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Pat Kelsey: Mom told him to climb into student section after win vs. Miami

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•02/10/25•

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Nov 4, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey looks on during the second half against the Morehead State Eagles at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Morehead State 93-45. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

After Louisville‘s 88-78 win over Miami on Saturday, Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey ran into the stands and celebrated with the student section. After the game, Kelsey pulled back the curtain on his unexpected celebration.

“My mom was at my house the other day, and we were celebrating my daughter’s 16th birthday,” Kelsey said after the game. “And my mom said ‘Why haven’t you gone up and thanked the students like you used to you? Need to do that.’ ‘Yes, ma’am.’

“When my mom makes a request, it stinking happens. So, they deserved it, and they’ve been awesome. We need them down the stretch in so many of these big games. But to answer your question in a more succinct way, it’s because mom said so.”

Kelsey running through the stands and high-fiving students was reminiscent of his days as Charleston‘s head coach when he would routinely celebrate with the fans. Now, Kelsey is bringing that same family feeling to one of the most storied programs in college basketball.

Of course, he’s bringing more than warm feelings. He’s piling up wins too. With the win over Miami, Louisville improved to 18-6 on the season and 11-2 in conference play. For reference, Louisville won 12 total games the past two seasons under head coach Kenny Payne.

It’s a breath of fresh air for Louisville fans, and Kelsey wants them to know they deserve it.

“We say never delay gratitude, and I’ve delayed gratitude a little bit too much,” Kelsey said. “They’ve been awesome. The crowd today was phenomenal. I think the ceremony for the 2005 team Coach Pitino’s video energized the arena, and the Yum!, I think, was even more electric in the second half. The student body is the heart and soul of a basketball program. I say all the time ‘It’s not my program. It’s not our players’ program.’

“Great college basketball programs happen when the student body has ownership of the program, and they were a factor today. They’ve been coming in big numbers. They’ve been loud. They’re not just sitting there enjoying the game on their phones. I mean, they are making a difference and they deserve to be thanked.”

If Louisville keeps its current pace, Pat Kelsey shouldn’t expect the crowds to go away anytime soon. Up next, Louisville will go on a two-game road trip, starting with a showdown at NC State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN.