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The Pinkie Previews: #9 Louisville (20-12) vs #8 California (23-10)
By: Biscuit | March 19th, 2010 | Category: Cards
NCAA South Region First Round
#9 Louisville Cardinals vs #8 California Golden Bears
Jacksonville, FL
Date: Friday March 19, 2010
Time: 9:45 pm EST
T.V.: CBS (Jim Nantz and Clark Kellog)
Radio: WHAS 840 AM
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team will be the last team to open up March Madness play when they take on the University of California Golden Bears tonight at 9:45 pm EST. Louisville earned their trip to the Big Dance with a convincing home win over #1 Syracuse two weeks ago to close out Freedom Hall. But the Cards come into NCAA play with many question marks. A poor showing against Cincinnati in the first round of the Big East Tournament has many people questioning if the Cards belong in the field of 64 and if they are capable of hanging with the Pac 10 champion Bears. Rick Pitino usually finds a way to have his team ready to play in March, and I expect the Cards to bring it tonight.
The California Golden Bears found their way into the tournament as an at-large selection from the Pac-10 conference. Cal was the Pac-10 regular season champion and was upset by Washington in the conference tournament championship game. The Bears enter the game against the Cards on a bit of a hot streak as they were winners in nine of their last 11 games. With a 23-10 overall record, including 13-5 in conference, Cal was by far the superior team in what is being labeled as a weak Pac-10. But let me assure you, there is nothing weak about the Bears. Cal is making their 11th appearance in the tournament and their sixth in the last 10 years.
This is the first meeting in school history between the Cards and the Bears. Louisville has not faired well historically against the Pac-10 conference, going 19-21. But things have been good for the Cards lately, especially in March when Louisville has defeated Stanford, Arizona, and Washington all within the last five years.
Meet the Golden Bears
Cal is a team built on senior leadership and experience. The Bears start four seniors, all of which average double figures in points. The Bears are undersized in their lineup and rely heavily on stellar guard play and three point shooting. In fact, Cal is so good from behind the arc that three of their starters are in the top eight in school history for three’s made.
Offensively, the Bears like to push the pace and run. They average 78.0 points per game which is a pretty high number. Cal doesn’t waste time in looking for their shots and will pull from about anywhere on the court, which is something the Cards need to be aware of. Point guard Jerome Randle does a great job of protecting the ball and running an efficient offense. Although he stands just 5′10 he is not afraid to drive the lane, and is excellent at creating off the bounce for a pull up jumper or dish to the wing. The Bears will start three guards against the Cards so they will have speed all over the court. This type of team has presented problems for Louisville in the past and Rick Pitino says Cal plays a similar style as Marquette.
As a team, Cal does an excellent job at protecting the ball. They average only 12 turnovers per game while dishing out 14.5 assists. They are not easily affected by pressure which is something that the Louisville defense relies on. As I mentioned earlier, the Bears do an excellent job of penetrating the lane and kicking to waiting shooters.
Size is the only problem for Cal. With the suspension of starting forward Omondi Amoke, the Bears will be even more undersized. They are an average rebounding team at best and aren’t very good defensively in the post. This should work to the Cards advantage. If Louisville look inside early and often, Samardo Samuels should be able to get on track and have a big day.
Team Comparisson
Statistical Comparison
Cal Uof L
Record ………………… 23-10 20-12
Scoring Average …….. 78.0 76.3
Points Allowed ……….. 68.4 66.6
Scoring Margin ……….. +9.6 +6.8
FG Percentage ……….. .477 .447
Opp. FG Percentage .. .433 .426
3-Pt. Percentage …….. .373 .339
FT Percentage ……….. .757 .703
Rebound Margin …….. +3.9 +1.6
Turnover Margin ……… +0.9 +1.7
Players to Watch
#3 Jerome Randle- This little 5′10 guard is absolutely amazing. He was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year and leads Cal in both scoring (18.7) and assists (4.5). He is the all-time leading scorer in Cal’s history, totaling 1,802 points in his four year career. As I stated earlier, this kid is quick and fearless. He isn’t afraid to get in the lane amongst the big men and challenge them at the rim. He does an excellent job off the bounce and likes to hit the pull up mid range jumper. What makes Randle even more dangerous is his three-point shooting ability. He is Cal’s all-time leader in three’s made with 248 and is sixth on the list in three-point percentage. When he isn’t scoring, Randle is dishing. He currently is tied for second on the school’s all-time assists list with 521. This kid can beat teams in so many ways it’s scary. Edgar Sosa, Peyton Siva, and Preston Knowles are going to have an extremely tough time trying to keep up him. If the Cards switch to zone to stop his penetration, he will knock down the long distance shot. This is a match up that really worries me.
# 23 Patrick Christopher- Christopher is a little bit of a taller guard than Randle but is just as effective. Like his back court mate, Christopher was also named to the All-Pac 10 First Team. He is second on the team in both scoring (16.0) and rebounding (5.4) and is a player that can also stroke it from deep. Christopher ranks sixth in school history for three’s made (153) and is fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,681 points. This is another potential match up problem for the Cards when facing Christopher. He is an athletic shooting guard that can knock down the three, but also attacks the rim and goes after rebounds. At 6′5, Christopher is a good three to four inches taller than the Cardinal shooting guards. I expect him to use his size advantage to shoot over Louisville defenders and try to muscle his way to the rim.
Keys to Victory
1) Contain Jermone Randle. This is a lot easier to say than it is to do. Cardinal guards must stay in his face all over the court and pressure him out on the perimeter. He can’t be allowed to get off good looks at three because he will drain them. If he penetrates, the Cards need to do a good job of rotating on defense and having the big man step up and contest the shot. The Louisville defense will be on their heels a lot in this game, so they must be quick and recover in time to contest Cal’s shots.
2) Guard the perimeter. Cal loves to shoot the three and can make them at a high rate. Louisville must pressure Cal outside the arc and force them to look inside. If the Cards can force the Bears into tough shots and turnovers, I like their chances.
3) Get the ball inside. The lack of size for the Golden Bears is something Louisville needs to take advantage of. Samardo Samuels should have no problems posting up and could have a monster day. The Louisville guards need to find him early and often and let the big man go to work. It’s up to Samardo to finish.
4) Louisville must score. Cal is not a very good defensive team so the Cards will have plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the basket. Louisville can’t go on their usual six minute droughts or the game will get out of hand. The Cards need to stay poised, move the ball, and hit the open jumpers. Edgar Sosa and Samuels need to limit their turnovers and take good shots. If the Louisville offense plays to their potential tonight, they will win the game.
The Best of Gus Johnson in March
By: Biscuit | March 17th, 2010 | Category: Sports - VideosIt’s here! The single greatest sports day of the year is finally here again. After 365 days of waiting, March Madness has finally come back.
What better way to get fired up for the Madness than the best of Gus Johnson.
The Pinkie Previews the 2010 Midwest Region: A-to-Z
By: Biscuit | March 17th, 2010 | Category: SportsA is for “Aldrich”
Cole Aldrich in my opinion is the biggest factor if Kansas is to advance out of this region. He is arguably the best big man in the country and is an All-American. Aldrich nearly averages a double double with 11.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He is also a huge presence defensively, averaging 3.3 blocks. The man is a beast in the post and could be the key for a Kansas trip to the Final Four.
B is for “Bruce”
As in Bruce Pearl. Pearl did one of the best coaching jobs in America this season in guiding the Tennessee Vols to the six seed in the Midwest Region. Pearl had to deal with the suspensions of several key contributors and even kicked star player Tyler Smith off the team. Despite all this turmoil, Pearl guided his team to two upset victories over #1 Kansas and #2 Kentucky while finishing the year 25-8. Pearl now hopes he and his bright orange blazer can help the Vols make a run.
C is for “Cougars”
The Houston Cougars have finally made it back to the big dance. Tommy Penders squad upset heavily favored UTEP in the C-USA final and stole a bubble spot away from several deserving teams. Houston hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1992 and if they want the party to last a while, they need to pull another big upset over Maryland.
D is for “Derrick Favors”
Favors was a beast as a freshman for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He was named ACC rookie of the year with averages of 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Favors led all Atlantic Coast Conference freshmen in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage (60.4), blocked shots (2.0) and double-doubles (8). Among all ACC players, he ranks 19th in scoring, fourth in rebounding, second in blocked shots and fourth in double-doubles.
E is for “Evan Turner”
Evan Turner of Ohio State is arguably the best player in the nation this season. Turner led Ohio State to both the Big Ten regular season championship and tournament championship. Turner averaged 20.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He has already been named Big Ten Player of the Year and is the favorite to win National Player of the Year honors. Turner is without a doubt the heartbeat of Ohio State and the Buckeyes need him to play well if they want to advance far in the dance.
F is for “Ford”
That’s right Kentucky fans, Travis Ford has once again taken his Oklahoma State Cowboys to the Big Dance. Ford, a former star point guard at UK in the 90’s, has done a sensational job in Stillwater since taking over for Sean Sutton. He is in his second year as coach of the Cowboys and has made the field of 64 in each of those years. Ford has also taken Eastern Kentucky to the Tournament and led UMASS to an Atlantic 10 Championship. He is one of the best young coaches in the game and his Cowboys could make some noise in this region.
