Report: Louisville Expected to Fire Kenny Payne 'Sooner Rather Than Later,' Unlikely Before Sunday

The second year head coach of the Cardinals is just 4-6 this season and 8-34 overall.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Kenny Payne era of the Louisville men's basketball program is reportedly on its last legs.

While a final decision has yet to be made regarding the job status of the second-year head coach of the Cardinals, and it is "unlikely" that Payne will be fired before Sunday's home game against Pepperdine, it is the expectation that UofL will move on from Payne "sooner rather than later" and that it would not drag out this process over the course of the season, according to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander.

"My indications and speaking to sources in recent hours here is that Payne is unlikely to be fired before Louisville's game on Sunday," Norlander said on CBS Sports HQ. "Which isn't to say it will not happen (before Sunday), I'm saying my sources are indicating it's unlikely that it would happen prior to Sunday. ... Louisville will be moving on from Kenny Payne. The expectation is that will happen sooner rather than later, and that they will not drag this out over the course of the entire season. But a final decision, as of Friday afternoon, has not been made."

In the wake of the on- and off-court events for the Cardinals on Wednesday, rumors involving Payne's potential immediate dismissal have taken off. Louisville bungled the Koron Davis situation, and later suffered an embarrassing loss to Arkansas State in what was their first double-digit home loss to a team with a losing record since 1963.

Related: Column: Enough is Enough.

These rumors reached a fever pitch when college basketball insider Jeff Goodman reported on Thursday night that athletic director Josh Heird "met with multiple Louisville players today to get their thoughts on Kenny Payne and entire situation with the program before making decision," and that Heird was leaning towards making a decision "fairly soon."

Even with a nearly completely re-hauled roster, year two under Payne has not gone the way that many hoped it would. Louisville sports a 4-6 overall record this season, and have struggled to put away teams in their weak non-conference schedule, which ranks 347th in D1.

In Payne's first year at the helm, the Cardinals finished just 4-28 overall and 2-18 in ACC play, more than surpassing the program's previous record for most losses in a single season of 20 from the 1997-98 season. Payne currently has an 8-34 overall at his alma mater, which includes 2-20 against ACC competition and 0-19 in games played away from the KFC Yum! Center.

Louisville is set to host Pepperdine on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2:00 p.m. EST, and then Kentucky on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 6:00 p.m. in what will be their final two games of the calendar year.

(Photo of Kenny Payne: Sam Upshaw Jr. - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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