Kenny Payne believes Louisville played selfish against Arkansas State

For the second straight game, Louisville lost in disappointing fashion. Now, for the second straight game, Kenny Payne thought a lot of it had to do with some selfish play from his Cardinals.

Payne assessed his team’s play following the 75-63 loss to Arkansas State inside the Yum! Center on Wednesday. He started by saying his team was doing the right things at the start of the game but just didn’t do quite enough. However, in the second half, they started playing for themselves again and, as such, turned a back and forth game into a blowout.

“I think guys, in the first half? We didn’t play great but we did a decent job – not a good enough job, to be honest with you. But, in the second half? I thought we, again, played selfish,” said Payne. “Evident by three assists. Evident by guys just driving the ball, playing to score for themselves, and not their teammates.”

“The first half? I thought we did have a multitude of plays where the ball moved around, we got good shots, and we just missed good shots,” Payne said. “But the defensive effort, the gambling on the ball, not keeping the ball in front? It all played a part in us being on our heels on defense and them shooting 51%.”

After going down as much as seven in the first half, Louisville took a halftime lead of two points.

Following the under-16 media timeout, though, the game wasn’t competitive again. The Red Wolves went on a 33-15 run from that moment on to take as much as a 20-point lead. The Cardinals got it back down to 12 but it was far too little and far too late at that point for the home team.

By the time it was said and done, Arkansas State shot 51.4% from the field in the second half and made eight free throw attempts to hand the Cardinals their sixth loss in total and third consecutive defeat.

Wednesday was an all-around mess of a day for Louisville. Even so, the way that they played, especially in the second half, may have been the most disheartening detail to Payne.

Payne not concerned about his future at Louisville

After one truly disastrous season and an abysmal start to year two, Kenny Payne’s seat couldn’t be hotter. Still, he say he’s not feeling the heat.

After losing to Arkansas State, Louisville’s third-straight defeat to drop to 4-6, Payne was asked if he was starting to fear for his job. He answered with no by saying he doesn’t really consider that sort of thing.

“No, not really,” said Payne. “If I live my life and not be be true to myself? Then I probably would. I live my life in faith. I live my life knowing that — to be honest with you, am I doing right by the young people?”

“Every single day, I question that,” said Payne. “And what I mean by question it: When the day is over, did I cheat Skyy Clark? Nine out of ten days the answer is no. Have I cheated Tre White? No. Did I cheat Brandon (Huntley-Hatfield)? No.”

With that assurance in mind, Payne lets the rumors and the clutter around the program bounce off of him.

“I live my life that way – not worrying about the outside.”