If you are a kid who has just recently in the last 5 years or so gotten into college hoops all you know about Louisville basketball is that they stink. When I was in my youth the Louisville basketball brand with coach Rick Pitino was strong, a powerhouse.
Rick Pitino had the program winning and making more money than ever. This proven by the NBA size arena built around this time. The KFC Yum arena seats over 22,000 fans and in it’s heyday was buzzing for Louisville basketball.
Louisville Basketball Success Under Pitino
Rick Pitino and Louisville went on a nine year run of greatness from 2006 to 2015. This run capped off by the infamous 2013 championship in their final year in the Big East. In this time they were a top five seed in the tournament seven times including twice being a one seed.
The program was continuously in the top 10 of the AP poll over this decade long stretch. The prime of this run was from 2011-2013 where the Cardinals would win 30+ games in each season.
Louisville basketball was the cool brand as Pitino’s strong recruiting paid off bringing 5 star talent year after year. Winning makes recruiting easier and winning is what Rick Pitino was doing.
September 2017
Right before the season was gearing up and getting ready to tip off a scandal broke loose. A scandal that shook this program to it’s core. One that they are still trying to recover from. The scandal would have to do with Pitino, specifically his recruiting methods.
This was the days before NIL deals and players getting paid. Paying a player to play for your school was highly illegal. Yet, that is what the investigation launched on Rick Pitino was claiming.
Pitino was under investigation for a “Pay to Play Scheme”. However this is where it gets bizarre, Pitino took paying players a step farther than money. There was a staffer under Pitino arranging women to meet recruits and players in basketball dorms for paid sexual acts.
The result of this was a harsh punishment including a postseason ban, the striping of the 2013 title, and resulted in Pitino being fired as the head coach of Louisville.
Dark days would come as the postseason ban would hurt recruiting post Pitino.
Post Pitino
Without a head coach, the number 16th ranked Cardinals were forced to promote within. This resulted in scrambling all season and going 9-9 in conference play and finishing with a 22-14 overall record.
In the off-season, still trying to figure out who the head coach of the future will be. Louisville basketball fell more behind recruiting wise.
Still looked at as a premier college basketball coaching job. Every one waited for a big name coach to take over and get things back on track. Louisville basketball has a massive following and support from the local fans.
Chris Mack takes over Louisville Basketball
Chris Mack was the guy chosen. Coming off of a 29-6 season as the coach of Xavier in the Big East. At the time, everything seemed to look upward, the fans felt they had their guy of the future.
His first season was nothing special going 20-14 with a quick exit in the tournament after barely sliding in backdoor. It was a surprise they made it into the field and the quick exit was expected.
The next season however, Mack would find success becoming ranked the number one seed early in the season. Louisville ended that season 24-7 going 17-1 at home.
Maybe one of the biggest what-ifs in many programs is the 2020 March Madness that was canceled due to the pandemic. March Madness was the first big thing to get shut down and some say ultimately started the nation wide quarantine.
The following season that magic of the 24-7 season was gone and Louisville ended up missing the tournament all together. The Chris Mack era now three seasons in with one early exit and one good season was looking down.
After starting 6-8 the following year, a panicking Louisville decided to fire coach Mack midway through the season. The promoted Mike Pegues as an interim coach.
Dark Days Get Darker in Louisville
Kenny Payne was hired as Louisville basketball’s next head coach. Almost immediately the whole world was confused by the hire. In two seasons as the head coach, it was even worse than anyone had imagined it could be.
Louisville basketball has reached rock bottom under Payne who in two seasons went a combined 12-52. Only winning 18% of games that he has coached.
In his first season with the Cardinals they ended with a 4-28 record. This was followed by a 8-24 season and ultimately his firing. Kenny Payne’s 12-52 record over his two seasons is the absolute rock bottom. Compared to a decade before reaching the mountain top in 2013 winning the championship.
Will Pat Kelsey Right the Ship?
Louisville since firing Kenny Payne has hired Pat Kelsey. Kelsey, a coach who has found success at both Winthrop and Charleston before accepting this Louisville job.
Kelsey was the head coach at Winthrop for almost a decade finishing with a record of 186-95. While leading the program to two NCAA tournaments and possibly a third in 2020.
As the head coach of Charleston Pat Kelsey led them to a 75-27 record over his three seasons. His first season being a rocky 17-15. Then in his final two seasons finding success resulting in winning the conference and a NCAA tournament birth. This stretch included a 31-4 season in his second year.
Pat Kelsey has turned around small programs and built a winning culture every where he has went. Given the right amount of time maybe he can be the man to bring Louisville basketball back to it’s glory days.
(Photo Credit: Matt Stone/The Courier Journal)
Rowan Donaghey, Sports Reporter and Betting Analyst for Stare Down Sports. You can follow him on the X via @RowanDonaghey
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