The last time Louisville basketball hosted Clemson at the KFC Yum! Center, headlined by the 10-year reunion of its 2013 national championship team, the Cardinals delivered a moment of unbridled joy that amounted to nothing more than false hope during the otherwise bleak Kenny Payne era.Six hundred ninety days later, the result was the same at Second and Main: U of L took down the Tigers, 74-64, to improve to 9-0 against them on its home court. But Tuesday night was not a nostalgia-fueled fever dream. It was a clear-eyed toast to the future under Pat Kelsey, who's now one victory from tying Payne's two-year total.The buzz is intoxicating. Make it a double. Why not? There's snow everywhere, and the Cards (11-5, 4-1 ACC) are hot as hell — winners of five in a row for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign."Confidence," Kelsey said, "is a powerful thing."It's oozing out of his locker room; and it's safe to say he's got a bona fide contender on his hands after Louisville handed Clemson (12-4, 4-1) its first loss of conference play and will leapfrog it in the NET.Everyone was waiting in the locker room, water bottles at the ready, for J'Vonne Hadley, after the St. Paul, Minnesota, native went for a career-high 32 points — the most scored by a player in an ACC game this season — 10 rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes. The quiet clapping blew their cover, he said."I turned the corner and got soaked," Hadley told reporters afterward. "That's just love from the teammates."There's been plenty to go around during the Cards' five-game winning streak; because seemingly everyone has had a moment. Hadley's just so happened to come on a night when Kelsey's top three scorers (Chucky Hepburn, Terrence Edwards Jr. and Reyne Smith) combined to shoot 4 for 28 from the field and 3 for 20 from beyond the arc."We didn't have an answer for him," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said.Hadley said he had a feeling this was his night at the 5:23 mark of the first half, when his second 3 cut Clemson's lead to 30-28. He accounted for 10 points of a 17-5 run from there, finishing the period with 18, which gave U of L a 42-35 lead at the intermission. And when the Tigers pulled within two, 56-54, with 10:45 remaining in regulation, he had 11 of the Cards' 18-10 knockout punch.His teammates kept feeding him. By the end, fans were chanting his name."It (was) indescribable," Hadley said."He's such a pro," Kelsey added. "We've got a team full of (them); but it's fun to really be able to talk about J’Vonne right now — because he's so darn regimented in his daily process. Like, he's 22 years old going on 40."James Scott was the only other Louisville player to break double digits, finishing with 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting and 10 rebounds. But Kelsey heaped praise up and down his roster.Hepburn logged his fifth straight game with seven or more assists to go along with a team-high three steals. Edwards once again welcomed the toughest defensive assignment on the perimeter: Chase Hunter, who led Clemson with 15 points.Lone freshman Khani Rooths knocked down a 3 that gave the Cards breathing room when the Tigers pulled within a basket with 10:45 on the clock. Aboubacar Traore and Noah Waterman joined Hadley and Scott in containing the Tigers' two-man wrecking crew of 6-foot-8 Ian Schieffelin and 6-11 Viktor Lakhin in the post."We've always had really good chemistry," Kelsey said, "but you can just kind of feel the pieces coming together."Having notched three straight Quad 2 wins, Louisville hits the road again this weekend for a noon tipoff Saturday at Pittsburgh. The Panthers suffered their first ACC loss Tuesday against No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but this will likely remain a Quad 1 opportunity — and a chance to further its case for a spot in the top-25 polls."Keep winning," Hadley said. "They can't say nothing if you keep winning.""Momentum — boom — can stop like that," Kelsey added, "if, all of a sudden, you have a bad day of preparation; go up to Pittsburgh and get your butt kicked. That's like a screeching halt."Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.

