Louisville can’t catch up to Creighton, makes early exit from NCAA tournament
Updated: 4:41 PM EDT Mar 20, 2025
I’d like to congratulate Coach McDermott and uh Creighton. They played very well today. They were the better team today, played in *** very, very tough environment being right down the road from our school, so give them *** lot of credit. Uh, proud of our guys. It’s been *** long journey since June 5th when these guys first came together for summer school. Um, zero scholarship players built the entire team in *** very, very short amount of time. Uh, they meshed quickly. We asked them to love each other from day one. These guys went all in with everything they had, with everything I asked them to do, uh, for 10 months and for the rest of my life and for the rest of my career, I’ll remember this group is one of the most special groups that I’ve ever coached. Uh, they’re tough, they’re savvy, they’re veteran, uh, they’re smart, hardworking, dedicated, um, just been *** special, special group. I told them in there. You know, It’ll hurt bad today, it’ll hurt for the next several days. Uh, it’ll hurt for *** while, you know, but when they eventually are able to have perspective and get above the trees on what they’ve done and what they’ve accomplished, they’ve done some special, special things. OK, questions for the student athletes, please raise your hand. Third row on the right, please. Josie Simpson with the Louisville Cardinal, whenever you saw that rain had fallen down again and gotten hurt, what was your reaction to that? And did you kind of have *** feeling that he wasn’t 100% yet? Terrence, can you start? Um, Our hearts goes out in the rain. Um, we already knew he wasn’t 100%, but what he did today is something I remember forever. Um, he put his, he sacrificed his body, put his body on the line tonight for us so we can come to try to come out with the wind and, um, you know how much we needed him. I’m his roommate in the hotel. I see how much he’s grinding in treatment and trying to get 100%. He never not once told me that, um. He wasn’t OK. um, I always ask him like, you good? You sure you’re good? And he just always responded above the line and always told me even though I knew he was hurting, but yeah, I’m just so proud of him and um and he’ll get back right for sure and um yeah, what he did for us today is something that will go *** long way outside of basketball. We have *** question, uh, 4th row here on the left. Uh, Peyton Titus Courier Journal, uh, seemed like at first Creighton kind of commanded the pain and then had *** barrage of threes for Terrence or Devon, whoever wants to answer. What were they doing to disrupt you guys defensively, do you think? Gervon, can you start Um, I would just say in the first half, uh, maybe we got *** little bit frustrated. Um, they’re physical with us, um. We just couldn’t uh get to our spots uh where we wanted to get to. And I think it kind of just uh frustrated us *** little bit. Um, and, you know, as *** veteran core, *** veteran group, we definitely had to do *** better job of, um, you know, keeping our cool and Um, necessarily taking better shots, um, cause you know, some of those bad shots that we did take kind of led to the transition, um, cause, you know, they have the, the big guys just sitting down there and grabbing those rebounds and then just kicking it out for uh transition three. So definitely, um, uh, as *** veteran cops, we had to do *** better job of um just being sound. Third row here on the left. Uh, Javon, if you could just, uh, haan Meyers, wake up 502, Big X Sports Radio. Um, just talk about, you know, you’ve, you’ve guys have been playing against big teams, uh, Stanford and Clemson and Duke. Um, how did, did Creighton compare to that in terms of getting ready and the fight down there today? Yeah, I mean, um, like you mentioned, we’ve played *** couple bigs to his caliber with the size and physicality. Um, the thing that Creighton does *** really good job of is, um, you know, surrounding him with really good shooters and, um, you know, they exploited us in *** transition. So, um, you know, they were getting their shots up and they were hitting tonight and, you know, while having ***, *** big uh center like him on the inside is *** kind of *** really good mix and tonight they were, you know, hitting those three, so, um, they just, they were the better team tonight. Back row on the right, please. Mr. Tony Kwa Swar today for the Javon and and Terrence. What were they showing you that they, that you hadn’t seen on film all season and how would this season be