G is for “Gauchos”
You may be asking yourself, “What the hell is a gaucho?” Well, a gaucho is a term used to describe the natives of a South American Patagonian grassland. These areas are commonly found in Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil. The term gaucho is equivalent to the American term “Cowboy”. The 15th seeded Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara look to make history when they square of against Ohio State. UC Santa Barbara are champions of the Big West and come into the Dance with a record of 20-9. They look to become only the fifth #15 seed in tournament history to defeat a #2 seed. The last to do so was Hampton in 2001 when they defeated Iowa State.
H is for “Hoyas”
The Georgetown Hoyas are one tough team to figure out. They have shown flashes of brilliance this year in blowout victories over Duke and Villanova, but have been absolutely dreadful in loses to Rutgers and South Florida. The Hoyas finished eighth in the Big East regular season, but made a strong run in the conference tournament before losing to West Virginia in the final. Georgetown is also responsible for one of Syracuse’s four loses. As a number three seed, this team has the potential to be dangerous. Star players Greg Monroe and Austin Freeman might be two names we hear in the Final Four.
I is for “Izzo”
Tom Izzo is the coach with the most tournament experience and tournament success for this region. Since he took over the coaching job at Michigan State in 1995, Izzo has led the Spartans to the 2000 National Championship and five final four appearances. He is the winningest coach in Michigan State history and has coached his team into 12 straight NCAA Tournaments. Izzo and the Spartans were last year’s national runner-up to North Carolina and many favored the Spartans to win it all this year. Michigan State has run into some bumps this season, but with several key players still on the team from last year, the fifth seeded Spartans are a team you don’t want to take lightly.
J is for “Jayhawks”
The Kansas Jayhawks come into this tournament as the favorites to win it all. Kansas spent most of the year atop the polls and are riding a wave of momentum coming into the dance. The Jayhawks are the tournaments overall #1 seed and were crowned Big 12 regular season and tournament champions. They are led by a duo of All-Americans in center Cole Aldrich and guard Sherron Collins (15.6 pts, 4.4 assts). Kansas also has a fabulous freshman in Xavier Henry (13.6 pts, 4.2 reb) who chose to play for the Jayhawks over Kentucky. This team is my pick to win it all and it’s going to take a heck of an effort to knock this powerhouse off.
K is for “Kawhi Leonard”
Kawhi Leonard is an absolute beast for the San Diego State Aztecs. He is a 6’7 freshman forward that leads the team in both points (12.8) and rebounds (9.9). Leonard led the Aztecs to the Mountain West Tournament Title over UNLV with a monster game of 16 points and 21 rebounds. He was also named the tournament’s most valuable player. The Tennessee Volunteers better find a way to contain this man or the Aztecs could pull the upset.
L is for “Las Vegas”
The University of Nevada Las Vegas Rebels are the second team from the Mountain West to be selected to the Midwest region. UNLV finished the season 25-8 and made a run to the Mountain West title game before being knocked off by fellow Midwest Region participant San Diego State. Louisville fans may be familiar with the Rebels from back in November when the Cards may the trip to Vegas and were knocked off. Former Kentucky guard Derek Jasper is a Rebel but has been out of action lately due to injury and is expected to miss the tournament. The Rebels have a tough 8-9 matchup with Northern Iowa before they get a chance at Kansas. It looks like it will be an early exit back to Vegas for this squad.
M is for “Mountain Hawks”
The mighty Mountain Hawks of Lehigh enter the tournament as the 16 seed in the Midwest region. Lehigh is a private university from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that is apparently pretty good at hoops. The Mountain Hawks were the regular season champions from the Patriot League and earned the automatic NCAA berth by winning the conference tournament. Unfortunately for the Mountain Hawks, they are rewarded with the opportunity to play the overall #1 seed Kansas. Keep in mind no #16 seed has ever beaten a #1 seed. Don’t expect that to happen in this region either as the Mountain Hawks should be one and done.
N is for “New Mexico State”
The Aggies of New Mexico State are in the tourney as the #12 seed in the Midwest after an upset victory over Utah State in the WAC conference tournament. The Aggies are 22-11, but former Louisville assistant Marvin Menizes has them playing their best ball in March. New Mexico State will square off against the Michigan State Spartans on Friday in the 5-12 matchup. I see some upset potential in this group so the Spartans better beware.
O is for “Obi”
Obi Muonelo is a player to watch for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The 6′5 senior guard is the second leading scorer for the ‘Ole Pokes, averaging 13.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures nine straight times entering the tournament, including a 31 point outburst against Iowa State. Georgia Tech and the rest of the Midwest Region will have their hands full with Obi.
P is for “Panthers”
The Northern Iowa Panthers have been the biggest surprise of the college basketball season. The Panthers, hailing from the Missouri Valley Conference, burst onto the scene by starting the season 17-1 and finishing at 28-4. The Panthers have been ranked in the top 25 most of the year and their #9 seed is way too high for as good as this team is. The Panthers play like a 4-5 seed and are a team that could create problems. They should get past UNLV and will give Kansas a tough test in the second round, but ultimately the Jayhawks should end the Panthers magical season.
Q is for “Quit”
This is a word that the Ohio Bobcats refuse to say. The Bobcats had a lack luster regular season in the MidAmerican Conference, finishing 7-9 in league play and 21-14 overall. The Bobcats earned the #9 seed is the conference tournament and could have easily quit and called it season over. Instead, Ohio beat heavily favored and #1 seed Kent State in the first round, and later defeated #2 seed Akron in the championship to earn a tourney birth. Head coach John Groce has his team believing in March and the Georgetown Hoyas better be on upset alert. This team doesn’t quit.
R is for “Raymar Morgan”
Raymar Morgan is the do it all guy for the Spartans of Michigan State. Last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year is the second leading scorer on State’s team with 11.5ppg. He is also second in rebounding (6.2rpg) and is third in steals (1.1spg). He is a senior leader for the Spartans and has plenty of tournament experience as he led his squad to the national title game last year. Raymar Morgan is a name you will hear a lot this weekend.
S is for “St. Louis”
St. Louis is the sight of the Midwest Regional semifinals and finals. Only four teams will make it to The Arch and it looks like Kansas, Ohio State, Georgetown, and Michigan State will be those teams. All 16 teams from this region have dreams of cutting down the nets in St. Louis to earn a trip to the Final Four, and I will be surprised if Kansas is not that team.
T is for “Terps”
The Maryland Terrapins have been a surprise out of the ACC this season. The Terps struggled early in the season, suffering back to back losses in the Maui Invitational and another loss in early December to Villanova. But Gary Williams got his fighting turtles back on the right path by the time conference season came around. Maryland ripped through the ACC, going 13-3 in conference play, and earning co-championship honors with the Duke Blue Devils. In fact, Maryland beat #1 seed Duke during the last week of the season before losing to Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament. Williams knows what it takes to win in March, leading his team to multiple tournament births and a 2002 National Championship.
U is for “Ugly”
This is exactly the word to describe Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl’s orange blazer. The thing is absolutely hideous. Some people think that Rick Pitino in his all white suit is bad, this tops the charts. If Pearl wasn’t a basketball coach, he could pass for the Syracuse mascot. Take a look!
V is for “Vasquez”
Greivis Vasquez is the go to guy for the Maryland Terrapins. He is a first team All-ACC performer and is one of the best guards in the entire country. Vasquez leads the ACC in assists (6.3) and is second in scoring (19.5). He also leads his team in steals (1.7). Vasquez is the do it all guy for Terps and they will go as far in this tournament as he can carry them.
W is for “Wayne Chism”
Wayne Chism is a First Team All-SEC selection from the Tennessee Volunteers. The senior F-C leads the Vols in points (12.5), rebounds (7.1), and blocks (1.4). He is also second on the team in steals (1.2). Chism is a force on both the offensive and defensive end. He is very athletic and creates matchup problems for a lot of teams. He is a smart, experienced player that has the ability to take over a game. If he plays at the top of his game during this tournament, Tennessee could make a deep run.
X is for “Xavier Henry”
Xavier Henry is the fabulous freshman from the Kansas Jayhawks. Henry was a highly touted freshman that chose the Jayhawks over the Wildcats of Kentucky. As a freshman, Henry earned Big 12 postseason honors by being named to the Big 12 Honorable Mention list. He leads the Jayhawks in steals (1.5), is second in scoring (13.6), and is fourth in both rebounds (4.2) and assists (1.2). He is also third in blocks (0.5). Henry is a very versatile player that not only starts for the number one team in America as a freshman, but is a major contributor. Henry can flat out play and could be the x factor for the Jayhawks to win a national title.
Y is for “Yellow Jackets”
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets barely played their way into the dance. Tech started the season strong, going 13-2 and finding themselves ranked in the top 25. The Yellow Jackets even beat Duke early in the conference season, but fell hard once late January and February hit. Georgia Tech went 3-6 down the stretch heading into the conference tournament and found themselves on the bubble with little hope of getting an NCAA tournament invite. Tech finished the regular season 19-11 and had a losing conference record of 7-9. There were even rumblings that coach Paul Hewit would be fired. However, the Yellow Jackets pulled it together at the right time and made an improbable run to the ACC conference championship game against Duke. The conference tournament run persuaded the selection committee that Tech belonged in the field of 64 and the Yellow Jackets look to prove the committee right.
