Watch: Kenny Payne, Louisville Players Recap Maui Invitational, Preview Maryland
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program's trip out to the Maui Invitational was not exactly kind to them.
The Cardinals were blown out in each of their three games out in Hawaii, falling to No. 9 Arkansas, No. 21 Texas Tech and Cincinnati by a combined score of 231-to-154. Louisville returns to the contiguous United States still winless for the 2022-23 season, and still searching for their first victory in the Kenny Payne era.
"One of the things, when you're trying to get them to buy in, is they have to see their work pay off," Payne said. "We've gotten better. We've gotten better as a team. We just haven't played well enough for long enough stretches to come out with a win."
Their first game back from Hawaii won't get much easier, either. Louisville is in line to host Maryland on Tuesday at the KFC Yum! Center, and the Terrapins - led by former Cardinals assistant Kevin Willard - are ranked as high as the No. 22 team in the nation.
"(They're a ) very good offensive team," Payne said of Maryland. "They got a bunch of guys that can really shoot it from three, but they also have good midrange shooters, and they get to the lane. They got scorers, they're great in transition, and the offensive rebound the ball. They're poised offensively, they run a lot of different defenses at you: man-to-man, zone, matchup zone, two-two-one press. Very well coached, very good team."
Prior to their matchup with the Terrapins, Payne, forward J.J. Traynor and guard Hercy Miller took time to meet with the media. They discussed their showing in the Maui Invitational, how they can improve after an 0-6 start to the season, previewed the game against Maryland, and more.
Below are the videos from their press conference:
Head Coach Kenny Payne
Forward J.J. Traynor and Guard Hercy Miller
(Photo of Hercy Miller, Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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