Louisville blasts Spalding in final preseason tune-up

From now on, it’s for real.

Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the first time in three years, the Louisville men’s basketball team has wrapped up the exhibition portion of its season with an unblemished record.

Making more of a concerted effort to attack the rim in exhibition two, Cardinals shot 58.3 percent from the field on their way to a 99-54 trouncing of Division-III Spalding.

U of L’s four leading scorers in the game all came off the bench. Kasean Pryor led all scorers with 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. Pryor played the game with a tribute to former head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim written on his sneakers. Abdur-Rahim passed away at the age of 43 last Thursday.

Koren Johnson added 20 points, while Noah Waterman chipped in 12 and Reyne Smith had 10.

The Cardinals overwhelmed Spalding defensively all night long, finishing with a whopping 21 steals. Eight Louisville players finished the game with at least one steal.

The next time the Cards take the court inside the KFC Yum Center will be in exactly a week, when reigning Ohio Valley Conference champion Morehead State comes to town. That time, it’ll count for real.

I don’t think Pat Kelsey could have dome much more over the last seven and-a-half months to rejuvenate the fan base and make all of us believe again. Now it’s time to start backing that faith up with actual Ws.

I can’t wait.