Louisville’s Pat Kelsey doesn’t hold back on ‘butt-kicking’ handed out by Duke

The Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey offered no sugarcoating after his team’s brutal loss at the Duke Blue Devils, delivering one of his bluntest postgame assessments since taking over the program.

The Cardinals’ trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium, meant to serve as a chance for revenge, instead turned into a humbling night that exposed every weakness Louisville basketball brought with it. Following the 83-52 defeat, Kelsey didn’t mince words when addressing the media, repeatedly emphasizing just how lopsided the game was.

“We got our butt kicked. That’s about the extent of my statement,” said Kelsey. “Not much to say other than it was a butt-kicking. By every metric you would look at, that speaks to a butt-kicking; that’s what the stat sheet says. They got 47 per cent of their misses; they were plus-21 on the backboard. They were the aggressor. They imposed their will at the basket, in the paint. I think we were five-for-21 from two. Credit to them, it was a butt-kicking. All we can do is dust ourselves off, run back to work, and use this as something that helps us get better.”

Louisville entered the rematch hoping to respond after the January 6 loss at home, but Duke quickly flipped the script. What began as a competitive first half unraveled late, as the Blue Devils closed the opening period on a decisive run and never looked back.

Duke’s physicality, rebounding dominance, and efficiency inside overwhelmed a Louisville team that struggled to find any offensive rhythm. The frustration boiled over during the second half when Kelsey was visibly upset with forward Sananda Fru after missed rebounding opportunities led directly to a Duke three-pointer, pushing the margin further out of reach. That moment captured the theme of the night — Louisville simply couldn’t match Duke’s intensity or execution.

Statistically, the gap was glaring. Louisville shot percentage was very low from the field, including just five made shots inside the arc, while Duke controlled the paint, dominated the glass, and placed four players in double figures. Cameron Boozer led the way with a double-double, underscoring Duke’s control at both ends.

Despite the embarrassment, Kelsey framed the loss as a teaching moment rather than a breaking point. Louisville now returns home with a chance to reset, refocus, and respond in ACC play.

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