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Cal Ends Cards Season 77-62
By: Miller | March 19th, 2010 | Category: Cards
The Cards saw their season come to an end at the hands of a team with no inside game, but experienced guards who played like experienced guards. Cal rode a combination of good shooting and poor Louisville defense to advance to the second round of the Big Dance. Cal’s Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson each scored 21 points to led the Golden Bears to their win and chance at top seeded Duke on Sunday.
The lone, and I mean, lone bright spot for the Cards was the play of freshman Rakeem Buckles. The man we call ‘the Dream’ played a spectacular game and was the one Louisville player who without question left everything he had on the floor. Rakeem finished with 20 points, on 10-11 shooting, and 9 rebounds. He attacked the glass, rather than wait for the ball to bounce his way, which resulted in 4 offensive rebounds. Once this kid develops a mid-range game, he could really become a special player.
For me, the story of this night, once again highlighted an ongoing problem this Louisville team has had all year: senior guards playing like freshmen. Jerry Smith and Edgar Sosa too often make plays that cause a person to want to bang their head against a brick wall. Jerry has apparently not only lost his shooting stroke, but the ability to dribble as well. His attempted drive late in the game with the Cards down by ten was a prime example.
Jerry got around a defender on the perimeter, then bounced the ball off his leg, then swiped it out of bounds. While the sequence was atrocious, it could ultimately be forgiven if it were just an isolated incident. However, Jerry has been doing that all season and in crunch time, those types of things cannot occur.
Edgar Sosa had a good senior season. The stats bear it out and watching the games intently bear it out as well. Unfortunately, Edgar does not consistently make good decisions or free throws. A senior point guard who shoots only 66% from the foul line is absolutely unacceptable and in my opinion, enough of a reason to be taken off the floor late in close games.
Edgar also is not adept at making correct decisions on a regular basis. Against Cal, the Cards had the deficit down to a manageable seven points. After the ball was inbounded, Edgar brought the ball up the floor and launched a three from three feet behind the line. This was an especially poor decision because the Cards had momentum in their favor and were getting good shots off some good ball movement. Instead, the Cards’ senior point guard did not recognize the situation and put up a shot.
Keep in mind, I do not think Edgar is a selfish player. I believe his mindset is, “we could use a three here and cut this lead to four, I can make this shot.” I don’t think there’s the thought of padding stats, I think it’s simply a matter of making an incorrect decision and failure of recognition.
That’s it for now, it’s 1:30 am and I’m beat. I’ll have a season recap and off-season preview in the coming days, but for now, the Cards end their season at 20-13 and a 1st round exit.
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Has CBS Ever Covered the NCAA Tournament Before?
By: Guy | March 19th, 2010 | Category: Cards - Cats - SportsCBS has been getting pretty roundly criticized for their coverage of the NCAA Tournament over the past 48 hours. It’s really not that difficult to switch between two close games in the last two minutes, but CBS has butchered that pretty badly. It’s also not that hard to send the appropriate feed to your Louisville, KENTUCKY affiliate for the KENTUCKY-East Tennessee State game, but CBS decided showing the first five minutes of the UK was not a priority.
Now it appears CBS has forgotten that the two seed plays the 15 seed in the first round.
Yeah, I know this is a mistake that can be pretty easily made by a slip on the keyboard, but let me have a little bit of joy in criticizing CBS for being really stupid.
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 Pinkie Maps Out Louisville’s Path to the Final Four
By: Miller | March 19th, 2010 | Category: Cards
The Cards enter the 2010 NCAA Tournament a 9 seed and perhaps, the most inconsistent team in the entire tournament. This Louisville squad is as schizophrenic as John Nash (main character from A Beautiful Mind) and are just as likely to win by 20 points as they are to lose by 20 points, regardless of the level of competition. With their pair of wins over Syracuse, playing 2 seeded West Virginia to a last second shot in Morgantown, and tough play against some team called Kentucky in Rupp Arena, the Cards have shown the capability to play with or defeat some of the top teams in the country. For that reason, I believe the Cards could make a run to the Final Four.
Keep in mind, I said ‘could’, not should, likely, or will. For every game in which Louisville has played with or beat a top team, they have also been defeated by a lesser team and in a few cases, by wide margins. Before I get into the potential match-ups the Cards could face, let me first explain the main reason why I think it is a possibility the Cards make a run. We often call him the Slickster, others refer to him as “that rat bastard”, but the biggest reason why the Cards have a chance to reach Naptown is Rick Pitino.
