Tag: Louisville

Wisconsin transfer Chucky Hepburn leads Louisville to first road win over rival in eight years

Another big night from Chucky Hepburn

Former Wisconsin star point guard Chucky Hepburn’s career year at Louisville continues to reach new heights.

The former Badger led the Cardinals to their first road win over Syracuse since Feb. 13, 2017, on Tuesday night. The program had lost three straight in the Orange’s JMA Wireless Dome before the 85-61 triumph, plus six of the last seven to Syracuse overall.

Hepburn’s 24 points and seven assists on eight-of-13 shooting and six-of-10 from three led the team to the statement victory.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s narrow win over Ohio State

Louisville is now 13-5 on the season and 6-1 in ACC play after the win, still trailing first-place Duke by just one game. Hepburn has instigated much of that success — his season averages are up to 33.6 minutes, 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.5 steals on 44.1% shooting and 33.3% from three.

Those numbers represent career highs in every category.

Hepburn did not miss a beat after transferring to an upstart Louisville program under new coach Pat Kelsey. That status differs from that of fellow Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr, who recently slid to the bottom of Kansas’ rotation.

The Badgers continue to perform well in the absence of the transfers, as they are now 14-3 on the season (4-2 Big Ten) after a narrow win over Ohio State. The team’s backcourt play without Hepburn, Storr and Connor Essegian has driven the team’s strong start to the calendar year, with John Blackwell and transfer John Tonje each emerging as top-end options.

While Wisconsin is rounding into form and potential Big Ten contention, it’s hard to ignore Hepburn delivering an All-ACC-caliber season with the Cardinals. His profile should continue to grow as Louisville aims for a March run.

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Notre Dame lands three transfers, two from ACC programs

When it rains, it pours.

Notre Dame is not in the ACC for football despite playing a certain number of opponents each year in exchange for keeping its independence.

But two players from programs in that conference have chosen to finish their college eligibility with the Irish in 2025. A third player arriving from the Irish’s big rival has multiple seasons of eligibility.

First is North Carolina kicker [autotag]Noah Burnette[/autotag], who will become the Irish’s fourth consecutive transfer at that position. He was successful on 38 of 39 extra-point attempts this past season and 15 of 21 in field-goal attempts. He kicked the extra points for both touchdowns the Tar Heels scored in their 2022 loss to the Irish.

Here’s one game this past season in which he was particularly clutch:

The Irish also landed Louisville defensive lineman [autotag]Jared Dawson[/autotag]. He’s coming off a season in which he established career highs in tackles (19), tackles for loss (7) and sacks (4). He had four tackles when the Cardinals lost to the Irish earlier this season. Here he is after that loss:

Finally, the Irish will welcome USC defensive lineman [autotag]Elijah Hughes[/autotag], who had 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks in two seasons with the Trojans. He played against the Irish in each of the past two seasons but didn’t register any statistics. Still, he’s happy about what’s to come:

https://www.instagram.com/elijah._hughes/p/DEs1rvsy9j5/?hl=en&img_index=1

Players are flocking to the Irish, and the program deserves it after what it has done this season even though there still is work to be done.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Former Wisconsin Badger continues career year in Louisville’s big road win

Former Wisconsin Badger continues career-best year in big road win

Louisville point guard Chucky Hepburn, a former Wisconsin Badger, continued his career year in the Cardinals’ 82-78 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Hepburn finished the contest with 15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals, highlighted by several key plays down the stretch.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Minnesota

Louisville led the Panthers 69-67 with four minutes remaining. Hepburn drilled a big 3-pointer to extend the Cardinals’ lead to five. He assisted on two more late 3s and added a layup in the final moments to seal the win.

The Cardinals (12-5, 5-1 ACC) trail first-place Duke (14-2, 6-0 ACC) by one game.

