Chris Mack's Era Begins with a Victory

College of Charleston Cougars Win Season Opener

Brzovic Shines in Expanded Role

The Chris Mack era at the University of Louisville began with a 72-55 victory over the College of Charleston Cougars on Monday night. Mack, who was hired in March after spending the previous nine seasons at Xavier, got a strong performance from his team in his debut.

Louisville was led by sophomore forward Jordan Nwora, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Nwora was 7-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range. Freshman guard David Johnson also had a solid game for the Cardinals, scoring 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

The Cougars were led by senior guard Grant Riller, who had 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting. Sophomore forward Brevin Galloway also had a good game for College of Charleston, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting. However, the Cougars were unable to keep up with Louisville's offense, which shot 49.1% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range.

Mack was pleased with his team's performance in his debut. "I thought we played hard and together," Mack said. "We made some mistakes, but we also made some big plays. I'm proud of the way our guys competed.

Louisville will be back in action on Friday night when they host the Bellarmine Knights. College of Charleston will be back in action on Wednesday night when they host the Winthrop Eagles.

Brzovic Enjoys Bigger Role

One of the players who benefited the most from Mack's arrival is junior forward Dwayne Sutton. Sutton, who averaged just 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last season, had 10 points and 7 rebounds against College of Charleston. He also hit a pair of three-pointers.

Sutton said that he is enjoying his expanded role under Mack. "Coach Mack has given me a lot of confidence," Sutton said. "He believes in me, and that means a lot.

Sutton's performance is a good sign for Louisville, who needs to find some consistent scoring from their frontcourt. Nwora is a talented player, but he is still adjusting to the college game. Sutton can provide a much-needed scoring boost off the bench.

Louisville will need all hands on deck this season if they want to compete for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Cardinals have a tough schedule, but they have the talent to make a run. Mack is a proven winner, and he has the experience to lead Louisville back to the NCAA Tournament.