A 1–2 start to ACC play was probably not what Pat Kelsey had in mind when his team opened the season ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Poll. After a disappointing loss at Stanford last week, Louisville basketball returned home to face sixth-ranked Duke. At 8–0 at home entering the game—and after building a 47–38 halftime lead—it looked like the Cardinals might be poised for a signature win that could right the ship.
That is when everything unraveled. Louisville shot just 2-of-17 (11%) from three-point range in the second half and was outscored by 20 after the break, ultimately losing by 11 points.