Cardinals Win 71-39 Despite Poor Outside Shooting

Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey described Wednesday night’s game as a tractor pull rather than a race, a characterization that stuck because his team struggled from deep but won comfortably. The Cardinals defeated Mercyhurst 71-39 at the KFC Yum! Center, securing a 32-point victory despite offensive woes. They made just two three-pointers in 13 attempts, a stark drop from their performance at Kansas the previous week.

The Cardinals’ outside game faltered for two primary reasons. Mercyhurst switched its perimeter defense frequently, disrupting rhythm, while Louisville turned the ball over 17 times. That number represented roughly a quarter of the team’s total possessions. Kelsey noted that many turnovers were careless, stating, “A lot of them were us just throwing the ball to the other team.”

Despite the offensive stagnation, the Cardinals controlled the game through physicality. They outscored Mercyhurst 56-14 in the paint and outrebounded the visitors 51-32. Obinna Ekezie Jr. blocked four shots, leading a team total of seven. The Louisville bench also outscored the Mercyhurst bench 33-4, contributing significantly to the final margin. These interior advantages allowed the Cardinals to win even while missing open looks from distance.

Mercyhurst’s strategy focused on slowing the game down, utilizing a complex set of 4,000 plays with counters for every move. Kelsey admitted the visitors were missing several key players, but their defensive system limited Louisville’s scoring opportunities. The Lakers shot 23.9 percent from the field, scoring on roughly one quarter of their possessions. Kelsey’s staff aimed to hold opponents to 0.81 points per possession, and the Cardinals achieved a rate of 0.57, a metric that pleased the coach more than any offensive statistic.

Flory Bidunga emerged as the catalyst in the second half. After a sluggish first half where Louisville led 30-21 at the break, Bidunga scored eight points in the first three minutes of the second half. He dunked on the opening possession and again 40 seconds later, igniting a 12-3 run. He finished the game with 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting and nine rebounds, five of which were offensive. Kelsey said he challenged Bidunga at halftime, and the forward responded by setting the physical tone for the rest of the contest.

Kelsey has prioritized defense and rebounding since June, calling it a strategic bet for this roster. He hired John Andrzejek to run a new defensive system that focuses on angles and positioning against ball screens. Kelsey described Andrzejek as obsessed with the details, noting that he “eats, sleeps and drinks it.” This approach contrasts with last season’s team, which took more than half its shots from three-point range. The current group includes players like Bidunga, Seth Trimble, and Ekezie who can defend, rebound, and protect the rim.

Trimble finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, describing defense as “fun.” Kelsey acknowledged the team’s struggles with free-throw shooting, going 9-of-17, and a lack of urgency in the first half. However, he viewed the second-half performance as proof that the team could win without elite outside shooting. The Cardinals won the fast-break points 12-2, leveraging their athleticism when the perimeter defense tightened. This victory marks the second exhibition of the season, following a win at Kansas, and sets the stage for upcoming conference play in November.