Louisville’s start to 2026 hasn’t gone according to plan, and head coach Pat Kelsey is making it clear: that needs to change - fast. The No.
20 Cardinals have dropped three of their last four, including a frustrating 79-70 home loss to No. 16 Virginia, and they'll look to right the ship Saturday night when they travel to face Pitt in an ACC showdown.
The loss to Virginia was more than just a bad night - it was a wake-up call. Louisville never led, struggled to find rhythm offensively, and shot a season-low 35.8% from the field.
From deep, things weren’t any better: 10-of-38 from beyond the arc, good for just 26.3%. But what really had Kelsey fired up?
The defense - or lack thereof. The Cardinals surrendered a season-high 14 threes to Virginia, including a blistering 7-for-13 clip (53.8%) in the second half.
Kelsey didn’t sugarcoat it. He pointed to undisciplined play on the court and took accountability, saying that kind of performance starts with coaching.
“We got guys who are playing too many minutes right now,” he said after the game. “Some of the guys that aren't playing as many minutes need to step up and need to play better.”
Injuries and illness haven’t helped. Louisville has been without star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. for seven straight games due to a back injury.
Brown, averaging 16.6 points and 5.1 assists per game, is a dynamic playmaker and one of the top first-year players in the nation. His absence has been a game-changer for the Cardinals - and not in a good way.
Without Brown, Louisville’s offense has taken a noticeable dip. Through the first 10 games of the season, the Cards were putting up 94.3 points per game.
Since then? Just 77.1.
Their ball movement has suffered, with assists dropping from 19.7 to 14.4 per game. And the perimeter shooting has cooled off significantly - down from 37.5% to 29.3% from three.
Louisville was also missing Khani Rooths in the Virginia game, sidelined by illness. He’s been a valuable contributor off the bench, and his absence only tightened an already thin rotation. With depth stretched thin, Kelsey doesn’t have the luxury of pulling players who are struggling - he needs them to play through it and produce.
Ryan Conwell, who leads the team with 19.5 points per game - good for seventh in the ACC - had a tough night against Virginia. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting, clearly not at full strength after missing the previous game against Boston College with a knee issue.
On the other side, Pitt is trying to build some momentum of its own. The Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak - and a seven-game ACC home skid - with a dominant 89-66 win at Georgia Tech on Wednesday. It was one of their most complete performances of the season, shooting 53.1% from the field, their second-best mark of the year.
What stood out most? The bench.
Pitt got 39 points from its reserves, tying a season high. Brandin Cummings was the spark plug, leading the way with 23 points.
The 6-foot-3 guard has been a weapon off the bench all year, with previous outbursts of 34 and 29 points. Head coach Jeff Capel knows what he’s got in Cummings and wants the ball in his hands.
“We want to get him the ball, try to get him in space and allow him to make plays,” Capel said.
Freshman Nojus Indrusaitis also delivered, matching his season high with 16 points and drilling a season-best four threes. If Pitt can continue getting that kind of production from its second unit, they’ll be a much tougher out in conference play.
Saturday night’s matchup is more than just another ACC game. For Louisville, it’s a chance to hit the reset button and prove they can compete without their star freshman.
For Pitt, it’s an opportunity to build on a big road win and defend their home floor. Two teams trying to find consistency, one game that could swing the momentum in either direction.