remembered for the, for the games before this or for this game? Um, I can say this season is remembered for all the games combined from, from the beginning, um, the adversity we faced early in the year with the losses and, um, some of my key players go down in, in, in the year and then, and this team just rallied together and never had an excuse of anything. We went to practice, it was no excuse and uh it was the next man up mentality. I’ve never been *** part of nothing like that and um. And I’m walking away from this with *** good attitude and um the things that Coach PK um brought to me in my life and um I think it’s gonna help me be *** better father and um and moving forward I know I’m fine going into this pro thing because all the adversity I faced this year and and my life just gonna make me better. Javon. I would say um you know Creighton’s nothing we haven’t really seen. Um, we’ve seen Biggs to his caliber, um, you know, stand for big and the physicality with Cal and um you know Crane’s nothing we haven’t really seen. They were just, we let them get open looks tonight and they knocked him down. So Crane’s nothing. I mean that’s credit to them. They were knocking down shots tonight. 2nd row on the left. Ethan Molo Sports Live. Gentlemen, um, when do you think you guys will fully appreciate what you’ve done for the program in the city to bring, um, Cardinal basketball back to where it’s expected year in, year out. Terrence, can you start? Um, it’s gonna take time for sure. Just we didn’t finish how we really wanted it and feel like we work for more and you know we just gotta take *** couple of days off and you know get with family or whatever anybody do after the season. We got like you said, we got vets that’s been through this before and um I just think you just gotta, it might take *** week, *** month you just never know just depending because this was just some special so it’s kind of hard to just just shove it off and move on um something that’s next. Yeah, I would say it’s definitely gonna take *** little bit of time, but um you know, right away, one thing that we really can appreciate, um, without *** doubt, it’s just our fan base. Um, you know, just, I’ve never seen *** send off like that. I mean, just at our hotel, we have *** couple of, you know, 1000 of our fans just waiting there, um, waiting to send us off to, you know, our 1st March Madness game. Um, you know, that’s, that’s next level. I’ve, I’ve never seen that. I’m not sure any other team has either, so that’s just *** credit to our, our, our amazing fan base and um we definitely appreciate that and we, we just wanna make sure that we show our gratitude to, you know, our amazing fan base and you know they shout out, showed out here today at Rupp Arena. Um, you know, it’s just, um, it really hurts our hearts that we couldn’t, you know, come out with *** win for you guys. We appreciate uh the time for the student athletes. Uh, you guys can be excused. Thank you for your time. OK, questions for coach. Uh, 4th row here on the left. Cameron Drummond with the Lexington Herald Leader, Pat, I know you, you touched on this *** little bit in your opening statement, but just what this team meant, uh, not only to the foundation of this program, but just this special group of guys, uh, what do you think this did for, for what you want to set the foundation and build upon it for the future of Cardinal basketball? Yeah, um, it, it hurts really bad when it ends and it ends so abruptly. You, you, you prepare so hard, you work so hard every day, and you never think it’s gonna end. Um, and when it ends, it’s really, really hard. And when you’re looking at those guys in the locker room. They’re distraught, emotional, um, this flood of emotions comes through you too, and you just start thinking back to all the stuff you’ve been through, uh, with this group, and, um, You know, you realize how special it’s been and how special they are. Uh, we have the best fan base in the country and in my opinion, it’s not even close. You saw they packed this arena tonight. There were thousands of fans at our hotel before we left, and they’ve really, really rallied around this special group of young men. I hate it for our fans. I hate it for our fan base that we weren’t able to get it done today. These guys want it so bad, um. Give to give these fans what they deserve and that’s to put, you know, Louisville in the national spotlight in the national tournament, advancing in the national tournament. We just came up *** little short tonight. Um, but The disappointment of today is not gonna take away