Z is for “Zahir Carrington”
Zahir Carrington is a starting forward for the #16 seed Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Carrington is the best big man that the Hawks have and will have the tough task of trying to stop Cole Aldrich. Carrington leads the team in both rebounding (6.7) and blocks (1.3), while he is third on the squad in scoring (10.8 ppg) and steals (1.1). The senior was named to the second team All-Patriot League team for his outstanding play. If Lehigh is going to have any chance at all of shocking the world and making history, Zahir Carrington must shut down Aldrich.
The Pinkie Previews: Syracuse (28-2, 15-2) @ Louisville (19-11, 10-7)
By: Biscuit | March 5th, 2010 | Category: Cards 
Syracuse Orange @ Louisville Cardinals
Freedom Hall Louisville, KY
Saturday March 6, 2010
Time: 2:05 pm EST (Gates open at 11:30 am)
T.V.: ESPN
Radio: WHAS 840 AM
Saturday afternoon is a big day in the history of Louisville basketball. Not only is it a big game in terms of Louisville’s tournament hopes, but it is also senior day. Seniors Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith, Reginald Delk, and Chris Brickley will be playing their last home game in a Cardinal uniform in what will be an emotional day. But the historical significance of this game is something bigger than seniors or the play on the court. Louisville basketball and its fans will be saying goodbye to historic Freedom Hall. Freedom Hall has been the home to Cardinal basketball for 54 years and has been the host to several Cardinal greats including two National Championship teams. Freedom Hall has become a big part of college basketball and a special part of many fans lives.
Now on to the game. Louisville comes in off a disastrous loss atthe hands of Marquette. The Cards went to Milwaukee on Tuesday night witha chance to clinch a tournament birth. Instead, they got slammed back on the bubble with a 48-69 loss. If Louisville wins this game against the top ranked ‘Cuse, they will punch their ticket. A loss will put them in serious jeopardy of missing the Big Dance and might force the Cards to win a game in the B.E. tourney to feel good about their chances.
Syracuse comes in as the top ranked team in the land and Big East Champions. They have been on a hot streak lately and haven’t lost since the Cards beat them at the Carrier Dome back on Valentines Day. Since then, the ‘Cuse have rattled off four straight wins, including victories over #10 Georgetown and #7 Villanova. The ‘Cuse will have revenge on their minds as they look for payback against a Cards team that is responsible for one of their two losses.
Louisville and Syracuse have locked up 15 times in program history. The Cards have won the last five in the series and are 5-1 against the ‘Cuse at Freedom Hall. In their last meeting back on February 14th, Louisville pulled the upset 66-60 behind 12 points each from Sosa and Mike Marra.
Meet the ‘Cuse
Syracuse is a team that is extrodinary on both sides of the court. Offensively, Syracuse is a well balanced scoring team. Four of the five starters average double figuers, led by Wesley Johnson’s 15.6 ppg. The ‘Cuse lead the nation in field goal percentage (.518) and is second in assists (19.5). The ‘Cuse are also among the nation’s best in scoring margin (5th, +16.1) and scoring offense (6th, 81.8).
The key to the success of Syracuse’s offense is with passing and transition. Syracuse is in a position to get a lot of transition buckets because of the quickness of their guards. The guards are at the top of their 2-3 zone and the big men on the back lines are excellent rebounders. When a shot goes up, the guards take off and the big men are willing to run after a quick outlet on a rebound. Syracuse is a very patient team on the offensive end and are willing to share the ball until a good shot becomes available.
Andy Rautins is one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the nation and forces defenses to pay extra attention to him. That doesn’t bother Rautins one bit as he will dump it down to the post to Arinze Onauku or Rick Jackson who will finish at the rim.
Syracuse also has a weapon in Johnson who can shoot the three or take his man of the dribble. His versatility has given defenses fits over the course of the season as he is the type of player that can take the game over.
Defensively, Syracuse is also among the nations elite. They rank fourth in the country in steals (10.1) and seventh in blocked shots (7.8). Syracuse is known for their pressure 2-3 zone that teams can’t seem to figure out. The ‘Cuse have quick guards out front that get into the passing lanes and close out on shooters before they can get a good look. Down low, the Orange have some bangers. Onauku and Jackson are two wide bodied, physical big men that cause problems in the paint. If the ball does enter the post, Onaukuand Jackson use their size and strength to force their opposition away from the bucket. They are also athletic enough to block shots if one were to be fired. Defeating this zone is something that is not going to be easy for the Cards.
Players to Watch
In honor of senior night, I am going to switch things up a bit. Instead of looking at the Orange’s key players, we will take a look at the two senior captains of our Cardinal squad.
#10 Edgar Sosa- Over the course of his career, Sosa has given Cardinal fans plenty of headaches. This season, Sosa seems to have grown up a lot and is having his best season in a Louisville uniform. Sosa is second on the team in scoring (12.9ppg) and first in assists (4.4), both of which are career highs. His 4.4 assists per game are also eighth best in the Big East. Sosa has scored in double figures 22 times this season and 60 times over the course of his four year career. He currently ranks sixth on the teams all time three point list with 191 made three’s.
Sosa has provided Louisville fans with several memorable moments since he was a freshman. In his freshman year, Sosa netted 31 points in a heroic effort against Billy Gillispe’s Texas A&M squad in a second round loss of the NCAA tournament. Last year, Sosa played hero again when he pulled up from just past half court and banked in a long distance three to win the game against Kentucky with three seconds on the clock. Last Sunday, Sosa kept Louisville’s NCAA tournament hopes alive when he drove to hoop and converted a tough layup against UCONN with four seconds left to win the game. Sosa has always been a player that has had tremendous guts and played his butt off every minute he was on the court. I look for him to have a big impact in his final game as a Cardinal tomorrow and will do everything he can to get us a win. Hopefully he won’t try to do too much.
#34 Jerry Smith- Smith has been a factor for this Louisville program ever since the first day he set foot on campus. Smith is a four year starter and has been one of the best shooters in Louisville history. He is a career 40% three point shooter and ranks fourthin school history with 207 made three’s. This year, Smith has struggled a bit seeing his shooting percentage dip to 39% including 28% from beyond the arc. He is third on the team in scoring, averaging 8.4 ppgand leads the team in steals with 37.
Jerry’s best season as a Cardinal was his sophomore year. That season, Smith averaged 10.7 ppg and netted a career high 25 points at Seton Hall. Smithalso provided Louisville fans with a moment they will never forget when he nailed a 30 footer at the buzzer to beat Marquette in Milwaukee. The win sparked the Cardinals end of season run that saw them land in the elite eight. Jerry has proven he is an elite shooter, but has fallen on some hard times this year. I look for Jerry to be more aggressive in his final game and to come out shooting the ball well. The Cards are going to need him to knock down shots if they are going to pull the upset again.
Keys to Victory
1) Stop the Cusein transition. Louisville did an excellent job of doing this in the first meeting. The Cardinal guards need to spring back on defense after a shot goes up and stop the Orange guards from driving to the tin. The execution of this plan starts withthe big men underneathth. Samuels, Jennings, Swopshire, Buckles, and Kuric all need to crash the boards and not allow Onuaku and Jackson to have their way. If Louisville doesn’t challenge for rebounds, the ‘Cuse will get run outs and score some easy buckets.
2) Be patient on offense. The way to beat this Syracuse zone is ball movement. Louisville must use a variety of ball fakes and move the ball quickly inside to the post and back out. Good passing will keep Syracuse off balance and free up some shots on the perimeter. It’s up to the Cardinal guards to knock down these shots.
3) Pressure defense. Louisville must foce Syracuse into mistakes. As I mentioned earlier, Syracuse is a great passing team and an excellent three point shooting team. Louisville must pressure the Orange guards and not let them throw the ball where they want. The pressure defense will also cut down on three point looks that Rautins and Johnson will get. The Cards must have a hand in Rautins face at all times because with just a little breathing room, he will make you pay. Pressure defense might be the biggest key because if the Cards can come up with steals and turnovers, they can get some transition buckets and keep the game close.
Cards Trounced by Eagles 69-48
By: Biscuit | March 3rd, 2010 | Category: Cards
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team took a trip to Milwaukee in search of an NCAA tournament berth. Instead, the Cards fell flat on their face and were embarrassed by the Marquette Golden Eagles 69-48. That’s right, 48 points. In Sunday’s win at UCONN, Louisville had 40 by halftime. This performance tonight was no doubt one of the most disappointing displays of basketball that I can remember. Louisville looked like a team that was going through the motions, didn’t play hard, and looked uninterested in playing basketball . In the end, they paid for it by placing themselves firmly back on the bubble.
Recap
The game started out well for the Cards. Jerry Smith came firing right out of the gate by nailing a three and connecting on a layup. The Cards jumped out to a 5-0 lead early. This 5-0 spurt would be the only signs of life Louisville would show the rest of the way. The Eagles caught up quickly and tied the score at 11 with 14:07 to play in the first half. They would take the lead on their next possession and never relinquish it. Louisville kept it close most of the first period, trailing only 22-20 with 4:30 left in the half. Marquette then blitzed the Cards with an 11-1 run to take a 33-23 lead at the break.
Louisville got a decent performance from Kyle Kuric in the first half. Kuricwas the leading scorer in the early period, netting six points at the break on 2-3 shooting from downtown. Other than that, nobody else was even close to a factor. Smith had five at the break as did Rakeem Buckles. Samardo Samules and Edgar Sosa, the teams top two scorers, combined for only two points.