Hepburn’s strong performance improves his season averages to 15.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals on 44% shooting and 31% from 3. Those are career bests across the board, minus the 3-point percentage. His previous best campaign came as a sophomore with the Badgers in 2022-2: 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

While the former Wisconsin star is leading Louisville to big wins, the Badgers have also rediscovered their top form. Greg Gard’s team is on a five-game winning streak dating to Dec. 14, the latest was a 80-59 triumph over Minnesota. Center Steven Crowl, transfer wing John Tonje and guards John Blackwell and Kamari McGee have led the way in many of those victories.

Hepburn’s production and leadership may be missed. But Gard did well in reloading the roster after his departure. Both parties have found significant success as the 2024-25 season has continued.

A related story is fellow Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr’s performance: His role at Kansas has dwindled as the season has progressed.

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Former Saints QB wins a state title in first year as high school coach

Former Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern High School to a state championship in his first year as their head football coach:

Teddy Bridgewater made good on his word. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback led his Miami Northwestern High School football team to a state championship in 3A competition on Saturday night.

“Teddy Two Gloves” found immediate success in coaching high school ball at his old stomping grounds, and their playoff run is one for the record books:

  • 69-0 win vs. Barron Collier
  • 64-12 win vs. Lely
  • 48-0 win vs. Cypress Lake
  • 40-0 win vs. Eau Gallie
  • 41-0 win vs. Raines

Good for him and the young men he’s coaching. Bridgewater has done well for himself everywhere he’s been, whether as a starting quarterback in high school or in college at Louisville, or as a top-flight backup with the Saints; he saved their 2019 season by stepping in for an injured Drew Brees. Now he’s earned some coaching bona fides, too.

So what’s next for Bridgewater? He could run it back at Miami Northwestern or go looking for other opportunities, having speculated about a return to the NFL before. Wherever he goes next, it’s a safe bet that he’ll have plenty of fans cheering him on.

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Former Wisconsin guard registers career outing in narrow loss to Kentucky

Chucky Hepburn continued his stellar start to the season

Former Wisconsin point guard Chucky Hepburn continued his stellar 2024-25 campaign on Saturday afternoon, this time with a career performance in Louisville’s road loss to No. 5 Kentucky.

The former Badger star finished the 93-85 defeat with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists on 9-of-18 shooting. His play in 39 minutes of action almost single-handedly kept Louisville in the game against a Kentucky team that appears to be among the best in the country.

The strong outing on a national stage is the second time Hepburn has surpassed 25 points this season, the previous was a career-high 32 points in a Battle 4 Atlantis win over West Virginia.

His season averages are up to 15.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3 steals on 47.7% shooting from the floor and 33.3% from 3.

It’s safe to say both Hepburn and Nebraska shooting guard Connor Essegian are faring well at their new destinations. Kansas’ A.J. Storr, meanwhile, is still trying to find a consistent role in the lineup.

Wisconsin is off to a strong start to the 2024-25 season without those three transfers. Wing John Tonje has mostly filled the scoring void left by Storr, and a combination of players have worked to fill the leadership void left by Hepburn.

Of all who left via the portal, Wisconsin still likely misses Hepburn the most. His three steals per game rank No. 5 in the sport — that paired with a career-best output on the offense end of the court. Max Klesmit, John Blackwell and Kamari McGee have all played well to begin the season, but none have risen to the level of Hepburn’s.

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Wisconsin transfers A.J. Storr, Chucky Hepburn quiet as Kansas, Louisville face losing skids

Wisconsin transfers A.J. Storr, Chucky Hepburn quiet as Kansas, Louisville face losing skids

The week of Dec. 2 was not kind to the Wisconsin Badgers. The team began the week ranked 11th but dropped two high-profile matchups, one to Big Ten rival Michigan and one to in-state rival No. 5 Marquette.

The team is 8-2 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play entering the heart of December.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Dec. 9): Wisconsin slides, Michigan surges

While the Badgers struggled on the court, so did the program’s former transfers and their respective new programs. Chucky Hepburn and the Louisville Cardinals went 0-2 against No. 23 Ole Miss and No. 9 Duke last week. A.J. Storr and No. 1 Kansas fell to Creighton and Missouri.