Rick Pitino has a career 38-13 record in NCAA Tournament play, good for a .745 winning percentage. Only twice in his college coaching career has Pitino lost in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament, or any postseason tournament for that matter. During his time at Louisville, Pitino is 12-6 in the Big Dance, including a 5-1 record in the opening round of NCAA Tournament play. If we factor in NIT appearances, Pitino is 7-1 in opening round play of postseason tournaments at Louisville. What does this all mean?
It means if Pitino gets time to prepare for a team, he more often than not beats them. Rick Pitino’s greatest strength, in my eyes, is his ability to scout and break down an opponent. The man can put together a scouting report so detailed it can make your head spin. I once asked a former UofL player who played under Pitino what the scouting reports are like and he instantly responded with, “it all but had the opposing teams middle school report cards on it.
Rick Pitino is also undefeated in the Sweet Sixteen, not only at Louisville, but during his entire career. Not only as Pitino won every time in the Sweet Sixteen, he has put together some impressive performances. Here are the scores of Sweet Sixteen games the Cards have played under Pitino:
2005: vs. 1) Washington 93-79
2008: vs. 2) Tennessee 79-60
2009: vs. 12) Arizona 103-64
Pitino had equally impressive performances in the Sweet Sixteen while at Kentucky, including multiple 20+ point blowouts. Basically, if Pitino gets into the Sweet Sixteen, he wins and will probably win big. I believe that is because of the same reason Pitino wins in the opening round: he has a lot of time to prepare. Having said all that, let’s now look at the match-ups the Cards could face during this NCAA Tournament.
First Round
California Golden Bears (8)
Led by former Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery, Cal comes into the tournament having won the Pac-1o regular season championship and reached their conference tournament final. Our preview specialist, Biscuit, will be here on Friday with a full preview, but here are some things to know about Cal.
The Golden Bears depend heavily on their senior guard play. Led by Jerome Randle, the Pac-1o player of the year and Cal’s all-time leading scorer, and Patrick Christopher, an all Pac-10 selection. Randle averages 18.7 points per game and 4.4 assists per game. He also is automatic from the foul line as he shoots 93.5%. Patrick Christopher averages 14.5 points per game and shoots 36% from the three-point range, which is a strength of California.
However, Cal is not very big and struggles in the post. They will also be down a starter as 6-7 forward Omondi Amoke has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. If the Cards take advantage of their size and play any defense, I believe they win this game.
Second Round
Duke Blue Devils (1)
Barring the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history, the Cards would face the universally hated Duke Blue Devils. Duke, 29-5 and ranked third in the country, is led by their trio of Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, and Jon Scheyer, all of whom average over 17 points per game. The Dukies won a share of the ACC regular season, but won the conference tournament. While they are very good, particularly on the defensive end, they do have some areas the Cards could exploit.
First, Duke is not the most athletic team. While I would not characterize them as slow, I would say they would not be on the top level in terms of athletic teams the Cards have faced. Second, Duke does not have a dominating big man. Brian Zoubek is big at 7-1 and 260 lbs, but he is not very athletic. He averages 5.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game. He is definitely someone the Cards’ big men, Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings, could beat up and down the floor and defend one on one.
Duke also does not have much depth and their starters have logged a lot of minutes this year. The Cards would definitely press them and take advantage of the lack of depth. The Cards struggle with small, quick teams, but Duke does not fit into that category and while they are very good, it’s not the worst match-up for Louisville.
Sweet Sixteen
Purdue (4)
In my opinion, the Boilermakers will not make it this far. They have looked extremely marginal, especially on the offensive end, after the loss of Robbie Hummel. They scored 11 points in the first half against a very mediocre Minnesota team in the Big Ten Tournament last week. If they were to make it this far, I would bet all my money on Louisville. Purdue is not highly athletic and quite frankly, if they had to play without Hummel the entire season, they would not make the field of 65.
Texas A&M (5)
This is a very dangerous team. Coached by Mark Turgeon, the Aggies are 23-9 and finished 11-5 in the Big XII, good for a second place finish. They play mostly man-to-man defense and rely heavily on their guard play. While they lost their second leading scorer, Derrick Roland, to a season ending injury back in December, the Aggies have regrouped and are playing well.
