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More coaching dominoes (and the Sweet 16)
Louisville finally has its guy in Pat Kelsey, who might just be the perfect fit despite the wait. Plus, SMU will hire Andy Enfield, more players hit the portal, and the NCAA takes a shot at betting. Oh, and there are games to watch tonight!
Mike Miller
March 28, 2024
Dan Hurley isn’t a fan of how easily players can switch schools. “I don’t think it’s healthy for somebody to change schools like underwear,” he said Wednesday. Does it matter (as Jim Root noted) that Hurley might not change his underwear as often as most people?
Onto Wednesday’s news.
1. Louisville’s about to get a lot more fun
Louisville’s got its man. Now, can he win?
The last two seasons have been miserable for the college hoops powerhouse, and athletic director Josh Heird wasn’t going for a flashy hire with any previous issues (such as Chris Beard, Sean Miller or Will Wade). And after rumored overtures to Scott Drew, Jay Wright, Shaheen Holloway and Josh Schertz, Louisville turned to the College of Charleston coach to replace Kenny Payne.
Kelsey, 48, may not have the same national appeal as those other coaches, but there’s no doubt about his coaching credentials.
He was 186-62 in nine seasons at Winthrop, including a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. He was even better at Charleston, winning 74% of his games, including a 31-4 mark last season, and a 27-8 record this year. Both ended in the NCAA Tournament.
Kelsey’s a high-energy coach whose teams match that energy. They press and play fast (70+ possessions per game in all three seasons with the Cougars), they shoot 3s (47% of their overall FG attempts were beyond the arc), and they make them (34.7%).
As Randolph Childress, Kelsey’s a terrific coach who probably could’ve been higher up on the list of coaches. Maybe Louisville lucked into the right coach?
Also, it won’t just be a new coach, but probably an entirely new roster next season.
Forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (12.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg this season) and wing Tre White (12.3 pp 5.9 rpg) both entered the portal on Wednesday, making 10 Louisville players looking for a new home. Among its top eight scorers, only Ty-Laur Johnson has yet to announce his plans.
There’s a pretty good chance Kelsey turns to some players he knows to fill those roles. Charleston’s three leading scorers, Reyne Smith, Ante Brzovic and Ben Burnham, are all in the portal.
2. Andy Enfield to SMU + more coaching news
Once SMU fired coach Rob Lanier last week — the Mustangs were 20-13 and finished tied for fifth in the AAC with Memphis — it sent a signal that the school wanted a bigger name for its move to the ACC.
It got one.