The Louisville basketball program is set to bid farewell to head coach Kenny Payne after a dismal 8-24 second season, dropping his overall coaching record with the Cardinals to 12-52. According to ESPN, Payne's firing is expected to take place on Wednesday.

The Cardinals' season came to an end with a first-round loss to NC State in the ACC Tournament. However, as of Tuesday night, Payne had not been in communication with Louisville athletic director Josh Heird, as reported by ESPN.

Payne, an alumnus of the university, had originally signed a six-year contract and will be owed approximately $8 million in severance pay.

Reflecting on his tenure, Payne expressed his disappointment in the team's lack of unity and the program's failure to regain its former glory. "When I walked into the program as the new head coach, I talked about the importance of having everyone on the same page. Unfortunately, we forgot about that," Payne lamented. "I'm not here to shoulder the blame alone. I needed all of Louisville with me, and we lost sight of that."

During his two-year tenure, Payne's coaching record painted a bleak picture for the once-proud Louisville basketball program. This adds to the struggles the program has faced since parting ways with former coach Rick Pitino after the 2016-2017 season.

Louisville hired Payne due to his success as an assistant coach with Kentucky and the New York Knicks, as well as his own illustrious history with the Cardinals, winning a national championship in 1986.

The first year under Payne's leadership saw the Cardinals finish with a disappointing 4-28 record, including a dismal 2-18 mark in conference play. This season, the team finished last in the ACC, securing only three wins against 17 losses. Their struggles were highlighted by being one of the three teams to lose to DePaul, who went winless in the Big East.

Louisville will now embark on a search for their fourth head coach in as many seasons, with hopes of turning the program around and ending their five-year NCAA Tournament drought. The Cardinals' last tournament victory dates back to 2017, and their most recent appearance in the tournament was in 2019.

It is worth noting that Louisville's 2013 Final Four appearance and national championship victory have been vacated due to sanctions imposed on the program during Pitino's tenure.