However, A&M turns the ball over frequently. For the season, they barely have more assists than turnovers. They also do not have a very deep bench and seem to have a large drop-off when forced to go to their bench for extended minutes. The Cards could utilize their pressure to force the Aggies into turnovers, as well as wear them down.
Siena Saints (13)
Fran McCaffrey brings back nearly his entire team which almost took out the Cards in the second round last year. This is an experienced, well coached team, that executes very well and plays solid defense as they have held twelve opponents to under 60 points. Only twice have they allowed a team to score 80 points. In a year which their are many flawed teams, an experienced team can make a run.
The more I look at it, the more I think the Saints could be a bad match-up for the Cards. They took a better Louisville team down to the wire last year in front of a pro-Louisville crowd in Dayton. Siena would no doubt love another shot at the team that eliminated them last year.
Elite Eight
Villanova Wildcats (2)
It is well established I love Jay Wright and he has himself a good squad this year. However, the Wildcats have limped into the tournament having lost five of their last seven games. The strength of their squad is guard play, led by Scottie Reynolds. The Cards lost to them earlier this year after having a 17 point lead in the first half. They are a guard heavy team, which could give the Cards fits.
However, ‘Nova does not have much balance offensively and the Cards definitely have an edge in the paint. These two teams are very familiar with each other and when teams who know each other face off in the tournament, a close game usually follows.
Baylor Bears (3)
The Bears possess one of the most dynamic players in the country in LaceDarius Dunn, a 6-4 junior guard. He scores just under 20 points per game and shoots 42% from deep. His backcout mate, guard Tweety Carter, also shoots over 40% from deep and averages over 6 assists per game. In the paint, they have Ekpe Udoh, the Big XII’s single season leader in blocked shots. Their three frontcourt players check in at 7-0, 6-10, and 6-10. This is a very good squad that likes to get up and down the floor. They do turn the ball over and do not have many ball handlers, outside of Carter.
2010 NCAA Tournament Round One Viewer’s Guide
By: Guy | March 18th, 2010 | Category: Cards - Cats - Sports
If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past 23 years, it’s how to watch first round games in the NCAA Tournament. The next two days are literally among my favorite of the entire year, so I’ve come to understand how to make the most out of the first 32 games of the Tournament.
I think I owe it to the readers of the Pinkie to try to impart some of that knowledge for their own viewing enjoyment for the Thursday games. Let’s take a look at the games of the day and how you should approach watching them if you get to sit on your couch all day and watch basketball.
Early Games (Game to be shown in Louisville in bold)
Florida (10) vs. BYU (7) – 12:20 pm
Old Dominion (11) vs. Notre Dame (6) – 12:25 pm
Robert Morris (15) vs. Villanova (2) – 12:30
OK, two pretty watchable games here. We’ll be stuck with just live look-ins of the ND/ODU and RM/’Nova games and watching the Florida game all the way through. I think there’s a chance BYU turns their game into a laugher, which would send us to the Notre Dame game, which I anticipate being close.
The Play
Get your lunch situation squared away before tip-off, tune in to CBS and get your computer up and running with March Madness on Demand with the Notre Dame-BYU game. Keep an eye on the ‘Nova game in case the Wildcats don’t show up, but there shouldn’t be much to watch there.
If you have to work, I recommend getting close to a TV if possible or getting MMOD on the Florida game. Then, take your lunch at halftime so you can head to a place with a good TV set up to see the finishes of all three games.
Afternoon Session
Murray State (13) vs. Vanderbilt (4) – 2:30 pm
North Texas (15) vs. Kansas State (2) – 2:40 pm
Sam Houston St. (14) vs. Baylor (3) – 2:45 pm
St. Mary’s (10) vs. Richmond (7) – 2:50 pm
This time slot is where the best games seem to always happen and these games set up for that. We are lucky enough to get the Murray/Vandy game in our area, because I think this is the best game of the bunch.
The spacing also will be good here, because the Vandy game will start at 2:30 exactly since it’s the first game at its site. The other games are the second game at their sites, so will likely start a little later than the scheduled time. This means that we will get to watch the entire Vandy/Murray game, then a good chunk of the end of the closest of the other three games.
The Play
This one’s not too tough. Tune into the Vandy/Murray game on TV and enjoy. You can turn on MMOD as well, but I just don’t think it will be worth distracting yourself. Keep an eye on the scores of the other games and adjust if necessary.
