Kenny Payne details struggles with Virginia Tech defense

Louisville dropped yet another game, this time against Virginia Tech in pretty humbling fashion as the Cardinals rang up a 71-54 win.

Coach Kenny Payne lamented the fact that some of his players didn’t show up to play on Senior Night, but Virginia Tech dismantled Louisville relatively easily based on a few key factors.

“I just thought that they were more physical than us,” Payne pointed out. “We didn’t set great screens, probably because they were bumping us. Probably because we didn’t set our mans up well enough coming off screens.”

The rebounding margin was actually fairly even, with Virginia Tech only managing to come out ahead by one in the game.

Still, Payne credited Virginia Tech with making life difficult on his Louisville squad more than anything else.

“They did a good job. They’re a good team. They’re a solid team,” Payne said. “They don’t make a lot of mistakes on either side of the ball and if you’re not alert and in-tune to what they’re trying to do and negating what they’re doing, they’re going to beat you. They’re a very solid team and a well-coached team.”

Kenny Payne still preaching standards

Though Louisville has had an incredibly difficult first season under Payne, the head coach has not lightened up on his preaching about accountability.

He wants his players upholding the lofty standards that they haven’t come close to maintaining this season.

“I feel like they feel, except I have the obligation, the opportunity to be with them every day. I’m preaching the same things — similar things — that they’re frustrated about,” Payne said after the Virginia Tech loss. “A lack of energy, a lack of confidence, a lack of fight. I’m preaching that every day. I can sugarcoat it for you, but it’s not acceptable.

“I ask these players every day, ‘Do you understand what it means to be in that jersey,? What fully do you have to sacrifice to be in that jersey?’ I don’t think a majority of them do, and so it’s my job to educate them on what it means to be in that jersey. That doesn’t mean it’s always going to be rosy. There are going to be hard days, but you have to fight to make sure that you know, and to have faith that you know that we are going to fix it.”