Pat Kelsey shares many of the same offensive principles as Mark Pope, emphasizing pace, spacing, and dominating the three-point battle. Although Louisville has been short-handed this season, the team has focused heavily on three-point shooting. Unfortunately, they’ve struggled with accuracy—until Saturday night.
At Rupp Arena, Louisville found their shot, setting a new season-high with 14 three-pointers. Despite the impressive shooting display, the Cardinals couldn’t take the lead in the second half, ultimately falling to Kentucky 93-85 in a thrilling rivalry clash.
Louisville’s offense was efficient, posting 85 points in 70 possessions (1.21 points per possession). Chucky Hepburn (26 points) and Terrence Edwards Jr. (23 points) led the charge, with both players shooting well. However, Kentucky’s offense was even more potent, scoring 93 points in 68 possessions (1.37 points per possession).
Kentucky capitalized on their inside game, with 34 points in the paint on just 21 shots. They also connected on 11 three-pointers and added 18 free throw points. The Wildcats dominated the glass (41-31) and dished out 23 assists on 32 field goals. Lamont Butler (33 points), Otega Oweh (17 points), and Jaxson Robinson (12 points) led Kentucky’s balanced attack. Despite multiple 10-point leads in the second half, Kentucky couldn’t put Louisville away completely, thanks to the Cardinals’ hot shooting.
In the end, Kentucky withstood Louisville’s best punch and secured an eight-point win, though the Cardinals’ unexpected three-point success kept the game closer than anticipated. For a team ranked 329th in three-point shooting percentage, Louisville’s performance was a welcome surprise—but it wasn’t enough to knock off their archrival.