from the special season they had, uh, but like we said earlier, it’s gonna hurt for *** while. Second row on the right, please. Yeah, Pat, uh, Ben Baby with ESPN. Uh, can you just talk us through kind of the situation there at the end of the game? Uh, you seem to be frustrated, uh, what led to the technical and kind of what were you kind of displeased with that moment? I got frustrated and said something I shouldn’t have said, and he teed me up. You know, Far less than an ideal time to get *** technical, I realize that, so. It is what it is. Back row on the left, please. Jerry Eaves of eSports Radio, uh, Coach Kelsey, congratulations. Tremendous year. You carried yourself with grace and and integrity, and I just loved it. So I appreciate you being *** cardinal. Continue doing what you’re doing. Well, that means *** lot coming from *** legend like you, um. This is We talk about the great fan base we have, but this history we have is crazy. I mean, you’re part of *** national championship. We have all Americans galore, um, You know, and I came in as this kind of outsider that nobody really knew who I was and to, to get *** compliment like that from one of our former greats, uh, means the world to me. So thank you. These guys worked our butts off, their butts off every single day to make you guys proud. So thank you. Third row here on the left. Pat, it went from 3 to 15 within about *** minute and *** half there in the first half, and they, I don’t wanna say they dominated the rest of the game, but they were pretty, uh, uh, comfortable. Uh, did they just, I mean, everything they threw up there in that stretch just went in 4 straight 3s and uh obviously you knew they could do something like, yeah, that was *** huge stretch. I know it was early in the game, but that was *** 12-0 barrage that we, um, at the end of the day struggled to recover from. Uh, and they got them in *** bunch of different ways, but I think first and foremost, it started with transition, um. They binge score, as I like to call it. Um, we tell our guys, like, you can be on transition for 567 minutes, you relax for 1 2nd and ball gets out of the net or off the rim, gets in their hands, pitch ahead, they’re getting 3s, and then, you know, when they, when they missed them, they were getting second shots and they got *** couple of kick out 3s as well. So, um, That was *** big stretch. Our guys, you know, continued to battle, um. They’re *** very good team. They’re very well coached. They got one of the best centers in the country, got one, *** terrific point guard, um. Big kid, I always say numbers, this isn’t *** disrespect, but I, if I always say if we were playing the 96 Bulls, I would say 23 for Chicago, but 11 is *** load, um. Makes you make some really, really tough decisions on what you’re doing with pick and rolls because he’s one of the best lob threats in the country. And the shooting that they have around him, um, forces you to make tough decisions. We were, um, trying to drop the pick and roll and fight over the top and really be physical with the role. Um, And they were screening us and really turning the corner and get to the rim. So the adjustment we made was, you know, to start trying to be aggressive with the pick and roll and, and hedge more. And, um, you know, number one is *** surgeon, he can really pick you apart. Um, if you stay in *** low position to take away the role, he does *** good job of throwing back and find shooters. They got loose *** couple of times, but our guys continued to fight, um, you know, we cut it to 10 or 12, whatever what was when Uh, the knucklehead head coach got *** technical that didn’t help, but, um, Again, give them *** lot of credit. They were the better team today. Third row, you’re on the left still. Uh, Rashaw Myers, uh, wake up 502, BigX Sports Radio. Um, coach, if you could just talk about, I know you say that this is *** no excuse program, but you lose Cason, you lose Koren, you know, uh, rain goes down, you had Noah out for *** stretch. When you think back on it, second in the ACC, you make it to the ACC championship game with all of the adversity that this team faced, does that make it even more special what you guys were able to do this year? And all I can think about right now is that loss, um, and it hurts really, really bad because I wanted it so bad, our players wanted it so bad, our fan base wanted it so bad. I mean, they answered the call. There was so much red there, there was so much passion, there was so much noise. So all I can feel right right now is, you know, just the, the, the You know, that, and it