By: Jason Krell
Sunday’s contest against division two foe, Lenoir-Rhyne gave Cardinal fans a first glimpse of what Kenny Payne and company have been building this offseason and what’s the come during the 2022-23 season.
The Issues
The Cards managed to hold a two-point lead heading into halftime but would get outscored 31-19 in the second half and shoot an abysmal 23% from the field. Leading all scorers was redshirt junior, Jae’Lyn Withers who is one of just seven returners on this Louisville roster.
The Kenny Payne era got off to a slow start with Sunday’s loss marking the end of a 39-game winning streak in exhibition games dating back to December of 2000 where Denny Crum and company fell 87-86 in double overtime to the Global Sports All-Stars.
Don’t Panic
Sure, fans are upset to lose to a small little school in Hickory, North Carolina, but fans shouldn’t be sweating just yet. This is Payne’s first year as a head coach at any level so there are bound to be some ups and downs. Payne took over this program with the knowledge that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to get this team back to where they know they can be.
Looking Forward
Additionally, the first game with a whole new roster and coaching staff is all but guaranteed to have a slow start on their first time hitting the court. Making open shots, rebounding, and defensive effort are all things that will come in time as the Cards continue to shake the rust off. They will have one more opportunity to get the screws tightened in an exhibition matchup against Chaminade on November 3rd before opening regular season play against across-town foe, Bellarmine on November 9th at 9 pm.
A rocky start certainly doesn’t predict the future but rather provides a benchmark for fans and players moving forward. Many Cards fans remain optimistic that Kenny Payne will turn this program around and contend as one of the top teams in the ACC and on the national stage.
