Watch: Head Coach Kenny Payne, Louisville Players Preview Pitt

The Cardinals will attempt to rebound from their blowout loss to North Carolina when they host the Panthers.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As many people know by now, with an overall mark of 2-16 and winless in ACC play, the Louisville men's basketball program isn't exactly having the greatest of seasons.

On top of the rampant turnovers, the Cardinals' poor play on both ends of the floor has been fueled mainly by an inconsistent - and sometimes non-existent - display of energy and effort. This was on full display in their previous game against North Carolina, where UofL was able to get within striking distance on a couple occasions before the bottom completely fell out.

"We haven't sustained good play for longer periods," head coach Kenny Payne said Tuesday. "There's lulls in the game where we can't get open. You call a timeout, you get two turnovers in a row, they make two threes. Call the timeout, 'alright guys, let's regroup. Let's try.' Come out the next play, turnover again. Or a wide open shot or miscommunication, something else bad happens. Then it takes you down 10 or 12, then they figure it out, and then they try to make a run. We need to know the second we call that time out. We have to regroup. We have to make sure we trust each other on both ends of the floor.

Their next opponent in Pitt, for this reason, potentially serves as a mismatch for the Cardinals. Picked in the preseason to finish 14th, the Panthers are currently 12-6 and 5-2 in league play, thanks primarily to their high-energy style of play.

"They're really tough," guard El Ellis said. "One through five, they play hard, they can shoot the ball, and they just play with a different level of confidence. They weren't projected to be that good, so it just goes to show that when you just go out there and play hard one through five, it just shows how good you really can be."

Prior to their matchup with the Panthers, Payne, Ellis and forward Sydney Curry took time to meet with the media. They discussed the previous game vs. North Carolina, previewed the upcoming showdown vs. Pitt, and more.

Below are the videos from their press conference:

Head Coach Kenny Payne

Guard El Ellis and forward Sydney Curry

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

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