It was certain to be an odd evening inside the KFC Yum Center, but David Padgett and his Louisville Cardinals made certain that the final score would be familiar.
Anas Mahmoud scored 20 points on 10 of 11 shooting as U of L rolled to a 101-64 exhibition victory over Kentucky Wesleyan in its first exhibition game of the post-Rick Pitino era.
Outside of the pregame introductions and the faces at the front of the home team’s bench, for the first time in a long time, things felt almost normal Monday night. The team played with great energy, the newcomers showed off their skillsets, and the veterans showed the areas where they’ve improved.