In a teacher vs. pupil matchup, Louisville's Rick Pitino and his Cardinals opened the 2015-16 season with an 86-45 pasting over Samford, coached by Scott Padgett (who played for Pitino at Kentucky in 1990s), at the KFC Yum! Center.

Louisville's depth and defense ensured that the return of Padgett, a Louisville native, to the Commonwealth was an uncomfortable one. With 12:30 left in the first half, the Cardinals were clinging to a two-point lead, 11-9, but were already in the bonus, which allowed Pitino's bunch to parade to the charity stripe continuously in the first half and to walk into the intermission with an insurmountable 48-27 lead.

Eleven different Cardinals scored in the season opener, paced by two newcomers in 6-5 wing Damion Lee (who transferred from Drexel as a fifth-year senior) and 6-3 freshman Donovan Mitchell with 14 points apiece. Sophomore guard Quentin Snider (12 points) and 6-10 sophomore pivot Chinanu Onuaku (11 points) also reached double figures for the winners.

Pitino's bunch played stifling defense throughout the night, holding Samford to 13 of 62 from the floor (21 percent) and just 3-for-19 shooting from 3-point range (15.8 percent).

Next up for the Cardinals will be Nov. 17 home against Hartford.