By Derek DeBurger
Louisville will come back home to play the New Mexico State Aggies on Sunday.
The Aggies are not a very talented team and are coming off of a turbulent 2022-2023 season that was canceled mid-season due to off-the-court turmoil.
This was a game scheduled in the offseason to provide an easy win for the Cards. After a rocky start to the year, it looked like it might be more of a toss-up, but after the strong showing in New York, this is back to looking like a game the Cards should dominate.
The question is which Louisville team will show up? The Cards showed that they have the talent to compete with top-25 ranked teams — that is, if they play with hustle. Over the past two seasons, the Cards have proven that they can lose to anyone, too.
That’s what this game (and every game going forward) depends on. There are small details here and there — more specific issues head coach Kenny Payne could work on with his team — but if they don’t play hard no matter the opponent none of it matters.
Ty-Laur Johnson showed that he needs to play at the point for this team. I like Skyy Clark a lot, and I think he and Johnson are great on the court together, but Johnson is just a more natural point guard than Clark is.
The team should also prioritize getting Brandon Huntley-Hatfield more touches in the paint, which is something that Payne has been calling for since he took the job. Huntley-Hatfield has shown dramatic improvement over last season, and his motor is almost always on—something that could not be said about him last year. Huntley-Hatfield is a guy that is best when he can get going on offense early and gain some confidence.
I’m far more optimistic about the outlook of the season now than just one week prior. I’m expecting a win over the Aggies, but I’m cautiously optimistic about which team will show up to play them.
