Louisville obtained its first dedication from a participant outdoors of latest coach Pat Kelsey’s former faculty, Charleston. Former James Madison guard Terrence Edwards Jr. dedicated to the Cardinals, he introduced on social media Wednesday. The information was first reported by Jeff Goodman. Edwards averaged 17.2 factors, 4.4 rebounds and three.4 assists this previous season, and was named Solar Belt Participant of the Yr.
James Madison went 32-4 this previous season, profitable the Solar Belt Event title and incomes a No. 12 seed within the NCAA Event. The Dukes defeated No. 5 Wisconsin within the first spherical earlier than falling to No. 4 Duke within the Spherical of 32.
Edwards is a participant Kelsey has expertise with, as he performed in opposition to Edwards for 2 years within the Colonial Athletic Affiliation earlier than James Madison moved its athletics to the Solar Belt Convention. Edwards had one in every of his greatest video games as an underclassman in opposition to Kelsey and Charleston, scoring 18 factors on February 17, 2022.
Edwards is the third switch dedication for Louisville this spring, becoming a member of Kelsey’s former Charleston gamers Reyne Smith, a guard, and James Scott, a middle. Edwards and Smith, significantly, ought to mesh nicely collectively within the backcourt. Smith is undersized for an off-guard, however he’ll be among the finest shooters in faculty basketball subsequent season. He’ll mix properly on offense with Edwards, who at 6-feet-6 acted as a giant wing initiator for James this previous season with the flexibility to play each on and off the ball.
These three are at the moment the one gamers locked into Louisville’s roster, as the entire Cardinals’ remaining scholarship gamers determined to hit the switch portal following the firing of former coach Kenny Payne.
Payne went 12-52 in two years at Louisville earlier than being ousted, and the Cardinals haven’t made the NCAA Event since earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic. A major a part of Kelsey’s imaginative and prescient up to now has been to revitalize a disillusioned fanbase following the staff’s current struggles.
Scouting Report on Edwards
Edwards exploded onto the nationwide stage this season for one of many nation’s greatest mid-major groups.
He was the first creator for the 32-4 Dukes, taking part in largely as a giant wing initiator subsequent to shooters Noah Friedel and Xavier Brown within the backcourt. Usually, one of many guards introduced the ball up the courtroom earlier than getting it to Edwards to start their units. Coach Mark Byington had Edwards play out of ball screens for probably the most half, and Edwards thrived in these settings as a type of super-charged Swiss military knife who might see over his man and skim the protection earlier than making the proper play. He throws terrific passes off a reside dribble from a number of angles, averaging 3.4 assists per recreation, earlier than totally taking on late in video games. He can dynamically spin to both facet and get to his photographs, or he can drive all the way in which to the rim.
One factor price monitoring is that he wasn’t a very good finisher this 12 months, making simply 49 % of his photographs on the rim, per Synergy. However with TJ Bickerstaff and Jaylen Carey taking over area inside, Edwards did must cope with no less than one assist man ready to slip over on the rim.
Throw in Edwards’ strong (although not essentially elite) protection, and he has all of the makings of an high quality high-major wing.
Required studying
(Picture: Dustin Satloff / NCAA Pictures through Getty Pictures)