Marquette played the first half like a team that knew what was at stake. They came out and played great defense and moved the ball exceptionally well. The Eagles were hot from the outside, connecting on six threes in 13 attempts. Darius Johnson-Odom led all scorers in the half with 14 while teammate Mauriec Acker had nine. Marquette shot 50% from the field before the break, while the Cards connected just 31% of the time. The game was getting ugly.
As the second half started, I was still feeling pretty good. I thought the Cards would come out of the locker room like the did against UCONN and get themselves back in the game. WRONG! Marquette flat out punched Louisville in the jaw after the break. The Eagles went on a 13-0 run to start the half and immediately took a 23 point advantage with 13:31 to play. Louisville didn’t score a point in the second half until the 12:53 mark which ended an 18-0 Golden Eagle run that continued from the first half. The Cards tried to fight back mid way through the second half as they put together a 17-4 run to close within 10 at 50-40 with 8:54 to play. But the Cards went ice cold again, and Marquette closed the game on a 19-8 run of their own to rout the Cards 69-48.
For the first time that I can remember, Louisville was held without a double digit scorer. Edgar Sosa finished the game as Louisville’s top point man with nine and Buckles added seven. Samardo Samuels never showed up and finished the game with just four points on 2-5 shooting. Smith who scored five points in the first minute of the game, finished the game with those five points. The Cards finished the game shooting 37% from the field and got to the free throw line only once. They also committed 16 turnovers.
Marquette was led by a trio of players in double figures. Johnson-Odom finished as the game’s leading scorer with 22 points on 8-12 shooting, including 4-6 from downtown. Maruice Acker finished with 15 and Joseph Fulce added 11. Marquette shot 47% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc.
My Take
This was embarrassing. I can’t understand how a team can come out with an NCAA Tournament berth on the line and play like this. There was no motivation in this team and no leadership. The Cards looked like they wanted to just get the 40 minutes over as quick as possible and get on the airplane. The team was unprepared and showed no fight what so ever. This blame for this loss can be placed on Pitino just as much as it can be placed on the players. This team deserves whatever it gets on Selection Sunday and right now it’s anybody’s guess of what that could be.
Louisville played terrible in every aspect of the game. The obvious thing to say was the offense was the problem. The Cards shot selection was very poor and they ignored the big man inside. The Cards settled for way to many jump shots instead of trying to attack the rim. The passing was awful and turnovers were being committed left and right. There is no excuse for a team to ever score 48 points in a game unless you play in the Big Ten. There was no rhythm or flow to the offense and it showed.
Defensively, I don’t know what the hell was going on. I will give credit to Marquette because they were a very impressive passing team. They moved the ball quickly and created open shots. There were countless number of times when a Golden Eagle player was wide open on the perimeter draining a three. Louisville’s press was once again ineffective and couldn’t keep up with the speed of Marquette. The Cards looked lost at times and let Marquette guards split the zone and pull up in open space. Samuels, Jennings, Swopshire, and Buckles did a poor job of stepping up and contesting these shots and did a poor job of playing weak side defense. Marquette got whatever they wanted, when they wanted and made Louisville look silly.
The Cards once again put forth a lazy effort on the boards. The stat sheet will tell you that the rebounds were even at 28, but it was a disappointing effort. Marquette got several key offensive rebounds in the second half which led to the run that put the Cards away. Marquette was more physical and attacked the ball off the rim, while Louisville stood around and watched. Miller put it best through a text message during the game, “Louisville rebounds like a bad 4th grade clinic team”. If Louisville doesn’t man up, grow a pair, and start fighting for the ball, they will continue to get dominated.
Not sure what else to say other than this was a disappointment. This team has no heart, no leadership, and no fight. There is every reason to be motivated for these stretch games with a tournament berth on the line, yet the players don’t seem to care. At this point in the season, these types of efforts should be long gone. Tonight was a failure on the part of the players, senior captains, and most importantly the coaches. Louisville has put themselves back in a tough position where they need to beat Syracuse or win a game in the B.E. Tournament to feel good about their chances on Selection Sunday. As of now, the Cards are probably still in the dance, but by no means are they a lock.
It’s time to put this game behind us and move on to what is hopefully the last game in Freedom Hall. It should be an electric atmosphere this Saturday when the #1 ‘Cuse come to town. Former Cardinal Champions and all-time greats will be in attendance in front of a packed house. If this doesn’t motivate Pitino’s team then I give up. I look for the Cards to bounce back like they did after the St. John’s loss and give Syracuse al they can handle. Hopefully it will be enough for a win.
The Pinkie Previews: Louisville (18-10 9-6) @ UCONN (17-11 7-8)
By: Biscuit | February 27th, 2010 | Category: Cards
University of Louisville Cardinals @ University of Connecticut Huskies
Gampel Pavilion Storrs, Connectiuct
Sunday February 28, 2010
Time: 2:06 pm EST
T.V.: CBS (Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery)
Radio: WHAS 840 AM
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team faces an extremely important road test tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Storrs, Connecticut to battle the UCONN Huskies. The Cards are firmly on the bubble as of now and are looking for quality wins down the stretch to put them over the top. A win against fellow bubble team UCONN is exactly what this team needs. Louisville missed out on a chance to beat a quality opponent this past Tuesday when they fell to #11 Georgetown 70-60 at Freedom Hall. Louisville led by five at the half, but Austin Freeman’s 24 second half points helped the Hoyas dominate the second half. Before the Georgetown loss, the Cards had been playing well. They had won three straight, including victories over #2 Syracuse and a double OT win against fellow bubble team Notre Dame. Louisville needs to put together another Syracuse like effort if they have any chance of beating the Huskies on the road.
UCONN is a team that is hard to figure out. Everybody in America, including myself, had written the Huskies off earlier this month. They had lost at home to Cincinnati 48-60 on February 13th in what Jim Calhoun called the most embarrassing loss of his career. The Cincy lossleft UCONN with a 14-11 record, including a 4-8 Big East record. Nobody thought the Huskies had a chance to make the Big Dance. Since that bad loss at home, UCONN has transformed itself into a brand new team. Over the past two weeks, the Huskies have been the hottest team in the conference, if not the country. UCONN has picked up victories over #3 Villanova on the road and #8 West Virginia at home, as well as a thrashing of Big East bottom feeder Rutgers. The three straight victories have re-energized the Huskies and have experts now have them back in the tournament conversation.
This will be the second time the Cards and Huskies meet on the hardwood this season. Louisville claimed an 82-69 victory back on February 1st in Freedom Hall where four Cardinals scored in double figures, led by Edgar Sosa’s 15. These two teams haven’t met in Connecticut since 2008 when the Huskies escaped with a two point victory. Louisville and UCONN have battled eight times in program history with the Huskies holding a 5-3 advantage.
Meet the Huskies….again
The Huskies are a very athletic team that builds itself around defense. UCONN leads the nation in blocked shots (8.1 bpg) and are 13th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.383). The Huskies are very quick and use their athleticism to erase mistakes on the defensive end. It will be difficult for Cardinal guards to drive past their Connecticut counterparts and if they do get in the lane, Stanley Robinson and the rest of the Huskie front court will be there to swat their shots into the stands. The best chance Louisville has to attack this UCONN defense is ball movement. The Cards need quick passes to catch the Huskie defense on their heels and make them scramble a bit. If Louisville can move the ball effectively, they should be able to get some open looks around the perimeter. Samardo Samuels is going to be a key factor in this Louisville offense. He needs to learn that when he gets the ball inside tomorrow, that he can’t force up his shots. If he does try to score every time, his shots will be erased into the stands or miss badly. He needs to take what UCONN gives him and look to pass it back out to the guards. If Louisville can run an effective inside-out game they will get good shots and score. I’m not saying Samuels shouldn’t look for his shots in the paint, but he must be patient and look at other options.
On offense UConn is led by a trio of stars: Senior guard Jerome Dyson, who has scored 1,549 career points, leads the Huskies in scoring and has produced 20 or more points in 12 games this season (18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.6 apg). Sophomore guard and Dyson’s backcourt mate KembaWalker is second in the BIG EAST in assists with 5.5 apg and contributes 14.1 points per game. And Senior forward Stanley Robinson (15.6 ppg, 7.5rpg), a career 1,000-point scorer, has scored in double digits in 33 straight games.
UCONN is effective on the offensive end because of its athleticism. The Huskies are probably the quickest team Louisville has faced this season and in the first meeting, the Huskie guards raced up and down the court right past an ineffective Cardinal press. Dyson and Walker do an exceptional job of penetrating the lane and finishing at the rim. The same can be said for Robinson who has one of the most unbelievable vertical hops I’ve ever seen. For Louisville to stop UCONN, they are going to have to do a better job of stopping the dribble drive. This has been a problem for the Cards over the past few weeks and UCONN is a team that will exploit this weakness. Walker and Dyson not only have the ability to drive and score, but can also knock down the long distance shot. I look for Walker to drive and kick several times during the game tomorrow to Dyson on the perimeter or Robinson underneath. Louisville will need to rely on its help defense to get into the passing lanes and not allow this to happen.