If you’re working, go with MMOD and head home as early as possible because you might have a chance of making it home in time for the end of one of these games.
Mid-Afternoon
UTEP (12) vs. Butler (5)
This is a bit unfortunate, because this West Coast game is typically a high seed versus a low seed. This year, a pretty good game will be going on out west while we are in the dark back east.
The Play
The only choice here, unless you have Direct TV, is MMOD. If the game is still going on at 7 when CBS resumes coverage, they might break in and show the game.
Evening Session
Northern Iowa (9) vs. UNLV (8) – 7:10 pm
East Tennessee St. (16) vs. Kentucky (1) – 7:15 pm
Washington (11) vs. Marquette (6) – 7:20 pm
Ohio (14) vs. Georgetown (3) – 7:25 pm
Things change a bit for me when my ‘Cats are on. The other games become pretty insignificant until the outcome is decided.
The Play
Non-’Cats fans are trapped watching UK all the way through, but I obviously would have it no other way. I’m hoping UK can handle ETSU so I can start to think about potential good games between Marquette and Washington and UNLV and Northern Iowa.
Late Session
Lehigh (16) vs. Kansas (1) – 9:30 pm
Wake Forest (9) vs. Texas (8) – 9:35 pm
Montana (14) vs. New Mexico (3) – 9:40 pm
San Diego St. (11) vs. Tennessee (6) – 9:45 pm
Another case of good luck for Louisville viewers. I think Tennessee/SDSU is the best matchup and it’s the game we get to watch.
The Play
Tune in to the Tennessee/SDSU game on CBS and get the Wake/Texas game going on MMOD. CBS will break in with coverage if the Wake/Texas game is close late, they will interrupt Tennessee/SDSU coverage and return just in time for hopefully another close finish.
What a day it’s going to be tomorrow. Enjoy it, because there are no two days like Thursday and Friday.
The Pinkie Previews the 2010 South Region: A-to-Z
By: Carl H | March 17th, 2010 | Category: Cards - SportsA is for “Aggies.”
A pair of Aggies will do battle in the first round as 5th-seeded Texas A&M goes up against the 12-seed Utah State. Texas A&M is in the Tourney for the third time under Mark Turgeon, who replaced Billy Gillispie when he bolted for UK. The other Aggies, led by Stew Morrill’s motion offense will try and pull off what it almost accomplished last year against Marquette. Utah State has bowed out in the first round in their past four attempts, last winning in 2001, when they beat Ohio State in OT in a first round upset.
B is for “Baylor Bears.”
What a tremedous turnaround Scott Drew has orchestrated since the tragedy and scandal that rocked this team back in the summer of 2003. After only winning a total of 36 games (and only 13 conference games) from 2003 to 2007, the Bears made the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and lost in the championship game of the NIT last year. One could credit some of the Bears’ success to Drew’s apparent recruiting strategy of trying to assemble an “All-Name” team. Tweety Carter, LaceDarius Dunn, Givon Crump, Ekpe Udoh and Quincy Acy could all make at least honorable mention on such a squad.
C is for “Cardinals.”
The Louisville Cardinals are coming off back-to-back Elite Eight appearances and have proved this season, though they are nowhere near as talented as the past two years, that they can compete with anyone. They’ve defeated Syracuse twice and held big and late leads over the likes of Villanova, West Virginia and Kentucky. Leadership is an issue with this team and senior point Edgar Sosa as well as Jamaican postman Samardo Samuels are going to have to show up if they intend on beating Cal and then mowing down the Dookies..
D is for “Duke.”
I feared ESPN may threaten to send some goons my way if Duke wasn’t my “D”. The number one seed in what many are calling the weakest region, the Blue Devils will look to prove they deserved a number one seed despite running through a weaker than usual ACC. However, if you listen to Gregg Doyel, or any other talking head out there, you should go ahead and pencil Duke into your Elite Eight.
E is for “Execute.”
Sure this is a key for all squads in March and in any month if they want to win, but for the Monarchs of Old Dominion, executing their gameplan is a must. The Monarchs finished the regular season fifth in the NCAA in scoring defense (allowing just 56.9 points per game) and fifth in rebounding margin (plus 7.9). Running the shot clock down and hitting shots is what they’ll need to do when they face an equally defensive minded Notre Dame squad in the first round. Though the Fighting Irish have just recently begun to run a stall ball offense, Old Dominion has had the entire season to perfect theirs. This should make for a Big Ten-esque first round matchup.
