Ouch, Kenny: Louisville just lost to a 1-7 DePaul team

Things just keep getting worse for Kenny Payne and Louisville. The Cardinals just lost to DePaul 75-68 in Chicago to fall to 4-5 on the season. A loss to the Blue Demons on their home court may not sound like the worst thing in the world, but when you add in the fact that DePaul came into the game with a 1-7 record, it’s pretty bad. In a battle of two desperate teams, the fighting DeWayne Peevys came out on top.

DePaul took the lead at the 6:12 mark in the first half and did not look back. Louisville cut the margin to single digits on occasion, but just couldn’t close the gap. The Cards now have five losses this season and if you go beyond that, have lost 21 consecutive road games. Yes, that means zero road wins in the Kenny Payne era. Louisville’s best win this season is over Bellarmine, which ranks No. 232 in KenPom.

If you’re a Louisville fan hate-reading this, there is one small positive. Before playing Kentucky on Dec. 21, the Cards host Arkansas State (KenPom 227) and Pepperdine (KenPom 199), the weakest two teams left on their schedule.

What does this mean for Kenny Payne? Louisville’s head coach trended on Twitter as word spread that the Cardinals were losing to DePaul. The reviews are not kind.

Louisville's first road loss to DePaul since 2003 and its 21st straight road loss overall.

This just cannot continue.

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) December 9, 2023

If you were at the press conference Kenny casually strolled into 15 minutes late for yesterday, you could see this loss to DePaul coming.

— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) December 9, 2023

Louisville just lost at DePaul.

The Payne is real for Cardinals fans.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 9, 2023

pic.twitter.com/RuxwsBMqVB

— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) December 9, 2023

I know Louisville has had some awful losses under Kenny Payne, but to get thoroughly beaten by a bad and reeling DePaul team has to be at the top of the list. Have to think both schools will have new coaches next year.

— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) December 9, 2023

Will Kenny Payne make it to the Kentucky game as the Cards’ head coach? If not, I’d love to welcome him back to the opposite bench.

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Auburn routs Indiana, Alabama loses to No. 4 Purdue, Tennessee beats No. 20 Illinois

Elsewhere in college basketball, Auburn beat Indiana 104-76 in the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta. The Hoosiers led 22-10 seven minutes in, but from there, the Tigers took over, sprinting out to the 28-point win. That’s a heck of a response for Bruce Pearl’s team, which was coming off a loss at Appalachian State. It was also a heck of a troll job by the social media team.

This is Auburn (Official Music Video) pic.twitter.com/uTmDstBiGg

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) December 9, 2023

In Knoxville, No. 17 Tennessee beat No. 20 Illinois 86-79 to improve to 6-3. In Toronto, Alabama lost to No. 4 Purdue 92-86 in the Hall of Fame Series. The Crimson Tide led until midway through the second half when the Boilermakers went on a 12-0 run to take control of the game. Zach Edey finished with a season-high 35 points. If you want more SEC hoops, Arkansas is playing No. 19 Oklahoma right now on ESPN2.

That concludes your college basketball roundup. As you know, Kentucky beat Penn 81-66. It may not have been the prettiest win, but imagine cheering for the team down I-64 right now.

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