Team Comparison
| CONN | LOU | ||
| SCORING | 2013 | 2173 | |
| Points per game | 71.9 | 77.6 | |
| Scoring margin | 5.5 | 8.1 | |
| FIELD GOALS-ATT | 702-1542 | 748-1664 | |
| Field Goal % | 45.5% | 45.0% | |
| 3-PT FIELD GOALS-ATT | 106-324 | 218-657 | |
| 3-pt Field Goal % | 32.7% | 33.2% | |
| 3-pt made per game | 3.8 | 7.8 | |
| FREE THROWS-ATT | 503-727 | 459-650 | |
| Free Throw % | 69.2% | 70.6% | |
| Free Throws made per game | 18.0 | 16.4 | |
| REBOUNDS | 1108 | 1055 | |
| Rebouns per game | 39.6 | 37.7 | |
| Rebound Margin | 3.1 | 3.5 | |
| ASSISTS | 394 | 428 | |
| Assists per game | 14.1 | 15.3 | |
| TURNOVERS | 411 | 385 | |
| Turnovers per game | 14.7 | 13.8 | |
| Turnover margin | -1.9 | 1.7 | |
| Assist/Turnover Ratio | 1.0 | 1.1 | |
| STEALS | 190 | 214 | |
| Steals per game | 6.8 | 7.6 | |
| BLOCKS | 222 | 115 | |
| Blocks per game | 8.1 | 4.1 |
Keys to Victory
1) Contain the UCONN guards. Walker and Dyson are one of the best back courts in the country. Both have extreme quickness and can score. Louisville needs to contain them on the drive and force them to shoot from the outside instead of in the paint. Also, Louisville must keep up with them on the press. Last time these two teams met, Dyson and Walker just flew right through the press which lead to easy layups and buckets in the paint. The Louisville guards are going to need to play fast if they want to stop this UCONN double threat.
2) Ball movement. UCONN does a great job on fiedgoal defense. Louisville is going to have to find a way to get some open looks. This is done by ball movement. With UCONN’s quickness, they can close out on shooters in a hurry and recover when they get burned. If for some reason the UCONN guards do get beat, the Huskies have an athletic frontline that can erase shots. Louisville needs to move the ball quickly and look for shots by going inside out. Put the UCONN defense on their heels and force them to start scrambling around. If the Cards do this, open perimeter shots should be available. Sosa, Delk, Smith, and Knowles are going to have to knock them down.
3) Rebound the rock. UCONN is a pretty good rebounding team and can out jump the Cards any day of the week. Louisville needs to do a good job of blocking out and putting a body on a body. If Louisville doesn’t block out, Robinson and Gavin Edwards will attack the ball off the rim and stick it back in. The Cards can’t give up second chances or they will get beat.
4) SamardoSamuels is a key all by himself. He needs to come out with a purpose tomorrow and not be intimidated. The past two games it looks as if Samuels has been afraid. First it was Mac Koshwal of Depaul that dominated Samuels and most recently was Greg Monroe. Samuels needs to play solid interior defense and play physical. On offense, he needs to make better decisions and take what the defense gives him. He should always look to score, but realize when the shot is not there and kick it out. Samuels has been forcing a lot of shots recently and this must stop.
5) Play with a sense of urgency. The Cards must realize that their tournament lives are at stake these last three games and play with a purpose. Lately the Cards haven’t showed this sense of urgency. I expect Louisville to finally wake up tomorrow and win a big game that they need.
The Pinkie Previews: #11 Georgetown (18-7, 8-6) at Louisville (18-9, 9-5)
By: Biscuit | February 23rd, 2010 | Category: Cards
What: Georgetown Hoyas @ Louisville Cardinals
Site: Freedom Hall
Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm EST
T.V.: ESPN2 will televise the game with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analyst)
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (analyst)
Officials: Bob Donato, Brian O’Connell, Bryan Kersey
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team returns to action tonight for a chance to improve it’s NCAA Tournament resume. The Cards will play host to the 11th ranked Georgetown Hoyas in Freedom Hall with the tip time set for 7:00 pm EST. Louisville has won three straight games and seem to be stepping their game up at the right time. The Cards are coming off a 68-59hard fought victory at Depaul this past Saturday and picked up a double overtime win against Notre Dame last week. Louisville has a golden opportunity to improve its tournament chances tonight. They are regarded as a “bubble team” and have only two quality wins on the season (UCONN and at Syracuse). Most experts say the Cards need to pick up a victory over a ranked team down the stretch to feel confident going into selection Sunday. The 11th ranked Hoyas present this opportunity.
Georgetown is a very tricky team to figure out. The Hoyas have beaten some very quality teams this season in Duke,Villanova, and Butler, but have struggled against lesser competition with losses to South Florida, Rutgers and Old Dominion. Georgetown comes into tonight’s game losers of two straight. They dropped a 71-68 decision at Rutgers on Valentines Day and most recently lost at home to Syracuse 75-71 last Thursday night. The Hoyas should come into this game hungry and determined to get back on the right track. The outcome of this game hinges on what Georgetown team will show up.
The Cards and Hoyas have locked up nine times in program history with Georgetown holding a 5-4 advantage. Louisville is 2-2 against the Hoyas in Freedom Hall, but are just 1-2 on the road. The teams have split in neutral site games 1-1. The last meeting between these two came a year ago to the day, February 23, 2009 at Georgetown. The Cards took that one in decisive fashion, 76-58.
Meet the Hoyas
Georgetown is one of the best all around teams Louisville will face this year. They are one of the best offensive teams in the country and have an outstanding defense to match. The Hoya offense currently ranks fourth in the nation with a field goal percentage of 50.0%. They are also 25th in the nation in three point percentage, drilling over 38% from beyond the arc. They are well balanced both with the inside game and deep threat possibilities. Georgetown has four of its five starters averaging double figures, led by Austin Freeman’s 17.0 points per game. The other three are Greg Monroe (15.7), Chris Wright (14.4), and Jason Clark (10.7).
As you can see, the Hoyas have a lot of weapons on offense that can put the ball in the bucket at a high rate. Their philosophy is simple. Work the ball from inside out. The Hoyas have a man child at the center position in Monroe. He plays the most physical out of anybody in the conference and till take the ball strong to the rim and right at his opponent. If opponents try to double the post, Monroe will kick it out to the perimeter where a trio of Georgetown guards will knock down a trey ball. The Hoyas are also not afraid to take their opponent off the bounce. They have a very athletic lineup that will make an opponent pay if they over guard the perimeter. This team presents a lot of problems for opposing defenses, and Ricky P’s squad must put together one of their best efforts in order to slow Georgetown down.
Defensively, the Hoyas are one of the top teams in the conference. Georgetown ranks fifth in the B.E. in scoring defense (65.3 ppg), fifth in field goal percentage defense (40.8%), and fifith in three-point field goal percentage defense (32.7%). This season, the Hoyas have held 18 opponents to under 45% shooting and nine opponents to under 40%. The Hoyas play an in your face style of defense and don’t give up any easy looks. With Monroe’s size and physicality on the inside, points in the paint are hard to come by. Samardo Samuels is going to have to do a better job of not forcing his shot and looking to throw it back outside. Also, the Cards are going to need some fast ball movement and penetration by the guards to open up shots. Louisville must find a way to knock down open looks against a defense that doesn’t give very many up. It would be a tremendous advantage if Louisville could create fast break opportunities from their defense. If the Cards can force Georgetown into several turnovers, they can get the transition game going and score that way. Bottom line is the Cards can’t score just 60 points and expect to win.
Team Comparison
Georgetown Louisville
Scoring Average 73.8 78.3
Scoring Defense 64.9 69.4
Scoring Margin +8.9 +8.8
Field Goal Percentage 50.6% 45.0%
FG Percentage Defense 40.6% 42.7%
Three Point FG % 39.6% 33.2%
Three Point FG % Defense 32.1% 34.2%
Free Throw Percentage 70.4% 70.5%
Rebound Average 33.6 38.1
Opponents Rebound Average 31.2 34.3
Rebound Margin +2.4 +3.9
Assists 15.7 15.4
Turnover Average 14.7 13.9
Turnovers Forced 13.5 15.6
Turnover Margin -1.2 +1.7
Steals 7.2 7.7
Blocks 5.4 4.2
Players to Watch
#15 Austin Freeman- Freeman is the biggest scoring threat for the Hoyas. He has scored in double figures 23 times this season, including 15 games of 16 points or more. His 17.0 points per game average is best on the team and ranks 10th in the Big East. In conference games, Freeman’s scoring average is even higher at 19 ppg which is sixth best in the Big East. From the field, the kid is flat out deadly. He is connecting on 53.6% of his shots which is 38th best in the country. Freeman is also the biggest three-point threat for the Hoyas. He has knocked down 47 three’s in 102 attempts which is 46.1%. He is a versatile scorer that is an excellent jump shooter, but can also put the ball on the deck and get to the rim. He is most effective with his jump shot, but if Louisville overplays this, he will drive right by his man. The Cards have to be careful in the way they approach Freeman defensively because of the many ways he can hurt them.
Freeman not only ranks first on the team in scoring, but ranks first in free throw percentage (83.1%) and third in assists (60). Earlier this season he became the 41st player in school history to surpass the 1,000 point plateau. As a Junior he continues to climb up the schools record books in sveral statistical categories. He is 20th in FG % (51.2%), 13th in three point field goals (113), 3rd in three point FG % (39.4), and 8th in FT % (79.4%). Freeman is an unbelievable offensive weapon that could give Louisville all kinds of trouble.
