Watch: Kenny Payne, Louisville Players Preview Boston College
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It's been nearly a week since the Louisville's men's basketball program last saw the court, but their time away from the floor was surprisingly eventful.
Last Thursday, the Cardinals made a surprising midseason addition, bringing in Nigerian native and NBA Academy Africa prospect Emmanuel Okorafor to their 2022-23 roster. The true freshman big man is immediately eligible to play for the Cardinals, and his presence is already being felt in practice.
"I would say the practices have been better," forward J.J. Traynor said. "Just having somebody new brought extra energy and life to the practice. He's a really good guy, and we're all trying to help him. That sense of us trying to help him, I feel like it's making our practices better."
The Cardinals are hoping that this can help them remedy their issues with consistent energy and effort when they resume play. After last facing Pitt last Wednesday, Louisville will be back in action this Wednesday when they hit the road for a late night matchup at Boston College.
"BC plays hard," head coach Kenny Payne said. "They're very physical, they're well coached. Most of their points come from the lane. If we don't play well, they'll beat us. We're going into their home, they will be ready for us. We just got to make sure that we bring the physicality, that we bring energy, that we bring our togetherness, and handle our situations where we've been deficient."
Prior to their matchup with the Eagles, Payne, Traynor and forward Mike James took time to meet with the media. They discussed the previous game vs. Pitt and the ensuing week off, the addition of Okorafor, previewed the upcoming showdown at Boston College, and more.
Below are the videos from their press conference:
Head Coach Kenny Payne
Forward Mike James and forward J.J. Traynor
(Photo of El Ellis, Kenny Payne: Matt Stone - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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