College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 8-24; 3-17, Last in the Atlantic Coast Conference, No Postseason

Head Coach: Pat Kelsey (First Year; had been 75-27 in three years at the College of Charleston, with two NCAA Tournament appearances)

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Chucky Hepburn – 6’2″, 190 Senior

G Koren Johnson – 6’2″, 175 Junior

W J’Vonne Hadley – 6’6″, 215 5th-year Senior

W Terrence ‘Fatt’ Edwards – 6’6″, 205 5th-year Senior

F Kasean Pryor – 6’10”, 225 5th-year Senior

Experienced Reserves

G Reyne Smith – 6’2″, 190 Senior

G Kobe Rodgers – 6’3″, 185 Senior

F Aboubacar Traoré – 6’5″, 205 Senior

F Noah Waterman – 6’11”, 230 5th-year Senior

F/C James Scott – 6’11”, 220 Sophomore

F/C Frank Anselem-Ibe – 6’10”, 220 5th-year Senior

Freshmen

F Khani Rooths – 6’8″, 205 / Top 50 recruit

So, exactly how long does it take to recover from a trainwreck? Asking for some Cardinals you may know. 

Things have been as bad as they’ve ever been in Louisville the past couple of years. Incredibly for one of America’s most brand-name hoops programs, the Cardinals are 40 games under .500 since the 2019-20 season came to a screeching halt. At times, things just haven’t seemed real, but the head-scratching decisions, bizarre headlines, and generally unimaginable discord of the program – especially the past two seasons – have been all too genuine for everyone who cares about the team. 

What a breath of fresh air, then, the past six months or so have been. Since the conclusion of last season, there have been some firings, some hirings, and a whole lot of player movement. The cliffnotes version reads thusly: former College of Charleston head coach Pat Kelsey has been brought in, every player who saw substantive minutes last year has gone, and a completely new rotation and style of play are being installed. Kelsey is coming off of back-to-back CAA title sweeps and NCAA Tournament appearances, and the final two teams he coached in Chucktown went a combined 58-12 while Louisville Old-Yeller’d their way to a 12-52 mark. 

Now that he’s in charge, Kelsey is establishing the high-scoring, dunk-hunting, three-point-heaving offense which was so entertaining with the Cougars running it. To ease the acclimation process, he brought three of the most promising players along from Charleston, and Kelsey has tossed a bunch of talented new faces in to see how they all fit together. The result looks like quite an intriguing blend, and with more talent on hand than he’s had at his previous stops, Kelsey’s entertaining approach may kick into a higher gear than ever before. 

So, is Louisville back? Grab hold of something and brace for a g-force reversal, because we’re all about to find out. 

Two of this team’s best players met in the NCAA Tournament last year, as Terrence ‘Fatt’ Edwards, Jr, and his James Madison Dukes had some fun at the expense of Chucky Hepburn and the Wisconsin Badgers. This time around, the veteran guards with complimentary skills will lead the Cardinals on both ends of the floor. 

“‘Fatt’ is the purest form of competitor…for someone who has accumulated a bevy of individual accolades, his sole focus is the team winning”

– Pat Kelsey

Fatt’s path to stardom has been a steady, comprehensively-constructed one. He’s averaged 13.5 points across the past three seasons, yet Edwards only became a full-time starter for JMU last winter. The former Sun Belt 6th Man of the Year put on quite a show as the main event a year ago, though. He scored the most points in the conference, averaged the fifth-most assists, and both took and made more free throws than any Fun Belt player while leading the Dukes to a 32-4 record, league tournament title, and a resounding upset of the Badgers among some other dubs you may have heard about. For his efforts, Fatt was named Sun Belt Player of the Year, and now his high-end skill and versatility will spark the Cards. 

“‘Fatt’ is the purest form of competitor,” Kelsey declared when Edwards pledged to Louisville. “For someone who has accumulated a bevy of individual accolades, his sole focus is the team winning…He’s a Swiss-army knife on the court and impacts the game in numerous ways.” Now that he’s a Cardinal, Edwards will get the chance to reach another new level as a leader on a power conference team. His outside jumper could stand to improve; when Edwards is scoring consistently from the perimeter, he becomes a particularly outstanding offensive player. The leaps he’s made as a passer should help immensely as well, as Edwards will draw defenders and then find open shooters in Kelsey’s attack. 

Finding guys is also a speciality for Hepburn, who has started since the first game of his college career and improved as a playmaker each season. He’s an extremely confident point guard who, like Edwards, gives instant credibility to the Louisville offense. Kelsey will feel confident giving him the keys to the car, as Hepburn very rarely makes a bad pass or careless decision. Last year, Hepburn ranked second nationally by handing out 3.4 assists for every turnover he committed in the halfcourt, per Synergy Sports. 

