The Louisville Cardinals are on an epic run of misfortune and heartbreak.
The Cardinals lost again Tuesday night, 61-60 to Appalachian State, as guard El Ellis had his potential game-winner at the buzzer waved off.
El Ellis shot at the buzzer waved off.pic.twitter.com/ei7hRGnSIX
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) November 16, 2022
Louisville struggled throughout the game before rallying. They trailed by as many as 16 at one point before making the final score respectable on their home court.
If that sounds like a familiar outcome, a one-point loss at home, it’s because it’s become a theme for these Cardinals. They lost their opener at home to Bellarmine by one point, then lost 73-72 to Wright State on their home court.
So Tuesday makes three straight, one-point losses at home to open the season, a seemingly impossible feat.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, it’s the first time Louisville has opened a season with three straight home losses since 1940-41, when they lost to Kentucky Wesleyan, Evansville, and Transylvania.
Louisville has lost each of its first three home games of a season for the first time since 1940-41, when the Cardinals lost to Kentucky Wesleyan, Evansville, and Transylvania. pic.twitter.com/uCSVe622Rg
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 16, 2022
The fact all three losses have come by one point just makes it that much more painful.
For what it’s worth, only one other D-I team in the last dozen years has had 3 straight 1-point losses at ANY point in a single season (PV A&M last year).
— Jared Berson (@JaredBerson) November 16, 2022
Incredibly, the Cardinals also lost their final game last season by one point, falling to the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Tournament, meaning that in its last four games, Louisville is 0-4 with a -4 point differential.
College basketball fans commiserated with the Cardinals players for their run of misfortune, but a number pointed the finger at Kenny Payne, a former Louisville star who is only three games into his college coaching career. One fan even posted a link to a Change.org petition to fire Payne.
sign here https://t.co/8XaXDBp1a7
— sports (@tyjohnson_502) November 16, 2022
If it hasn’t happened before, of course it had to be Louisville to be the first.
— Zachary Elam (@ZacharyKElam) November 16, 2022
Is Scott Frost coaching Louisville basketball?
— Danny O. (@the_real_dan_o) November 16, 2022
Louisville loses a buy game to Appalachian State.
The epitome of brutality.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 16, 2022
Louisville is a D-3 program and Kenny Payne is the worst NCAA coach of all time
— The Blue Demon Degenerate (@BlueDemonDegen) November 12, 2022
I’m a fan of Louisville Basketball. I can also admit this team looks lost, poorly coached, no hustle, no heart, and no discipline.
— Eric (@gaddis6508) November 15, 2022
Ironically, the last time Louisville started a season 0-3 was in 1986-87, Payne’s sophomore season.
