LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Minutes after No. 9 Kentucky defeated rival Louisville in a lopsided 95-76 road victory Thursday, Wildcats coach John Calipari said his Cardinals counterpart, Kenny Payne, deserves more time at the helm of the program.
Payne, Calipari's friend and former assistant, now has a record of 9-35 overall and 2-19 in ACC play since he was hired to lead his alma mater last season.
Calipari said Louisville continues to improve and that if Payne is given the chance to coach the Cardinals into next season, they will show major strides.
He also said Kentucky faced similar scrutiny during the 2020-21 season, when the Wildcats finished 9-16, the worst record in the program's modern history. «He's got a really young team,» Calipari said. «And you've got to let him go and do what he does.