hurts really, really bad. Um, there’ll come *** time when we’ll look back and you kind of appreciate *** little bit more, but now, now is not the time. You know, we got *** bunch of hurting guys in those locker room. We got *** bunch, some guys that will never put on *** jersey again, ever again. We got some guys that will go on and play professionally. I really like to think, and maybe this sounds like cliche and coach speak, but I really mean it. I think being *** part of this journey for the last 10 months, even if those guys were only In *** Louisville journey or uniform for 1 year, um, genuinely learn life lessons that are gonna make them better in every facet of their life moving forward. And that’s something I’m passionate about, my staff’s passionate about. We try to do 3 real quick, right here. And then 2 over here in the 2nd and 3rd row. Pat, you guys did ***, ***, ***, *** pretty quick job of putting together an impressive roster, uh, before the season started finding the right transfers and making sure that you found the guys who could love each other as you move forward with some of those guys now moving on, uh, could you speak *** little bit about your, your roster built for next year? Obviously you got some veterans coming back. You had *** freshmen in there. I mean that right now is not, not the time, you know, um. We’re excited about what we have coming back. We’ll, we’ll do *** great job in, in recruiting and in the transfer portal and, and, and, and put uh *** great team together that’s gonna compete for *** championship. I, I have all the confidence in the world that that is gonna happen. Um, that’s not for this press conference. I just Not for right now. 2nd and 3rd row here on the right. Pat, uh, Ben Baby with ESPN again. uh, Chuckie had *** really big first half. What were they doing maybe defensively in the second to make sure that he couldn’t have, uh, couldn’t get involved until maybe later on. Um, Ben, you’re since *** Bengals beat writer, right? So, yeah, big fan, um. So their defensive scheme is based around uh putting one of the best rim protectors in the country at the rim, and he doesn’t move much. And, you know, what they try to do is um really funnel everything to him. Whether it’s an off ball screen or whether it’s *** ball screen, it’s like, they just play on top of you and force you to go there. So, you know, in new age basketball analytics, the mid-range shot is one of the lower percentage shots in the game, although, uh, number 5 for them defied all human nature when it comes to basketball metrics today because That young man was shooting it in from the mid-range, and I give him *** ton of credit, tip the cap. He had an amazing game. I mean, he had 29, 12, 6 assists, and, uh, many of them were tough, tough shots. And I would say that about uh Creighton overall too, like every time that we it got *** little momentum. It was like *** dagger shot, whether it was number 11’s deep 3, whether it was number 1’s 3 from like, seemed like from, you know, uh, Uh I don’t know, another county down the road, that was *** big, big one. And then number 5 was hitting like tough dagger middies that were like, each time you turned around, you’re like, gosh. So, um, you know, they, they, they have *** lot of movement on offense. So Chucky, you know, exerts *** lot of energy chasing number one around. He never stops moving and neither does Chucky either. Those are really, really good matchup and *** good battle. But, um, You know, try to do *** little bit better job with our ball movement, people movement in the second half, because in the first half, it was, it was much more dribble dribble because we’re setting middle pick and rolls and they’re forcing us down to the giant, and we were attacking him, getting some mids and getting some shots at the rims. So I thought we did *** better job and our percentages reflect that in the second half of, of, um, having more fluidity and more movement, cutting and screening to our offense. Last question. Uh, Josie Simpson with the Louisville Cardinal. Coach Kelsey, what was your thought process when you saw that that water bottle was thrown at the court, George Creighton’s team? Uh, I didn’t see it, to be honest with you. I was um. Um You know, I was just had gotten the technical and I’m talking to my team and then they kept cleaning something up at the other end and I was like, what the crap’s going on? And then somebody said, throw *** water bottle on the court. It’s unfortunate, but, um, you know. It happened. Coach, we appreciate your time during your stay. Thanks so much.