Louisville basketball bounces Clemson, solidifies itself as ACC contender, NCAA hopeful

The last time Louisville basketball hosted Clemson at the KFC Yum! Center, headlined by the 10-year reunion of its 2013 national championship team, the Cardinals delivered a moment of unbridled joy that amounted to nothing more than false hope during the otherwise bleak Kenny Payne era. “I turned the corner and got soaked,” Hadley told […]

The last time Louisville basketball hosted Clemson at the KFC Yum! Center, headlined by the 10-year reunion of its 2013 national championship team, the Cardinals delivered a moment of unbridled joy that amounted to nothing more than false hope during the otherwise bleak Kenny Payne era.

“I turned the corner and got soaked,” Hadley told reporters afterward. “That’s just love from the teammates.”Six hundred ninety days later, the result was the same at Second and Main: U of L took down the Tigers, 74-64, to improve to 9-0 against them on its home court. But Tuesday night was not a nostalgia-fueled fever dream. It was a clear-eyed toast to the future under Pat Kelsey, who’s now one victory from tying Payne’s two-year total.”Confidence,” Kelsey said, “is a powerful thing.”It’s oozing out of his locker room; and it’s safe to say he’s got a bona fide contender on his hands after Louisville handed Clemson (12-4, 4-1) its first loss of conference play and will leapfrog it in the NET.Everyone was waiting in the locker room, water bottles at the ready, for J’Vonne Hadley, after the St. Paul, Minnesota, native went for a career-high 32 points — the most scored by a player in an ACC game this season — 10 rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes. The quiet clapping blew their cover, he said.

“Keep winning,” Hadley said. “They can’t say nothing if you keep winning.”Hepburn logged his fifth straight game with seven or more assists to go along with a team-high three steals. Edwards once again welcomed the toughest defensive assignment on the perimeter: Chase Hunter, who led Clemson with 15 points.”We didn’t have an answer for him,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said.Hadley said he had a feeling this was his night at the 5:23 mark of the first half, when his second 3 cut Clemson’s lead to 30-28. He accounted for 10 points of a 17-5 run from there, finishing the period with 18, which gave U of L a 42-35 lead at the intermission. And when the Tigers pulled within two, 56-54, with 10:45 remaining in regulation, he had 11 of the Cards’ 18-10 knockout punch.His teammates kept feeding him. By the end, fans were chanting his name.“It (was) indescribable,” Hadley said.”He’s such a pro,” Kelsey added. “We’ve got a team full of (them); but it’s fun to really be able to talk about J’Vonne right now — because he’s so darn regimented in his daily process. Like, he’s 22 years old going on 40.”James Scott was the only other Louisville player to break double digits, finishing with 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting and 10 rebounds. But Kelsey heaped praise up and down his roster.

There’s been plenty to go around during the Cards’ five-game winning streak; because seemingly everyone has had a moment. Hadley’s just so happened to come on a night when Kelsey’s top three scorers (Chucky Hepburn, Terrence Edwards Jr. and Reyne Smith) combined to shoot 4 for 28 from the field and 3 for 20 from beyond the arc.“Momentum — boom — can stop like that,” Kelsey added, “if, all of a sudden, you have a bad day of preparation; go up to Pittsburgh and get your butt kicked. That’s like a screeching halt.”

Lone freshman Khani Rooths knocked down a 3 that gave the Cards breathing room when the Tigers pulled within a basket with 10:45 on the clock. Aboubacar Traore and Noah Waterman joined Hadley and Scott in containing the Tigers’ two-man wrecking crew of 6-foot-8 Ian Schieffelin and 6-11 Viktor Lakhin in the post.Having notched three straight Quad 2 wins, Louisville hits the road again this weekend for a noon tipoff Saturday at Pittsburgh. The Panthers suffered their first ACC loss Tuesday against No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but this will likely remain a Quad 1 opportunity — and a chance to further its case for a spot in the top-25 polls.Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.The buzz is intoxicating. Make it a double. Why not? There’s snow everywhere, and the Cards (11-5, 4-1 ACC) are hot as hell — winners of five in a row for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.”We’ve always had really good chemistry,” Kelsey said, “but you can just kind of feel the pieces coming together.”