselves. The Eagles managed to convert just 12 field goals the entire game.
Pryor led the way for Louisville with his first double-double as a Cardinal, recording 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Hadley added 15 points, and Smith chipped in with 12. For Morehead State, Kenny White Jr. was the leading scorer with 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
Louisville’s impressive season opener sets the stage for a much-anticipated matchup this Saturday against a highly respected opponent at the Yum! Center.