#10 Greg Monroe- There is only one word to describe this Sophomore center… Beast! Monroe is a physical 6′11, 247 lb body that just manhandles opponents in the paint. He is the reigning Big East Rookie of the year and is making a strong case for All Big East Honors again this season. He is second on the team in scoring with 15.7 ppg and is first in rebounding at 9.4 boards per game. His 9.4 rebounds places him fourth in the Big East. He has recorded nine double-double’s on the season and has scored in double figures 21 times. Monroe has also secured 10 or more rebounds in a game 10 times this year. His best game of the season came against a top 10 nationally ranked team in Butler, where he scored a career high 24 points and pulled down a career high 15 rebounds.
Monroe is very skilled in almost every area. This kid can score, rebound, pass, create turnovers, and block shots. He ranks in the top 20 of the Big East in almost every statistical category. Monroe is 16th in the league in scoring with 15.7 points per game, fourth in the league in rebounding (9.4rpg), and is tied for 15th in the league with 1.36 steals per game. He is also 15th in the B.E. in assists (3.60 per game) and is ninth in the league in blocks with 1.72 per game.
As I said earlier, Monroe is the definition of beast. Once he gets the ball in the paint, he is virtually unstoppable. He is so physical that he isn’t scared to go right at the chest of the defender and finish with contact. If you try to double team him or bring a guard down to dig, Monroe recognizes this quickly and makes the appropriate pass to the perimeter or to a cutting guard. He has great awareness and always seems to make the right decision with the ball in his hands. He is also an animal on the boards. He attacks the rim and goes after every ball that bounces off.
Of all the centers in the conference, Monroe is probably the best. He definitely plays the most physical style of game and this does not bode well for Samardo Samuels. Samuels has the tendency to get pushed around on the inside against guys like Monroe. Samuels is going to have to match the intensity and physicality of Monroe or he’s going to have some problems. Samuels must not be afraid to push back and attack Monroe. Hopefully he can put Monroe on the bench in foul trouble which would be a huge advantage for the Cards. In any case, the battle of the bigs is going to be something to watch.
Georgetown 73, Louisville 70
The Pinkie Previews: Louisville (17-9, 8-5) @ DePaul (8-17, 1-12)
By: Biscuit | February 19th, 2010 | Category: Cards
What: Louisville Cardinals @ DePaul Blue Demons
Site:Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL
Date: Saturday February 20, 2010
Time: 2:00 pm EST
T.V.: ESPNU
Radio: WKRD (790 AM, 101.7 FM) and SIRIUS Ch. 122 or XM 143
Officials:Ed Corbett, Clarence Armstrong, Wally Rutecki
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team looks to continue its push toward March Madness as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Depaul Blue Demons. Louisville is coming off an exhausting double overtime victory against Notre Dame this past Wednesday 91-89. Samardo Samuels scored a career high 36 points and was unstoppable in leading the Cards to victory.
DePaul has lost seven in a row since chalking up their first (and only) conference win on January 20th against Marquette. Depaul has had several close games, including a two point loss to Syracuse. Depaul might be a bad team, but has gotten better under new coach Tracy Webster. Rumor has it however that former UK coach Billy Gillispie is a candidate to take over the reigns after this season.
Louisville and DePaulhave faced off 54 times in program history with the Cards holding a 33-21 advantage. Louisville has dominated the Irish in Freedom Hall, going 19-7 all time. However, the Cards are just 14-12 in Chicago and are 0-2 at a neutral site.
Meet the Blue Demons
Depaul’s offense is in a word, embarrassing. The Blue Demons average only 60 points per game and as a team they shoot a misely 39%. From deep, they also struggle mightily as they connect only 31% of the time. The best chance Depaul has to be effective on the offensive end is to try and penetrate the Louisville defense. The Blue Demons need to get to the rim and try to finish in the paint and hopefully get Samardo Samuels into foul trouble. If Depaul relies on their jump shot, they will struggle.
Depaul also has major struggles on the glass. They average a mere 33.2 rebounds per contest and are out rebounded by over four boards per game. Against a tall physical team like Louisville, the Blue Demons must find a way to be effective on the glass. It will come down to hustle and if the Blue Demons attack and go after the ball they might be able to get some loose balls and steal some boards away from the Cards.
The one good thing Depaul does offensively is take care of the ball. The Blue Demons rank 17th nationally, avergaing just 11.2 turnovers per game. This is something that Depaul is going to have to continue to do well against the Cards. Louisville likes to press all 40 minutes and apply tight pressure on opposing teams guards. The Blue Demons must be patient and not be forced into tough passes and shots. They can’t be intimidated by the Pitino press and move the ball around till they find an open shot. If they get some good looks, who knows they might knock them down.
The strength to this Depaulteam can be found in its defense. The Blue Demons are giving up only 66 points per game which is good for ninth in the Big East. This three points better than Louisville’s defense which is ranked 11th in the conference at 69 points per game. The Blue Demon defense also holds their opponents to only 42% shooting, but gives up 35% from beyond the arc. The 35% ranks 15th in the conference. The Blue Demons are going to have to find a way to guard the perimeter against a Louisville team that loves to shoot the deep ball. Depaul must also find a way to create turnovers and get some easy buckets in transition of these turnovers. The Blue Demons also can’t let Samardo Samuels dominate inside like he did against Notre Dame. If Depaul lets Louisville dial it up from the outside and can’t stop Samuels inside, it’s going to be ugly.
Team Comparison
| DePaul | LOU | |
| Scoring | 1511 | 2045 |
| Points per game | 60.4 | 78.7 |
| Scoring Margin | -5.5 | +8.8 |
| Field Goals-Att | 561-1405 | 701-1563 |
| Field goal pct. | 39.9% | 44.8% |
| 3 Point FG-ATT | 140-446 | 206-622 |
| 3-pt FG pct | 31.4% | 33.1% |
| 3-pt FG made per game | 5.6 | 7.9 |
| Free Throws-Att | 249-437 | 437-620 |
| Free Throw pct. | 57.0% | 70.5% |
| Free Throws made per game | 10.0 | 16.8 |
| Rebounds | 829 | 994 |
| Rebounds per game | 33.2 | 38.2 |
| Rebounding margin | -4.9 | +3.7 |
| Assists | 293 | 399 |
| Assists per game | 11.7 | 15.3 |
| Turnovers | 278 | 362 |
| Turnovers per game | 11.1 | 13.9 |
| Turnover margin | +1.6 | +1.9 |
| Assist/Turnover Ratio | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Steals | 193 | 203 |
| Steals per game | 7.7 | 7.8 |
| Blocks | 83 | 109 |
| Blocks per game | 3.3 | 4.2 |
Players to Watch
#30 Will Walker-Walker is the go to scorer for the Blue Demons. He leads the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game and is second on the team in assists, dropping 2.5 dimes per game. Walker is not a major threat from three, but he does a great job of creating off the dribble and getting to the rack. Based on how the Cards looked against Notre Dame trying to contain the dribble drive, Walker could give Louisville fits.
#13 Mac Koswal-Koswal is the Depaul force in the middle. The 6′10 junior is almost averaging a double-double with 14.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. His 14.3 points is second on the team and his 9.9 boards is best on the Blue Demons. Koswal is also second on his squad in field goal percentage, connecting on 53% of his shots. He is very good in the post and his height is an advantage for him against Samuels. Samuels must try to force Koswal away from the basket and make him shoot outside the paint. I also wouldn’t be suprised if Louisville tried to double down against this giant.
Koswalis not only effective offensively, he is very active on the defensive end. He has quick hands and leads the team in steals with 2.1. When Samuels gets the ball in the post, he has to be strong with it and not put it on the floor to much. Otherwise Koswal will strip him just like Notre Dame did the other night.
Key’s To Victory
1) The most important key is don’t sleep on the Blue Demons. Louisville has a tendency to play to the level of their competition as we saw in the St. John’s debacle. If Louisville comes out and plays with a lack luster effort like they did against the Red Storm, they will get beat. The Cards need to have a sense of urgency and realize they are playing for an NCAA birth. A loss here would almost guarantee the Cards a trip to the NIT.
2) Force the role players of Depaul to beat you. Depaul is a two man team with Walker and Koswal. If Louisville can contain one of these guys or even both, Depaul will have to rely on someone else. This is exactly what the Cards want. Depaul doesn’t have the talent at any other position to comepte with the Cards. If Louisville can shut down Kowsal or Walker they should win.
3) Feed the post. We all saw what Samardo Samuels did to Notre Dame on Wednesday night. Get the ball back into the post to the big man and let him go to work. Samuels can be a weapon in several ways during this game. He can score in the post, pass it out for the three which Depaul can’t defend, or get Koswal in foul trouble. On Wednesday Samuels fouled out four Fighting Irish by himelf. If he can put Koswal on the bench because of foul trouble, its a major advantage for the Cards.
4) Play better defense. Louisville’s press has been mostly ineffective over the past several games. The Cards need to get back to creating havoc and forcing turnovers. Depaul does a good job of taking care of the ball so this won’t be an easy task for Louisville. The guards need to do a much better job of containing the drive. Notre Dame exploited this weakness in the defense the other night and I expect Depaul to try and do the same. Louisville needs to be quicker and force Depaul into mistakes that they normally wouldn’t make.