F is for “Finland.”
That’s the home country of Old Dominion’s best player, 6-foot-10 Gerald Lee. Senior big man, two-time All-CAA First Team and the pride of Uusikaupunki, Finland; Lee leads the Monarchs with 14.3 points per game, shoots 54-percent from the field and 76-percent from the free throw line.
G is for “Dallas Green.”
Green averages only 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, but in back-to-back seasons has hit the game-winning shot in the NEC tournament, clinching an NCAA bid for the Colonials of Robert Morris .
H is for “Harangody.”
The man is simply a beast. He has led the Big East in scoring for three strait seasons and is Notre Dame’s career leader in points and rebounds. If he can return to 100% and continue to fit in with Mike Brey’s new offensive strategy instituted because of his injury, the Fightin’ Irish may indeed make a deep run.
I is for “Irish.”
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish somehow were given a 6-seed and will open against Old Dominion. With All-American and “H” Luke Harangody coming off the bench due to a knee injury that forced him to miss a month and Mike Brey to turn the Irish’s usual high scoring offense into a stall ball defensive club, Notre Dame will look to continue their recent hot streak. With a physical Monarch team, they may approach their first round matchup with a “first team to fifty points wins” mentality.
J is for “JaJuan Johnson.”
Purdue still has this guy underneath to go along with fellow junior, guard E’Twaun Moore. Though they have looked lost since losing Robbie Hummel, this is still a very talented Boilermaker squad. Johson averaged 14.9 points per game, 7.2 rpg, and 2.0 bpg en route to First-Team Big Ten honors.
K is for “Karon Abraham.”
The NEC rookie of the year and MVP of the conference tourney, Robert Morris’ Karon Abraham connects on 44.2-percent of his threeballs and strokes 85.3-percent from the line. If he continues his improvement and the Colonials play defense like they have all year, they just might have a shot at becoming the fifth 15-seed to ever win. Led by Mike Rice, a former Pittsburgh assistant, Robert Morris has now made the tourney two out of the last three years.
L is for “Land Down Under.”
Five of the Saint Mary’s Gaels top seven players hail from the Land Down Under, Australia. St. Mary’s has won only one NCAA Tournament game in its history, and that was an opening round game against Idaho State way back in 1959. The Gaels have been one and done in all four appearances since then.
M is for “Mike Montgomery.”
Head Coach of the California Golden Bears, Montgomery led Cal to its first Pac-10 regular season title in 50 years and second strait NCAA Tourney appearance. Led by Pac-10 Player of the Year and Cal’s career scoring leader Jerome Randle, the Golden Bears will be out to prove that they didn’t win the Pac-10 solely because the league is horrible. Expect to see screens, screens and more screens from Montgomery’s offense to set up threes, threes and more threes. And if they find themselves with a late lead, Cal’s 75.7 percent free-throw percentage is going to make it tough for a team to foul its way back into the game.
N is for “No North Carolina.”
A year removed emerging from the South Region and claiming their fifth National Title, the Tar Heels were horrible this year and will be NITing it for the first time since 2003, Matt Doherty’s final season.
O is for “Omar Samham.”
St. Mary’s best player and one of the best centers in the country, 6-foot-11 Omar Samhan does it all for the Gaels. Samhan averages 20.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game which led the entire WCC in all three categories. The last player to do that? Bill Cartwright of San Francisco in 1978.
P is for “Perimeter Defense.”
Four teams in this region (Duke, St. Mary’s, Richmond and Old Dominion) hold opponents to under 30 percent shooting from downtown.
Q is for “Questionable Placement.”
We’ve all heard the arguments about why Syracuse was sent out west while Duke was given the apparent easiest bracket. Why is Notre Dame a 6-seed and Louisville a 9-seed? Louisville defeated the Irish head-to-head, had a better conference record and downed Syracuse twice on the year. Three seeds lower? Lots of questionable placements made by the committee this year, and not just in the South.
R is for “Richmond.”
The Richmond Spiders are the only program in NCAA history to win as the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th seed. Beating the likes of Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri and Old Dominion and a 13-3 conference record in a tough A-10 has earned them a shot at getting a win as a 7-seed against 10-seed Saint Mary’s.
