LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The latest Bluegrass showdown appeared to feature more fans dressed in Kentucky blue than Louisville Cardinal red, and the visitors made themselves heard as the No. 9 Wildcats rolled to another rivalry triumph in enemy territory.
Compared to expectations of a big blue wave for the state’s most anticipated game, the splashes of red around the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday night offered clues that Louisville fans haven’t totally abandoned the Cardinals’ tougher-than-expected rebuilding process. However, interest has dwindled with the arena near empty this season after head-scratching losses and off-court missteps by embattled second-year coach Kenny Payne have ratcheted the heat on him, to the point his job was speculated to be in serious jeopardy last weekend.
“We’ve been spoiled,” said Louisville fan and resident Nick Lococo, who attended Thursday’s game with wife Cera, proudly dressed in a Kentucky blue top.
“We’ve had great coaches for a number of decades. And to see the program where it is right now, it’s not it’s not something that I would have ever thought.”
Louisville athletic director Josh Heird offered some clarity on Payne’s status, telling WDRB-TV in a report on Friday that he would coach into the new year. Heird did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press, but an athletic department spokesman confirmed the report via text.
Sunday’s 85-63 rout of Pepperdine that recalled Louisville’s past dominance likely bought Payne some time. The Cardinals now aim to mine wins from a daunting Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, or those calls on social media and local sports radio shows to fire him figure to grow louder.
Louisville (5-7, 0-1 ACC) resumes conference play on Jan. 3 at No. 22 Virginia, a 12-day break that allows Payne and the Cardinals to reset. They enter with a 95-76 loss to ponder but also with an encouraging week to build on.
“For me, it’s more about how do I get this team better, how do I get them close together,” said Payne, who is 9-35 overall at his alma mater. “I feel like we are getting better. That’s been the focus and I’m just living on that.”
While Louisville’s win total surpassed last season’s historically bad 4-28 finish, growing pains remain for a program not far removed from being among the nation’s elite. The Cardinals rank in the lower half of several NCAA Division I statistical categories and have struggled on both ends of the floor despite a recruiting class rated in the top 10.
Louisville led then-No. 19 Texas before falling 81-80 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and Indiana late before falling. They’ve also lost this fall while favored against Chattanooga, DePaul and at home against Arkansas State. Losing 75-63 to the Red Wolves on Dec. 13 marked a low point on multiple levels, with the sprinkling of fans booing before leaving early.
Looking on that night was freshman forward Koron Davis, whose departure earlier that day highlighted the latest drama. The school had announced that Davis was transferring before the player tweeted that he hadn’t and even posted his grades. A subsequent release stated that Davis had been dismissed and Payne declined to elaborate after the game.
Payne revealed earlier this month that freshman Ty-Laur Johnson sat out the first half of a close win over Bellarmine because he didn’t have his compression tights. Last summer’s departure of five-star recruit Trentyn Flowers to play in Australia’s National Basketball League also raised scrutiny.
Kentucky coach John Calipari - under whom Payne spent 10 years as a Wildcats assistant and developer of big men before spending several seasons in the NBA - empathized with what he’s going through. The Hall of Famer also urged patience to let him see it through on and off the court.
“He’s got a really young team, and you’ve got to let them go do what he does,” Calipari said. “The players love him because they play for him. They never let go of the rope. I’m watching and I feel for him, but we went through it a couple years ago. The people get mean and nasty. They do, and that’s what you have to deal with in this profession.
“My guess is he’ll have this program within a year where everybody wants it. It’s just (that) the growing pains are miserable.”
Those pains help add perspective to Louisville’s best week this season.
Despite the obvious talent disadvantage against Kentucky, the Cardinals competed well for the first 10 minutes and even outscored the Wildcats by one after halftime. That indicates some player engagement, which is an important step.
Payne seeks sustainability over 40 minutes, though Louisville clearly needs a lot more to move the needle. His long-term prospects remain in question, but the Cardinals know he’ll be around for the time being.
“We’re still rocking with (Payne),” sophomore guard Skyy Clark said. “We have no control over what decisions are being made. … We’re going into conference play, that’s what we’re focused on and we have to control what we can control.”
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