“Chucky is a winner who has started all 103 games in his college career. He brings a boatload of big game experience and has played in the postseason each of his three college seasons,” Kelsey announced upon Hepburn’s signing, calling him “A true point guard that affects the game on both ends of the floor and is an extension of the head coach while on the court.” A terrific on-ball defender, Hepburn was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defense team last winter. He also finished second in the league (and 18th nationally) with 73 steals, and figures to jump-start a whole lot of transition opportunities for the Cardinals. The biggest quirks for Hepburn a year ago were his rates from inside and outside the arc. While he turned in his best-yet effort in driving effectively towards the goal and sank 51.0% of his two-point shots, Hepburn plummeted from 68 made three’s and a 40.5% mark from downtown to a career-low 37 makes on 32.2% shooting. If Hepburn can figure out his three-point shot, he will be a complete threat at the point and the sort of rock-solid leader around whom a great team can be built. 

Kelsey found another stalwart veteran guard in Colorado transfer J’Vonne Hadley. A physical presence on the outside who is plenty capable of doing good work near the basket, Hadley plays considerably larger than his 6’6″ frame would suggest. He may not be the Cardinals’ top scoring threat, but it seems like there is nothing Hadley can’t do to help his team win. He shot 56.5/41.7/83.9% on two’s, three’s, and freebies last season, and Hadley was invaluable to the Buffs as a defender who could cover a wide range of guards, wings, and some forwards. Though he doesn’t shoot it from the outside all that often, Hadley keeps defenders honest, and his assertive slashes to the cup and effort on the glass can make him a mismatch. His importance was obvious in that he averaged 34.2 minutes per game and played the second-most total minutes in the Pac-12 last season, and Hadley ought to fill a similarly versatile and valuable role even on this deep Louisville team. 

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

-7.1 – Average Score Margin (312th)

54.6% – Opponent Effective FG Percentage (350th)

0.388 – Free Throw Attempts Per FG Attempt (36th)

37.2% – Opponent 3FG Percentage (347th)

0.868 – Assists Per Turnover (320th)

After winning the Pac-12’s 6th Man of the Year award last winter, Koren Johnson has also headed east towards the Falls of the Ohio River. The junior combo guard will look to provide instant and exciting offense to the Cardinals, and Johnson fits Kelsey’s ideal of a player who can create and finish plays. On a Washington team full of playmakers a year ago, Johnson was able to develop both parts of his game. In Louisville, he should be able to take a turn running point when Hepburn needs a breather, and Johnson will be another quality facilitator running alongside Hadley and Edwards. His defense isn’t immaculate, but Johnson’s speed and ability to change directions to cover for mistakes are advantages which help him pilfer the ball. 

Kelsey likes to play his whole rotation, allowing his guys to give maximum effort when they’re on the floor and exploit matchup advantages anywhere they can. Two of the top scorers for College of Charleston last year, Reyne Smith and Kobe Rodgers, will get the chance to show their new teammates what that approach is all about. 

One of the shootin’est ‘Strayans you’ll ever see, Smith rattled home at least 90 triples in each of the three years he spent as a Cougar. The veteran guard from Down Under owns a 37.0% career rate from distance, and last season was his best. With 112 made three’s, Smith ranked ninth nationally and gave C of C the sort of bombardier who could just about win a game by himself at times. He passes the ball well, avoids turnovers, and Smith stays in good position defensively. Jumping up to the ACC, though, he may be a bit of a glass cannon. Smith isn’t that big or an extraordinary athlete, and for a scorer without a multitude of facets, he tends to be boom-or-bust. Though he scored 20+ points eight times and had a pair of 30+ performances, Smith also scored seven points or fewer in ten games, including a pair of scoreless contests. As a bomber off the bench, Smith could be very dangerous – if he can find consistency. 

In his first season after moving up from Division II, Rodgers showed a variety of talents for C of C. A quality dribble-drive scorer who sets his buddies up when he sees the opportunity, Rodgers showed aptitude and audacity in attacking Division I. Like Smith, he wasn’t always the Cougars’ top scoring threat on a team which took turns. The advantages Rodgers will have in the race for minutes in this latest hop up in competition are his ability to score around the rim, defend a variety of guards, and create without needing to dominate the ball. He sank 68.3% of his 101 two-point tries near the basket last season, per Bart Torvik, and if Rodgers can become a more prodigious outside shooter, he should bring quality depth to help the Cardinals. 

Up front, Louisville isn’t really going to employ traditional, back-to-the-basket post players. Instead, Kelsey’s first team is full of bigs who can shoot the rock, run the floor as a herd, and, the plan goes, work together to wear out opponents. At the biggest spot are an old/young duo who will combine to play more of a supporting role. Frank Anselem-Ibe spent two years each at Syracuse and then Georgia, and he’ll bring plenty of experience as a backup center. He’s averaged just about three points and three rebounds per game each of the past three years, and Anselem-Ibe can protect the rim. He’s mobile, but Anselem-Ibe has sometimes struggled with fouls and turnovers. If he can play clean defense and keep on hitting the boards, the Cardinals’ many passers will find him with passes to cash in. 