S is for “Siena Saints.”
The Saints have pulled the upset for two years in a row now and will go for three against 4-seed Purdue. Siena won as a 13-seed in 2008 and a 9-seed last year before giving top seeded Louisville a scare in the second round. Led by MAAC player of the year and Conference Tourney MVP Alex Franklin’s 16.8 points per game, the Saints have four starters averaging 13.6ppg or more. This is a very talented and experienced Siena squad who should no longer be a surprise to anyone. They also feature the nation’s leading assist man in Ronald Moore, who drops 7.8 dimes each game.
T is for “Three Pointers.”
With an experienced backcourt in Senior guards Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell, who should give Baylor’s backcourt of Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn all they can handle in the first round, the Sam Houston State Bearkats have six players who have drained 25 or more threes on the year, and average 8.8 made longballs as a team per game.
U is for “University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.”
After starting their season 0-11, the Golden Lions of the SWAC finished the season 17-4 and won 11 of their last 12 games. It should be noted that they played their first fourteen games away from home and during their 0-11 start, included were losses to UTEP, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Georgia Tech and Kansas State: all tournament teams. If they can take out Winthrop, the Dookies might just be a little nervous…
V is for “Villanova.”
Coming off a Final Four appearance, the best dressed coach in the country Jay Wright and his Wildcats will try to navigate the South to get back. Led by soon to be 2,200-point scorer Scottie Reynolds (and just 50 points away from passing Kerry Kittles as the schools all-time leading scorer), ‘Nova will try and break out of their slump which has seen them lose five of their past seven games.
W is for “Winthrop.”
Winthrop will be making its second appearance in the Opening Round Game (2001), joining Florida A&M (2004, 2007) as the only two teams to earn that prestigous honor. This is the Eagles second appearance in coach Randy Peele’s three years at the school.
X is for “X Factor.”
Supposedly you have to have it to win in March. What is it? I have no idea, Algebra and Calculus were never my thing. I was more of a “Y” guy….
Y is for “Yumps.”
(1)
vs.(16)
(8)
vs.(9)
(5)
vs.(12)
(4)
vs.(13)
(6)
vs.(11)
(3)
vs.(14)
(7)
vs.(10)
(2)
vs.(15)
Z is for “Zone.”
You will see lots of zone defense in the South. Louisville’s Rick Pitino likes to drop back into a zone after his token press takes teams deeper into the shot clock. Richmond plays a tough matchup zone, Baylor institutes a stingy 2-3 zone. Old Dominion switches from man to zone often, and is helped by their length when in zone.
The Pinkie Interviews Former U of L Broadcaster Ari Wolfe
By: nickev | March 17th, 2010 | Category: CardsAri Wolfe served as the University of Louisville’s football and basketball play-by-play broadcaster from 2005 until 2009. Just as fans do with referees, they often unjustifiably degrade the announcers calling the game. Unfortunately, Ari Wolfe received some criticism during his tenure at U of L, and a lot of that was at the hands of this website. We poked fun at Wolfe because it was the easy thing to do and then he called us out on it. After exchanging some e-mails, we realized that we both shared one passion. A passion for college athletics. We were lucky enough to sit down with him and discuss the NCAA Tournament, his time in Louisville and his career in general.
Wolfe, a Southern Cal graduate, has also spent time with the Philadelphia Soul, Albany Firebirds and the Minnesota Vikings. He is currently calling games for both the Mountain West and Big Ten Conference.
nickev: Ari, first off we would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us.
nickev: There is always a lot of discussion involving the last few bubble teams to make the NCAA tournament. Are there any selections, or non-selections, that really caught your attention?
Ari Wolfe: I am still in a state of shock that San Diego State won the MWC title, beating New Mexico and UNLV, and got a #11 seed. I totally disagree with that. I think they warranted a seed of eight or nine.
nickev: Are there any higher seeds that you could see making a deep run into the tournament?
Ari Wolfe: I rarely am in the prediction business. As a play-by-play announcer we usually make the analysts make these calls. I do have Siena and San Diego State in the Sweet 16.
nickev: Minnesota was clearly one of the last teams to get in the tourney, while Illinois was left on the outside looking in. Which of these teams do you think is more deserving, or do you believe that both, or neither, should have received an invite?
