Watch: Kenny Payne, El Ellis Preview Louisville's Rematch vs. Florida State
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It might not have been a pretty win, but it was still a win nonetheless.
After dropping their first 10 games in ACC play, the Louisville men's basketball was finally able to crack the win column against a conference foe, taking down Georgia Tech 68-58 this past Wednesday to snap a losing streak that had been tied for the longest since World War II.
"Just for us to get that win, I thought that was big for us," guard El Ellis said. "We go through a lot every day, each individual. This is the hardest thing I think anyone was has ever had to go through with our basketball career. For us to be able to get that win, after all those lessons that we've had to learn after each loss, that was big."
The Cardinals will have a good opportunity to build on that first league win when they host a struggling Florida State squad this weekend. It will be Louisville's first conference rematch of the season, having already fell to the Noles 75-53 back on Dec. 10 down in Tallahassee, Fla.
"Looking at the game when we played them the first time, defensively, we were soft," head coach Kenny Payne. "We didn't protect the paint, so they got a lot of stuff on ball screens diving to the rim. They attacked us and put us on our heels. We turned the ball over, and some of the turnovers you can't make up. ... We have to be a lot better than that. I feel good about that, that we play a little bit better, a little bit harder, a little bit tougher. Let's see what we are after this game."
Prior to their matchup with the Seminoles, Payne and Ellis took time to meet with the media. They discussed the previous game vs. Georgia Tech and how the win has affected their mindset an approach, previewed the upcoming rematch vs. Florida State, and more.
Below are the videos from their press conference:
Head Coach Kenny Payne
Guard El Ellis
(Photo of Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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