Here is how the two former Badgers performed in each of those mentioned losses, plus their updated season averages:

Chucky Hepburn:

  • vs. Ole Miss (86-63 loss): 36 minutes, 19 points, four assists, two rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting, 7-of-9 from the free-throw line
  • vs. Duke (76-65 loss): 37 minutes, eight points, five assists, three rebounds on 2-of-11 shooting, 2-of-7 from 3
  • Season averages: 31.4 minutes, 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 3.2 steals on 48.8% shooting and 33% from 3

AJ Storr:

  • vs. Creighton (76-63 loss): 27 minutes, 12 points, three rebounds on 4-of-13 shooting
  • vs. Missouri (76-67 loss): 18 minutes, two points, three rebounds on 1-of-7 shooting, 0-of-3 from 3
  • Season averages: 21.3 minutes, 8.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists on 41% shooting and 36% from 3

Hepburn and Storr transferred after leading the 2023-24 Badgers in nearly every category. Hepburn did so after starting at point guard for three seasons.

The ebbs and flows of the basketball season affect individuals and teams. Hepburn started hot, including a statement performance in Louisville’s win over West Virginia at the Battle 4 Atlantis. He and the Cardinals have taken a step back of late. They’re still looking to establish position in a tough ACC.

Storr, meanwhile, plays a reserve role for a Kansas team that is set to fall from its previous No. 1 ranking. He’s had strong outings, including 11 key points in the Jayhawks’ Nov. 26 win over Duke. But his numbers are down across the board after operating as Wisconsin’s primary offensive option last season.

The Badgers did well in finding transfer John Tonje this offseason. The former Colorado State and Missouri wing is averaging 21.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists through 10 games. But he, like both Hepburn and Storr, has taken a slight step back during Wisconsin’s recent losing skid.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Tuesday night on the road at No. 19 Illinois. Hepburn and Louisville host UTEP before a big game at No. 4 Kentucky, and Storr and Kansas host NC State and Brown before the holiday break.

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Kentucky basketball is preparing for the looming scheduling gauntlet

Kentucky basketball will face a difficult schedule of the next few weeks.

Just over a month out of SEC play, and Kentucky basketball is preparing for one of its toughest stretches of the season.

Wildcat basketball kicks off a two-week gauntlet this Tuesday with a matchup against Clemson.

The Tigers are 7-1 to start the season, with their only loss coming against Boise State on November 17. They’re a tough out by every stretch, as ESPN expert Joe Lunardi currently has Clemson as a ten seed in his latest Bracketology.

Their next matchup is arguably their toughest of the regular season, as Kentucky is slated to play Gonzaga on Saturday, December 7. The Bulldogs (7-1) are the fourth-ranked team in the country and a one seed in Lunardi’s latest.

Related: Kentucky leads the nation in points scored per game

These matchups are two that the team is preparing for — particularly with physicality.

“You know, next week is our first true road game. Really, it’s going to be essentially our first true road games against elite level talent,” said Wildcats coach Mark Pope. “Both insanely physical teams. Clemson incredibly physical.  Gonzaga, I know Gonzaga well. We been messing with them for a long time and coach Hughes is probably the best in college basketball or close to it, I don’t know how to rate them. Gonzaga is always insanely physical and part of their team that people miss sometimes.  It’s something, we are going into a combat week where it’s going to be a massively physical game.”

The Wildcats then have somewhat of a lull, taking on 2-5 Colgate the following Wednesday, December 11.

Then it’s straight back into action, as Kentucky is set to host blood-rival Louisville (5-2) at Rupp Arena on Saturday, December 14.

Former Badgers star after career night: I’m ‘one of the best point guards in the country’

Former Wisconsin star has career performance in Louisville overtime win over West Virginia

Former Wisconsin star guard Chucky Hepburn had arguably the best outing of his college basketball career on Thursday.

