Kenny Payne admits winning is 'very fragile' after Georgia Tech win

Louisville secured its first ACC win of the season Wednesday night against Georgia Tech at home. After the game, Cardinals head coach Kenny Payne discussed how important it is to celebrate the players in this moment of triumph amid a historically poor season.

“I can say it to you like this: me personally, I don’t make it about me. But I can tell you that I have been blessed to have been around a bunch of winning. I have always known that winning is very fragile,” Payne said postgame. “When you look at constantly winning games and being in a tournament, as a player winning a national championship, as a coach winning a national championship, making the playoffs in the NBA, all that winning … sometimes you forget how fragile it is.

“For me, I want these guys to figure out that it is about them. It is not about me. They just gave me a game ball for my first ACC win, which is great. But I want them to know this is about them and they can conquer whatever is in front of them if they believe.”

Payne says he’s looking for some fight out of his team as the season winds down. All he wants out of his guys is to give themselves a chance, regardless of all the insecurities, doubts and fears that have built up throughout the season.

If his players believe in what they do and put 110 percent of their effort toward it, his team can achieve anything, he said.

It seems Payne had been preaching that leading up to the game, as his players took that message to heart during the game, as the Cardinals took down the Yellow Jackets 68-58. Louisville ended with four players score in double figures, but was topped by Jae’Lyn Withers‘ 19-point, 13-rebound double-double. He nailed four three-pointers along with seven makes from the charity stripe en route to victory.

Louisville will be back in action Saturday afternoon at home against Florida State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET live on ESPN2. For the Cardinals, their previous two wins this season came back-to-back — something to think about as Florida State will more than likely enter the afternoon as betting favorites.