Pat Kelsey used the word "nasty" like he'd found it in a drawer labeled "Things Louisville Has Been Missing" and decided to bring it back into fashion.

Louisville played the first quarter at Syracuse like it had the Orange’s playbook, PIN codes and Wi-Fi password.

For the first time since Jan. 25, 2021, a gap of 1,456 days, the University of Louisville men’s basketball team made the Associated Press Top 25 Monday.

The Cards' focus has been on giving their "undivided attention to a very, very talented and dangerous Syracuse team."

By now, most people have left their popcorn buckets in the aisle and headed to the car.

But in the end, Syracuse shot the ball even better, making 64 percent of its shots from the field to outscore Louisville 94-92 in the JMA Wireless Dome.

After falling behind No. 21 Syracuse 21-14 to end the first quarter, Louisville played some of its best sustained defense of the season, holding high-scoring Orange guard Dyaisha Fair to just two field goals in two quarters while building a 15-point fourth quarter lead in an 81-69 win.

Considering the University of Louisville men’s basketball team lost a game that I screamed they absolutely had to win at DePaul Saturday, you’re probably wondering if this column was lifted from The Onion — or dated 04/01/23.