What Kenny Payne, Louisville Players Said After 81-71 Loss vs. Chattanooga

Read what the head coach of the Cardinals, guard/forward Mike James and guard Tre White said after their loss to the Mocs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Taking on Chattanooga in their second game of the 2023-24 season, the Louisville men's basketball program could not over a 21-point halftime deficit, falling 81-71 for their first ever double-digit November home loss to an unranked opponent.

Here's what head coach Kenny Payne, guard/forward Mike James and guard Tre White had to say following the loss:

Head Coach Kenny Payne

(Opening Statement)

First of all, give them credit. That’s a very good basketball team that walked in here. They walked in not afraid of us and executed their game plan. I thought they were the aggressors tonight. I felt like we were behind the action a lot at times, and they attacked. They made a bunch of threes and played with good energy. Their big guys played with a tenacity that we didn’t make or exceed. That falls on not just the players but coaches as well. I take accountability for that. I told them that we were playing a very good team that had a lot of veteran players that could beat us. They came in here and did that. I knew it would be a hard-fought game. I thought my guys would come in and play with more energy but for whatever reason, they didn’t. We must get better.

(On if there were any signs in practice during the week that the team would play like this)

I saw some good things this week, but I also saw guys that didn’t understand the urgency of paying atention to the little things. We challenged them to make sure they understood that this team coming in could really shoot the ball. We had to understand that when we rotate out of traps, or somebody penetrates that we know where their shooters are and get a hand up. We didn’t do that tonight. I thought that Myles Che played a poised and under-control game for them. He was confident and we looked unsure. Their guard play was good tonight.

(On how he keeps the season from turning into last year)

One thing is I need the leaders to lead, and I need the young guys to learn. I have some guys who have played college basketball before and know how hard it can be. It doesn't mater who we play. It could be a Division II school, a mid-major, or a power five team. It doesn't mater if you don’t come out and play hard and don’t focus on the little things. You’re going to be in for a hard night. I tell the guys all the time that anyone can get beat in this game.

(On what the mood was like at halftime)

I thought that we addressed whatever we were doing. That wasn't good enough. We weren't sharing the ball enough. We weren't getting enough assists. We didn't make layups. How many open shots did we miss? How many times did they collapse, and we refused to pass the ball to each other. You know, good offensive teams are going to be good passing teams. I knew coming off the game that we just played, that they took the threes away from the corners, and they allowed us to get downhill which was the best part of the game. The next part of the game is reading what’s happening on the court. What happens when they collapse? Well, tonight this team collapsed, and we kept trying to shoot the ball instead of kicking it to an open teammate and getting ball movement. When you do that there's a rhythm that's lost. So, there's a disconnect when that happens. And we had to do a better job of that tonight to beat this team. We talked about it. We plan for it. We game plan for how they score, how they shoot 3’s and we gave them rhythm. I question if they understand the pride of being in your home building and fighting to get a win. I questioned that. I questioned if my leaders could lead young players, talk them through tough times, and not make excuses in front of them. It's not acceptable.

(On what can be different this year)

We have better players so some of it starts with that. But I need leadership on the floor. James is a leader. Skyy Clark is a leader. Tre (White) is a leader. JJ (Traynor) has been here through some bad times and that has helped turn him into a leader. I need them to be more vocal. I need them to be more accountable. I need them to make it a player-driven team instead of a coach-driven one. I want to win, and the fact is that I want to fight even when we lose. Then I have to come and face you guys and act like I'm okay with the result when I'm not. I need players to want to win as badly as I want to win. And I'm not trying to win for me. This isn't about me. This is about them. This is about this school. This is about this community. This is special to me. And when it's not going the way that it should go. It bothers me and I need the players to feel that.

(On the type of players Payne is looking for)

Yes, we definitely have those kinds of players, but as I said on the radio show this morning when the lights come on and people are in that position, things can change. The great players on great teams are able to get locked in and get lost within the game and not worry about lights and people when they play it for the right reasons. Yes, the energy of the fans will then ignite you. But at the end of the day, you're locked into playing winning basketball and not trying to do it all by yourself.

(On what sparked the last minute comeback)

I wish I had the answer to that. I would like for them to play like that for an entire game. You know, it's amazing we go down 20 and all of a sudden, the ball starts going in the hole. I need us to not make shots then, but I need you to make shots when it's a close game. I need you to fight to get stops on the defensive end. That team shot 57% in the second half. They are a good team, but 57% makes it feel like they got everything they wanted and within rhythm.

Guard/Forward Mike James and Guard Tre White

(On giving up so many three-point shots)

We gave up a lot of second chance 3’s. So, I think if we had grabbed those rebounds and if they didn’t have those kick outs to (Honor) Huff. They had a lot of offensive boards and kick outs to Huff so their three-pointers were coming from that. If we had grabbed those boards, it would have taken away a lot of that. We have to run dudes off the line.

(On how the game went down overall)

We got outplayed. We got out-hustled. We just have to bring better energy, especially on the defensive end. Be more assertive on the offensive end. Just give a better effort. If we take care of a lot of those offensive boards and the energy while playing, it would be a closer game. We shouldn't be down to a team 21 points at home, so we got to get better at that.

(On how things change when the lights come on)

That's a hard question to answer, but I'll just say something's got to change. Something's definitely got to change. Between us, we have to come together as a group, get better at practice and attacking in practice. We need to come out and give a better effort in the next game for sure.

(What part of your effort needs to be improved)

Everything. Understanding assignments, energy, hustle, all of that. Just being locked into the game. We have to get better overall.

(On being a team leader today)

I was leading the guys. I could do some things better like having the guys more locked in, but I feel like we were doing a good job in practice. We just have to bring what we do in practice to the game. I am always looking for ways to get better at being a leader for sure.

(On how to come back from a loss)

Just talking about things that we did wrong, things we need to get better at, and then attacking it the next day in practice. 

(Photo of Tre White, Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)

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