The Pinkie Previews: Notre Dame (17-9 6-7) @ Louisville (16-9 7-5)
By: Biscuit | February 17th, 2010 | Category: Cards
Notre Dame Figting Irish @ Louisville Cardinals
Freedom Hall Louisville, KY
Wednesday February 17, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm EST
T.V.: ESPN2
Radio: WKRD 790 AM joined in progress on WHAS 840 AM
The University of Louisville men’s basketball returns to action tonight as they look to build off their monumental upset of Syracuse this past Sunday. The Cards return to the comfort of their home floor as they welcome the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to Freedom Hall. Louisville is coming off a 1-1 road trip in which they experienced the low point of their season, a 17-point loss at St. John’s, and their highest point with a six-point win at #3 Syracuse. If Louisville is going to continue to make a push to the Big Dance, tonight is a game they must win.
Notre Dame comes in on a little bit of a slide, losing six of their last nine contests. The Fighting Irish are coming off a week in which they lost two straight, the first being a three point decision at Seton Hall last Thursday, and most recently a one point loss at home to St. John’s on Sunday. Notre Dame had been one of the teams battling Louisville for a bubble spot in March’s tournament, but their latest struggles have the Fighting Irish on the outside looking in. A win tonight against the Cards, could put them right back in the conversation.
Louisville and Notre Dame have hooked up 24 times in program history with the Cards holding a 15-9 advantage. Louisville has dominated the Irish in Freedom Hall, going 10-1 all time. The Cards are 4-5 in South Bend and are just 1-3 on a neutral site.
Meet the Irish
The major story for Notre Dame in this game is the likely absence of Luke Harangody. He is nursing an injured knee and his status is listed as day-to-day, but word has been that he is a long shot to be in the lineup. This is a huge loss for the Irish as Harangody seemingly always puts up big numbers against the Cards. Harangody was selected as the Preseason Big East Player of the Year and was a National Player of the Year candidate. He is without question the best player on this Irish team, averaging better than 24 points per game and 10 rebounds. His 24 ppg ranks second nationally and his 10.1 rebounding average is 23rdbest in the country. He has also scored in double figures in every game this season and has recorded 12 double-doubles. This is a major loss that Notre Dame can’t afford. The Irish are 0-1 in his absence.
Notre Dame is a team that is mainly built on offense. This team does an excellent job of working the ball from the inside out. Their strength is on the inside with Harangody, but since he draws so much attention, the outside jumpers have opened up and Notre Dame can knock them down. Notre Dame is also a very patient team that moves the ball well and doesn’t force anything. They wait for the defense to break down then find the open shots that they knock down with consistency. Their philosophy is to get the ball in the post to their go to guy and let him make decisions, but with Harangody possibly on the shelf with a knee injury, the entire offensive game plan might change.
The Irish are one of the top shooting teams in the nation and are among the Big East leaders in scoring. The Irish are making 41% of their three’s which ranks them sixth nationally. Their starting forward Tim Abromaitis can flat out dial it up from deep. We will talk more about him later, but his 49% average from beyond the arc is second in the nation. Overall, Notre Dame is shooting 47.7% from the field, which is third in the Big East, and their 79.2 points per game is fifth in the conference.
What’s most impressive about this Notre Dame team is how well they take care of the ball. As I mentioned, this team is patient and moves the ball well until they find the openings. The Irish are third in the nation in assists per game (18.0) and are fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per contest (10.4). Their assist/turnover ratio of 1.71 is tops in the country. This is the perfect recipe against Louisville’s defense. The Cards like to apply a lot of pressure and the best way to beat this pressure is ball movement. Notre Dame is a very intelligent team that doesn’t make mistakes and won’t cave into the Louisville pressure easily.
On the defensive side of things, the Irish are a little shaky. They don’t force a lot of turnovers and allow their opponents to shoot a fairly high percentage. Notre Dame opponents are committing only 10.4 turnovers a game, and are shooting better than 44% from the field. The Irish field goal defense is the second worst in the 16 team Big East and their three-point defense is ranked dead last at 37.7%. This is an advantage to the Cards who love to shoot the outside jumper. Louisville will get several good looks in this game and need to knock them down if they are to win. The Cards must move the ball like they did against Syracuse and make the extra pass. This is what leads to open threes and points.
Team Comparison
| ND | LOU | |
| Scoring | 2060 | 1954 |
| Points per game | 79.2 | 78.2 |
| Scoring Margin | 7.3 | 9.1 |
| Field Goals-Att | 718-1505 | 677-1508 |
| Field goal pct. | 47% | 32.70% |
| 3 Point FG-ATT | 205-500 | 198-605 |
| 3-pt FG pct | 41% | 32.70% |
| 3-pt FG made per game | 7.9 | 7.9 |
| Free Throws-Att | 419-577 | 402-580 |
| Free Throw pct. | 72.60% | 69.30% |
| Free Throws made per game | 16.1 | 16.1 |
| Rebounds | 958 | 960 |
| Rebounds per game | 36.8 | 38.4 |
| Rebounding margin | 3.7 | 3.8 |
| Assists | 469 | 387 |
| Assists per game | 18 | 15.5 |
| Turnovers | 271 | 347 |
| Turnovers per game | 10.4 | 13.9 |
| Turnover margin | 0 | 2 |
| Assist/Turnover Ratio | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Steals | 135 | 198 |
| Steals per game | 5.2 | 7.9 |
| Blocks | 75 | 102 |
| Blocks per game | 2.9 | 4.1 |
Players to Watch
#21 Tim Abromaitis-This junior forward is Notre Dame’s biggest threat. He stands at 6’8 and can flat out shoot the rock. As I mentioned earlier, Abromaitis ranks second nationally in three-point percentage at 49%. Overall he converts on 52.6% from the field. He is second on the team in scoring behind Harangody, averaging 16.9 points per game. He also averages 4.8 rebounds per game, which is third on the team. The Cards better be aware of this kid on the perimeter at all times. If Louisville gives him even one ounce of breathing room, he will drain it. Louisville has done a good job defensively on shooters so far this season, most recently against Andy Rautins of Syracuse, and I expect them to have a strong game plan for Abromaitis.
#23 Ben Hansbrough-If the last name sounds familiar you are probably thinking in the right direction. Ben is the younger brother of former North Carolina standout Tyler Hansbrough. Even though he isn’t his brother, Ben has some tremendous talent. He is the third leading scorer on the Irish squad, producing 11.8 points per game. He is also second on the team in assists with 125 on the season, but most importantly he takes great care of the basketball. Hansbrough leads the Big East and is third nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.13). He is also a weapon when it comes to shooting the ball. Hansbrough connects on 48.5% of his shots, including 46.4% from downtown. This kid can hurt the Cards in a variety of ways so Louisville must guard him close. The Cards need to apply hard defensive pressure on him and force him to make difficult passes and take bad shots. If Louisville lets him split their defense and get into the lane, he will find the open men on the perimeter or underneath and it could be a long day for the Cards.
Key’s To Victory
1) Guard the perimeter. Notre Dame loves to shoot the three and can drain them. The Cards need to be aware of where the shooters are at all time and have someone shadow Abromaitis everywhere on the court. I expect the Cards to extend their defense a little bit further to prevent the Irish from getting good looks from deep.
2) Turn up the pressure. The Cards have had some problems with their press in the last few games. Teams are starting to get the ball up court a lot faster, thus creating easy buckets. Louisville needs to have an effective press and apply good ball pressure in the half court sets if they want to beat Notre Dame. The Irish don’t turn the ball over very often and do a great job of being patient. The Cards defense needs to take the Irish out of their comfort zone and force them into tough passes and shots. Louisville needs to find a way to create turnovers and get some easy buckets on the other end.
3) Look inside. If Harangody is out, the Cards will have a huge advantage in the frontcourt. Give the ball to Samardo Samuels and let the big man go to work. He is much bigger and stronger than what Notre Dame will throw at him so get him the ball. If he is effective early, the Irish might start to double down, thus creating more open looks from the outside.
4) Make shots. Notre Dame’s defense is not that good. They allow teams to shoot at a high percentage and give up a lot of good looks. Louisville must take advantage of this weakness and convert on the opportunities that are given. The Cards did a great job of moving the ball against the ‘Cuse on Sunday and it paid off. If Louisville is patient, finds the holes in the defense, and looks for the open man it will be lights out for the Irish. I expect the penetration and kick by the guards to be effective in this one.
Louisvile Earns Resume Win, Close Out #2/#3 ‘Cuse 66-60
By: Biscuit | February 15th, 2010 | Category: Cards
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team earned an enormous road victory and put themselves back into the Big Dance conversation by downing the Syracuse Orange 66-60 at the Carrier Dome. Just when everything seemed hopeless for the Cards coming off a thumping at St. John’s on Thursday, they rebounded and earned themselves a quality win over the #2/ #3 team in the nation. Most bracketologist and analysts had the cards dead and buried after the St. John’s game, but tonight they are singing a different tune. Louisville finally got that resume building win they had lacked and they did it on the road which is doubly impressive. As of now, you have to think Louisville has put itself back into the field of 65.
Recap
The Carrier Dome was packed with 31,053 fans in Orange, making it the largest on-campus crowd to watch a basketball game in Syracuse history and it was a big advantage for the home team early. Louisville got off to another terrible start just like they did in Madison Square Garden Thursday night. In that game, Louisville didn’t score a point for the first 6 1/2 minutes and today looked like it was headed in that direction as the Cards first points came on a Jared Swopshire floater 3:47 into the game. The Cards continued to struggle shooting the ball for the first several minutes as they opened the game 1-9 from the field and fell behind by 11 with 8:02 to play in the first half. Louisville looked lost on defense as Syracuse was moving the ball withease and getting whatever looks they wanted both inside and beyond the arc. Pitino called a timeout, and Louisville came back looking like a different team.
