Pat Kelsey taking Louisville basketball on summer exhibition trip to the Bahamas
Before Year 1 of the Pat Kelsey era tips off, the Louisville men's basketball team will take a trip to the Bahamas.
The Cardinals on Friday announced the Caribbean excursion, which runs July 28 through Aug. 2 and will see them play two exhibition games as part of the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League.
The games will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, and noon Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Baha Mar resort in Nassau against the Bahamas and the University of Calgary, respectively.
Kelsey, in a statement from U of L Athletics, said the trip will be "invaluable" to his 2024-25 team; which gets 10 days of practice at the Planet Fitness Kueber Center before departing. He and his staff had to build a roster from scratch after every scholarship player from the 2023-24 season hit the NCAA transfer portal in the wake of Kenny Payne's ouster.
"It will be a vital time for us on the court, but it will also give us plenty of opportunities to (jell) off the court as well," Kelsey said. "I hope by taking this trip, we have a real advantage when it comes time to start practicing in the fall."
Tickets to the exhibitions will be available for advanced purchase beginning Tuesday, June 25, at BahamarHoops.com. Fans who are interested in attending can request details on travel packages by emailing info@bahamarhoops.com.
The summer trip will be the first of two Louisville is making to the Bahamas this year.
The Cards are also competing in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, which runs Nov. 27-29, at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort. Matchups have not yet been announced, but the tournament field includes Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga, Indiana, Oklahoma, Providence and West Virginia.
U of L's 2024-25 season officially begins Nov. 4 against Morehead State at the KFC Yum! Center.
Louisville last took a summer trip in 2015, when the Cards traveled to Puerto Rico to play against its national team and the Dominican Republic's national team.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Pat Kelsey taking Louisville basketball on preseason Bahamas trip