In Louisville’s 79-70 overtime win over West Virginia, the former Badger produced 32 points, three rebounds, two assists and six steals on 8-of-12 shooting and 14-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Nov. 25): Wisconsin continues to rise

Those 32 points are a career high for the veteran point guard. His previous top output was a 27-point outing in Wisconsin’s NIT second-round win over Liberty on March 19, 2023.

“It’s senior year. I think I lay in the back seat for a long time,” Hepburn told ESPN after the win. “It’s time to show the world who Chucky Hepburn is. I’m a bucket-getter, one of the best point guards in the country, and I stand by that.”

Hepburn’s per-game averages are up to 15 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.2 steals and 29 minutes per game of action. That 4.2 steal-per-game clip is currently No. 1 in the entire country — nobody else averages more than four.

The win over West Virginia improved the Cardinals to 5-1 on the season and clinched their ticket to the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. They will face the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday evening.

The contest also reinserted Hepburn into the national conversation. After operating as Wisconsin’s secondary option behind Johnny Davis, A.J. Storr and forward Tyler Wahl, Hepburn is leading a Louisville team that appears in line for a resurgent campaign.

Hepburn’s decision to transfer from Wisconsin was headline news in March. His stellar play at Louisville and spot as the nation’s-best defender continues to make headlines.

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Former Wisconsin transfer quiet in Louisville’s blowout loss to No. 12 Tennessee

Former Wisconsin transfer quiet in Louisville’s blowout loss to No. 12 Tennessee

Former Wisconsin star Chucky Hepburn was mostly quiet during Louisville’s 77-55 loss to No. 12 Tennessee on Saturday.

The longtime Badger finished the contest with eight points on 2-of-7 shooting, in addition to four assists, four rebounds, six steals and four turnovers. Those numbers led a starting lineup that somehow finished the game with a combined 16 points on 5-of-23 shooting.

Related: Where Wisconsin basketball stands in latest odds to win 2024-25 Big Ten regular season title

Hepburn was candid after the blowout loss, saying: “That’s not who I am. … This is my last game turning the ball over that much.”

For contest, those four turnovers are his most in a game since Wisconsin’s loss to North Texas in the NIT semifinal to close the 2022-23 season.

The former Badger has 16 combined points on 3-of-10 shooting, plus five rebounds, eight assists, six steals and five turnovers through his first two games with Louisville. The Cardinals are 1-1, highlighted by Saturday’s sizable loss to Tennessee.

Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) pressures the dribble of Tennessee Volunteers guard Jordan Gainey (11) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 9. Tennessee defeated Louisville 77-55. Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Hepburn transferred to Louisville this offseason after three decorated years as Wisconsin’s starting point guard. He played in 103 games in his time with the Badgers, and averaged 32.1 minutes, 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.6 steals on 42% shooting and 36% from 3.

While Wisconsin never achieved much postseason success during Hepburn’s tenure, he was arguably the face of the program during that time. His career was highlighted by guiding the 2021-22 team to a Big Ten regular season title as a freshman.

The performances of both Hepburn and AJ Storr (Kansas) are worth watching as the 2024-25 college basketball season unfolds. Wisconsin transfer addition John Tonje has made a strong first impression through two games. His continued emergence could lessen the impact of the Badgers losing those two stars after last season.

Hepburn and the Cardinals are back on the court on Nov. 19 against Bellarmine.

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No. 12 Tennessee wins by 22 points at Louisville

Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier score 19 points each in Tennessee’s win at Louisville.

No. 12 Tennessee (2-0) defeated Louisville (1-1), 77-55, Saturday at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

The Vols scored the first 10 points of the contest and led, 40-26, at halftime. Tennessee led by as many as 26 points and never trailed against the Cardinals.

Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier scored 19 points each for Tennessee. Zeigler also recorded seven assists, three steals and one block. He also committed 11 turnovers. Lanier scored 11 points during the first-half.

Felix Okpara totaled 10 points, six rebounds and one block, while Jordan Gainey recorded nine points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Tennessee held the Cardinals to a .267 field goal percentage.

Reyne Smith led Louisville with 18 points. He also recorded five rebounds and one assist.

Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images