Preston Knowles and Mike Marra combined for two big three’s, sparking a 17-5 run by the Cards, including 12-3 over the final six minutes to put Louisville up a point at 28-27 with a minute left. Syracuse got a bucket from Scoop Jardine late to put the ‘Cuse up 29-28 at the break. Despite the slow start and Samardo Samuels being on the bench with no points because of two early fouls, the Cards battled back and were in position to pull the upset.
The second half started a lot better for the Cards. Louisville got the ball at the start and Knowles nailed an off balance deep two as the shot clock buzzer sounded. Syracuse then scored four straight to take a 33-30 lead when Knowles came up big again. He knocked down another huge three to tie the game at 33. The two teams battled back and forth, matching bucket for bucket with neither team able to pull away. With the Cards up three with 11:30 left, the Syracuse crowd and team seemed to be dejected. Then Andy Rautins decided to strike. Rautins nailed a three from the top of the key to tie the game at 42 and seconds later drilled another from the right wing to bring the crowd to its feet, prompting a Rick Pitino timeout. Louisville found themselves trailing 45-42 and the Orange had all the momentum. It could of been the time the Cards would fold but they didn’t.
The Cards would fall behind by four at 50-46 when the under eight media timeout hit, but that’s when a sleeping giant awoke. Samardo Samuels had been held scoreless up to this point, but after the timeout he went to work. He hit two free throws to close the gap to 50-48, then made a tough off balance layup on the next possession to tie the game at 50. Marra then nailed another clutch three, capping a 7-0 run and putting Louisville up 53-50. The Cards would never trail again.
The ’Cuse closed the gap to 53-52 when Samuels hit another tough off balance shot in the lane. About a minute later, Rakeem Buckles gathered a huge offensive rebound off a Samuels miss, and stuck it back in for a 57-52 lead. It was the first time the Cards had been up by more than one possession. After a Mike Marra missed three pointer, Louisville recorded another offensive rebound and had it knocked out of bounds with 3:05 on the clock, prompting the under four media timeout.
Coming out of the break, the genius of Rick Pitino came to light. He designed one of the best inbounds plays I can ever remember him doing during his time at Louisville. He had Edgar Sosa throwing the ball in, and started Samuels at the top of the Key. Samuels came off a delayed screen right down an open lane and Sosa lobbed him the ball. The pass barely eluded a leaping Arinze Onuaku and landed right in the hands of Samuels who threw down a thunderous jam on the alley-oop. The Cards had their largest lead of the game at 59-52.
Louisville would go scoreless over the next minute and a half, allowing Syracuse to get back within a possession at 59-56. With a 1:41 on the clock, the Cards best free throw shooter Jared Swopshire had a chance to give the Cards a two possession lead again. But just like the common theme has been over the last several weeks, Swopshire missed the front end of the one and one in a clutch situation.
However, Marra came through with the biggest two plays of the season thus far for the Cards. He flew into the lane on the miss and corralled another offensive rebound. This allowed Louisville to run some more clock up by three. The Cards took full advantage as they ran the time down to 1:21 and moved the ball around. With the shot clock at 10, Swopshire made an excellent ball fake in the lane and found a wide open Marra set up in the left corner. Marra released and nailed the open three right in front of a fired up Louisville bench, delivering the dagger by putting the Cads up 62-56 with 1:22.
Even though the Cards were up six, the game was not over just yet. Kris Joseph made a pair of free throws with 1:04 to play cutting the lead to 62-58. Syracuse then fouled Edgar Sosa with 45 seconds left, putting the point guard at the line for a one and one. Sosa once again choked in the clutch by bricking the first shot. The ‘Cuse rebounded the ball and Joseph drove the lane and dunked on the ensuing possession making it a 62-60 game with 32 ticks remaining. Buckles inbounded the ball to Sosa who was immediately trapped in the corner. He threw it back to Buckles who then tried to pass along the base line. The ball landed out of bounds for the 12th Louisville turnover of the game. At this point, the common reaction was “Here we go again!”.
With 23 seconds left, Wesley Johnson drove baseline and tried a reverse layup to tie the game, but was denied by Buckles who blocked the shot off the bottom of the back board. The ball ended up in the arms of Jerry Smith who was immediately pulled to the ground by Joseph. In a controversial call, the referees whistled Joseph for an intentional foul. The Cards would have two shots and the ball. Smith stepped to the line and knocked down both free throws, ending any hope of a Syracuse miracle. After two missed three point attempts with 10 seconds left, Sosa scooped up a lose rebound, threw it ahead to Buckles who slammed home the exclamation point as the buzzer sounded. Louisville had pulled off the upset, 66-60.
Louisville was led by a balanced scoring attack as four players scored in doubled figures. Sosa and Marra led the team with 12 points each while Swopshire and Knowles pitched in 10 apiece. Samuels and Buckles both contributed eight. Samuels was also the Cards leading rebounder with six.
Syracuse also had four players score in double figures, led by Johnson who finished with 14. Onuaku and Rautins recorded 12 points each, while Joseph pitched in 10 off the bench. Johnson and Joseph both tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight each.
Why Louisville Won
This was a very impressive performance for the Cards. After the loss at St. John’s I thought this team had given up. I was in the boat that thought the Big Dance was out of reach, and this team was incapable of winning a big game on the road.
This team proved me wrong by getting off the mat and coming back with a vengence. Things started off terribly once again, with the Cards not scoring a point for the first 3 1/2 minutes, starting 1-9 from the field, and allowing Syracuse to get open looks wherever they wanted. When they got down by 11 and 31,000+ fans were fired up, the game could of easily gotten out of reach. But the Cards didn’t falter. They made several adjustments and tightened things up on the defensive end. They held the best shooting team in the nation to just 41% when they normally shoot 52.7%. They contained Rautins and shut down the ‘Cuse leading scorer Wesley Johnson.
Rautins finished with only 12 points on 4-8 shooting, including just 3-7 from beyond the arc. Johnson, who averages better than 16 points per game, was held to a dismal 5-20 from the field and was a non factor all game long.
The Cards also didn’t allow the ’Cuse to get out in transition and give up easy buckets. Syracuse has one of the best offensive transition games in all of basketball, but the Cards did a great job of slowing the game down and forcing the Orange into their half court sets. Pitino felt that the Cards needed to keep the game a low scoring one and that’s exactly what happened.
Offensively, the Cards were very patient. Louisville did a great job of moving the ball against the tough Syracuse 2-3 zone and took several open shots. The Cards didn’t force much and did an excellent job of taking care of the ball. They wound up with only 12 turnovers and limited the fourth best steals team in the nation to only four steals. After the tough shooting start, the Cards got on track. They finished the game shooting better than 42% and converted on 9-30 three’s.
The biggest factor that led the Cards to victory could be found on the offensive glass. Louisville did an outstanding job of crashing the boards on the offensive end and wound up with several second chance opportunities that they would cash in on. Louisville outscored Syracuse in second chance points 22-12 and seemed to always get a clutch offensive board down the stretch. The biggest offensive rebound came from Marra, who then hit the three on the extra possession effectively ending the hopes of the ‘Cuse.
Key Performers
Mike Marra- I still am not buying into this whole “Mike Marra is the best shooter I’ve ever seen” nonsense that Pitino keeps preaching, but the kid was huge in this game. He had his role increased due to a back injury to Reginald Delk and foul trouble by Knowles. Marra made the most of his opportunity by hitting big shots and coming up with a huge offensive rebound. He didn’t exactly shoot lights out, going 4-12 from the field (all three’s), but he didn’t get rattled. He was very confident and kept shooting, knowing his shots would eventually fall. Playing in front of 31,000 fans as a Freshman is not easy and this kid stepped up to the challenge. His play was without question the biggest reason the Cards pulled this one out. He had four rebounds, an assist, and a block to go along with his 12 points.
Rakeem Buckles-Buckles saw the most playing time that he has seen in recent weeks and was a big factor. He finished with eight points on 3-4 shooting and knocked down his only two free throws of the game. He always seemed to come up with a big play whenever the Cards needed one. Whether it is the offensive rebound and put back late in the game to put the Cards up five or the blocked shot when Syracuse tried to tie the game in the last 30 seconds, Buckles was active on both ends and gave Louisville some crucial play off the bench.
Samardo Samuels-Samuels had a tough match up today going against two physical big men in Onuaku and Rick Jackson. Samuels spent most of the first half on the bench in foul trouble and was non existent for most of the second half. But down the stretch when the Cards needed him, Samuels answered the call. He scored all eight of his points in a four minute stretch late in the second half with the game within one possession. He also finished the game as the Cards leading rebounder with six and dished out four assists.
What’s Next
The Cards can celebrate this major victory for one night, but they must realize there is a lot of work left to do in order to get to the Big Dance. They may of played their way back into the tourney as of now, but it will all be for nothing unless they take care of business down the stretch. This stretch run starts Wednesday night when the Notre Dame fighting Irish invade Freedom Hall for a 7:00 game. Notre Dame is another team on the bubble with the Cards that is fighting for one of those last tournament spots. It’s another must win for the Cards as they look to avenge the 30 point beat down they received in South Bend last season.