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

vs Tennessee – November 9

N Gonzaga/West Virginia – November 28

N Indiana – November 27

Paradise Jam third game – November 29

vs Ole Miss – December 3

In his debut for Charleston, James Scott made an immediate impact. A CAA All-Freshman pick last year, Scott proved that he can protect the rim and hit the glass at both ends of the floor. Oh, and he knows what to do when he’s within arm’s reach of the rim. Of the 73 baskets he made last season, 52 of them were dunks, and Scott converted a sensational 79.2% of his total field goal tries. With his move to the ACC as a sophomore, the name of the game for Scott will be refining his skills. He’s got the size, instincts, and athleticism to succeed at the high major level, but Scott only averaged 16 minutes per game in the CAA and in some ways, will need to prove himself all over again. As far as developmental prospects go, though, there’s a lot to like about Scott. 

The Cardinals will be playing their forwards more often than Anselem-Ibe and Scott because the forwards are floor-stretchers, and Kelsey loves his guys to shoot it. It’s expected that Kasean Pryor will be the top dog following a big season for South Florida. He took a winding journey to that breakout, having started out at Boise State before a stint in junior college. 

“Kasean is one of the most skilled big men in the country,” Kelsey enthused this summer. “His ability to stretch defenses with his shooting and passing abilities makes him a nightmare matchup for the opposition. He plays with a passion and swagger that galvanizes the team.” A quality scorer who can get buckets from all three levels, Prior improved throughout his season at USF. He was instrumental in getting the Bulls running in AAC play, and over the team’s final 20 games last year,  Pryor averaged 15.4 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 41.3% from the land of trey. He posted a dozen double-doubles on the year, and Pryor does a very good job of cleaning the defensive glass. He can protect the rim but is far from an intimidator defensively, and Pryor will need to show that he can hold his own against the ACC’s top big men if he’s to play the most minutes of Kelsey’s big guys. 

Operating in BYU’s five-out sets last year, Noah Waterman posted the best full season of his career. The well-traveled forward is a good shooter who has always been a three-point threat. He owns 167 career triples along with a 38.9% rate from deep, and at 6’11”, there aren’t many people who can bother Waterman’s shots from the outside. He started 33 games, sank 57 deep balls, and was instrumental in the Cougars becoming one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country last winter. Having seen the Big 12, Kelsey hopes that Waterman will play with a bit more physicality on defense this winter. He shot 73.3% near the rim last year, and if Waterman keeps on finishing plays on strong cuts to the rim, Louisville will have a pair of very difficult forwards for most frontcourts to cover. Waterman’s BYU teammate, Aly Khalifa, has signed with the Cardinals as well. He will bring fantastic passing savvy to the frontcourt and help to invert Kelsey’s offense…next year, that is. Khalifa is rehabbing a knee injury and will redshirt this winter. 

A couple of intriguing forwards will round out the Louisville rotation. The past couple of years at Long Beach State, Aboubacar Traoré has been one of America’s most versatile players. A first-team All-Big West performer last season, Traoré averaged 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and more than a block and a steal per contest. He posted a triple-double in the conference tourney against UC Riverside, helping to lead LBSU to the NCAA Tournament, and for his efforts, Traoré was named the Big West tournament MVP. So…how much of that productivity can be translated to the ACC? Traoré is a very physical perimeter player and fights fiercely in the paint, and occasionally his vast array of skills are too much for a defense to really neutralize. It’s likely that he won’t be quite the same type of every-game star in Louisville that he was out west, but Traoré simply does too many things well to expect that he won’t help the Cardinals out. 

The team’s lone freshman this year is Top 50 recruit Khani Rooths. A multi-talented forward out of the DMV area, Rooths was once considered a 50/50 proposition to sign with Michigan or Georgia, but instead he ended up with Louisville. Like Traoré, the youngster can shoot, drive, pass, and rebound – and Rooths has a 6’8″ frame to pair with those attributes. He hasn’t been the most consistent player up to this point, but Rooths will be surrounded by solid veterans who should help him grow. As he gets stronger and becomes more comfortable reading the action, Rooths has real potential to emerge as a do-it-all frontcourt player, and Kelsey should be able to put him into positions to succeed. 

There is hope once again in Louisville, and that’s got to feel great following the doldrums of the past couple of seasons. In Kelsey, the Cardinals have landed an energetic coach who employs a fun, creative style of play which should attract lots more outstanding talent as time goes on. There are quite a few players on this team who will have to prove a thing or two, but the competition such efforts will breed should only make this group better overall. The sleeping giant is stirring, and life is about to get tougher for the rest of the ACC. Don’t call it a comeback, though. What has begun in the ‘Ville looks a whole lot like that elusive ‘culture change’ that hopeful folks are forever clichéing about. It may take a few weeks to get things rolling, but Kelsey has his flock pointed in the right direction, and a return to high-end success is in their immediate future.