What Kenny Payne, Mike James Said After Louisville’s 75-60 Loss at Virginia
Kenny #Kenny
Read what the head coach of the Cardinals and their starting guard/forward said after their loss at the Cavaliers:
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Louisville men’s basketball program was unable to avenge last month’s narrow home loss to Virginia, instead capping off their 2022-23 regular season with a 75-60
Here’s what head coach Kenny Payne and guard/forward Mike James had to say following the loss:
Head Coach Kenny Payne
(Opening Statement)
First of all, there’s a reason why Virginia’s in the top 15, and probably should be in the top 10 or top five. Well-oiled machine, veteran players, connected to each other. Evident by 25 assists, evident by 58 percent (shooting). They pretty much got anything they wanted. We seemed like we were a step behind everything defensively. The pace of the game, the pace in which they run their offense, was hard for us to deal with. On the flip side, I thought in the second half we moved the ball, we drove the ball. We didn’t hold it as much. We were able to, somewhat, have some success in the second half, where we out-scored them 40 to 39. But it’s a tale of two halves. They could not have any rhythm, any flow to the game in the first half, and they ended up winning the first half by 16.
(On the message to the team heading into the ACC Tournament)
At this point, it’s a new season. 0-0. We have a lot of experience in what not to do. The things that we’ve done well, we better really be in tune to it. The things that we haven’t done well, we better be ready to correct it. If not, it’ll be a one game season for us in tournament play. I think that we are capable. But it’s more, for me, as I think about why. Why is there a vast difference between one half and the next? Why is there a lack of energy and effort to defend? It comes back, to me, as being mental, not physical. I go back to this: I believe the best teams, the best players, teams go and try to get older players out of the portal and elsewhere so that you have guys that can fight. Guys that can fight, and understand fighting and playing together, and mental toughness.
(On Mike James’ 24-point performance)
I thought he was aggressive. I thought he played strong. I thought he fought. I would like for him to be a little better defensively in certain spots. Listen, if you’re fighting, win, lose or draw, I’m with you. But you have to come to the fight and participate in the fight to have success, and he did that. I thought he was one of the bright spots in the game. He made a couple of good passes, the ball moved to hit his hands, made good strong moves to the basket. If they collapsed, he made a pass. If not, went strong toward the basket and finished.
(On his takeaway from the regular season)
My takeaway, after getting to this point and finishing the regular season is, it’s really hard. There’s a difference in playing basketball and playing winning basketball. There’s a difference in young men that understand what the fight and what the grind of this is sport is, and why great teams win. So I have to go out and see which one of these kids believes in that. If not, I have to go and definitely bring players in that believe in the fight, the grind, the character it takes to be great. That winning matters. Doing the little things matter, and that’s on and off the court. My message to them, from this point on, is basically we’re 0-0. The third part of the season is tournament play. I believe that we can win some games. I believe that, if we play together, we share the ball, we defend, we rebound, I believe we have some things that we can do to scare some people. But me believing in it, and guys going out and fighting to do it, is at times sometimes two different things.
(On working to better defend the pick and roll, and how much growth overall they have shown since the beginning of the season)
They made a major jump. It’s not evident by the record, which for me, goes to show how good the teams are that we’re playing. But it’s evident by when I look at when we first started, the first day of practice to today. There are times where we look efficient. There are times where we look like we belong. I’m pleased with that. I just want them to understand that there’s another ingredient, and the most important ingredient is winning. It’s a skill set. Nobody wants to be associated with losers. No one is ever going to give you credit for giving a good effort and coming up short. I don’t believe in that. I want these guys to have some success so they understand what winning basketball is. Then it’s a sacrifice. It’s a major sacrifice. It just doesn’t happen
Guard/forward Mike James
(Photo of Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes – USA TODAY Sports)
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