Louisville can’t catch up to Creighton, makes early exit from NCAA tournament
Updated: 4:41 PM EDT Mar 20, 2025
It was a historic and special season for the University of Louisville Cardinals.One of their big feats: Making it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 under new head coach Pat Kelsey.But the dream was short lived with a 79-63 loss in the first round to No. 9 Creighton, who loudly outperformed the Cards at Rupp Arena in Lexington.”It’s gonna hurt for awhile,” Kelsey said of the loss. After the first few minutes, Louisville stayed behind Creighton the rest of the way, often trailing by 15-plus points.Chucky Hepburn got the first seven points of the game.With 11:37 left, Reyne Smith got hurt and left the court, a scenario on par with Louisville’s season, which was plagued by injuries.It was also Smith’s last game, a tough way to end his college career. He followed Kelsey from Charleston.”I’ll remember, this group is one of the most special groups that I’ve ever coached. They’re tough, they’re savvy, they’re veteran. They’re smart, hardworking, dedicated. Just been a special, special group,” Kelsey said.When the clock got just under five minutes, Kelsey got a technical foul.”I got frustrated and said something I shouldn’t have said,” Kelsey said.And then a fan threw a water bottle on the court. Any momentum gained fell after that, and Creighton continued dominating with dunks from Jamiya Neal.So what happened out there with the Cards?Guard J’Vonne Hadley said the team was frustrated quickly.”I would just say in the first half, maybe we got a little bit frustrated. They’re physical with us. We just couldn’t get to our spots, where we wanted to go to. And I think it kind of just, frustrated us a little bit. And, you know, as a … veteran group, we definitely had to do a better job of, you know, keeping our cool and, necessarily taking better shots,” Hadley said.As for how this particular team will be remember, Terrence Edwards Jr. agreed that this group had something special.”The adversity we faced early in the year with the losses and some of our key players going down in the year, and this team just rallied together and never had an excuse or anything. We went to practice. It was no excuse. And, it was the next man up mentality. I’ve never been a part of nothing like that,” Edwards said. “And I’m walking away from this with a good attitude.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. —It was a historic and special season for the University of Louisville Cardinals.
One of their big feats: Making it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 under new head coach Pat Kelsey.
But the dream was short lived with a 79-63 loss in the first round to No. 9 Creighton, who loudly outperformed the Cards at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
“It’s gonna hurt for awhile,” Kelsey said of the loss.
After the first few minutes, Louisville stayed behind Creighton the rest of the way, often trailing by 15-plus points.
Chucky Hepburn got the first seven points of the game.
With 11:37 left, Reyne Smith got hurt and left the court, a scenario on par with Louisville’s season, which was plagued by injuries.
It was also Smith’s last game, a tough way to end his college career. He followed Kelsey from Charleston.
“I’ll remember, this group is one of the most special groups that I’ve ever coached. They’re tough, they’re savvy, they’re veteran. They’re smart, hardworking, dedicated. Just been a special, special group,” Kelsey said.
When the clock got just under five minutes, Kelsey got a technical foul.
“I got frustrated and said something I shouldn’t have said,” Kelsey said.
And then a fan threw a water bottle on the court.
Any momentum gained fell after that, and Creighton continued dominating with dunks from Jamiya Neal.
So what happened out there with the Cards?
Guard J’Vonne Hadley said the team was frustrated quickly.
“I would just say in the first half, maybe we got a little bit frustrated. They’re physical with us. We just couldn’t get to our spots, where we wanted to go to. And I think it kind of just, frustrated us a little bit. And, you know, as a … veteran group, we definitely had to do a better job of, you know, keeping our cool and, necessarily taking better shots,” Hadley said.
As for how this particular team will be remember, Terrence Edwards Jr. agreed that this group had something special.
“The adversity we faced early in the year with the losses and some of our key players going down in the year, and this team just rallied together and never had an excuse or anything. We went to practice. It was no excuse. And, it was the next man up mentality. I’ve never been a part of nothing like that,” Edwards said. “And I’m walking away from this with a good attitude.”