Ari Wolfe: I think both should have been left out. Illinois was too inconsistent with too many losses to get in. I believe that Minnesota was helped by all of the early success of the Big Ten and the NCAA wanted to recognize the overall strength of the Big Ten.
nickev: Many believed that Michigan State should have received higher than a 5-seed. This is a team that is coming off of an appearance in the National Championship and still has Kalin Lucus and Tom Izzo, one of the best tournament coaches in the field. Do you think Bill Self and the Jayhawks have reason to be concerned if they face off in the Sweet 16?
Ari Wolfe: Yes, the should be very concerned. MSU is a tough team with a determined head coach. Could be the best match-up in the Sweet 16.
nickev: The Mountain West Conference has four teams in this year’s dance (UNLV, BYU, New Mexico, San Diego State), which is the most in it’s 11-year history. The MWC has really struggled in past NCAA tournaments. Do you think they will have more success this season? What team is most likely to make a run? What MWC player is most likely to make an impact in the tourney?
Ari Wolfe: It was my first year covering the MWC and I was extremely impressed. New Mexico can make a run. Darington Hobson is the best player that no one knows outside of the MWC. BYU really needs a win in the tournament. The Cougars have a wonderful head coach in Dave Rose, who overcame pancreatic cancer last summer. They have not won a game under Rose in the tournament, but they won’t let their coach down this time. I am not guaranteeing a trip to Sweet 16, but they will beat Florida in the first round.
nickev: I’m sure you have done your best to keep up with the ‘Cards this season despite not calling their games. What do you think are the reasons for their inconsistencies? What do they have to do to make a run in the tournament?
Ari Wolfe: Very difficult for me to judge because I only saw them play three times. This team lacks on-court leadership. I love Edgar Sosa, but when your point guard is inconsistent, it creates a lot uncertainty for the whole team. They have a bunch of good players, but no one that really scares people. They need maximum effort and they have one thing that the rest of the team’s don’t have. Rick Pitino. He is a winner in March, period.
nickev: Many so-called analysts are predicting Kentucky to fall before they get out of the East Region because of their inexperience. Do you think their inexperience will prevent them from getting to Indianapolis?
Ari Wolfe: No, I don’t. I think youth and bravado can be a good thing at this time of year. If you are unaware of all of the pressure, you can just play. Calipari is another terrific tournament coach. I have the Cats in the Final Four.
nickev: Other than Kentucky, who else do you have in your Final Four and who is your eventual champion?
Ari Wolfe: So far I have picked three of the four regions. I cannot for some reason, find a team that I like in the West. Kansas vs. ?, Kentucky vs. Villanova. Villanova wins it all.
nickev: In their regular season finale, Louisville upset Syracuse in the last game in the history of Freedom Hall. What is your fondest Freedom Hall memory?
Ari Wolfe: My first game there. I was completely thrilled that I was going to be the TV play-by-play announcer for the Louisville Cardinals in Freedom Hall. Way beyond my early dreams of being an announcer. Best game I called there is easy, it was 2006 vs. Marquette. The place was buzzing from the opening tip. The game went to overtime on Dominic James’s desperation 3, with the Cards eventually winning in overtime. Awesome. Working with Bob Valvano was really fun. It took us a few games to gel, but eventually working together was one of the highlights of my time in Louisville. One other note, Kenny Klein will go down as the best person I met during my time in the ‘Ville. Classy guy. I miss Kenny.
nickev: You hosted both Rick Pitino and Steve Kragthorpe’s shows. What is your impression of these two coaches, who at least in the public’s eye are at the complete opposite ends of the success totem pole?
Ari Wolfe: Steve got some very bad advice early on with dealing with the local media and fans. He was on the defensive from almost day one. The University told everyone that he would be the opposite of Bobby Petrino and be very media friendly. That changed almost immediately. He had an us against the world mentality and it really hurt him and the entire program. Steve is a great guy and is almost universally liked in the NFL. Maybe that is where he belongs. As for Coach Pitino, he was always fair with me. I would have liked to have more of a relationship with him, but that wasn’t the case. I admire his success and I wish him and the Cards future success.
nickev: You won an Emmy award for your time spent here in Louisville. Where does this rank on your list of accomplishments, and what is your finest achievement to date?
Ari Wolfe: As a play-by-play announcer, I never thought once about winning an emmy. I did not even know that there was a category for announcers. All the credit goes to WHAS-11’s Debbie Harbsmeier. She submitted the entry and I was fortunate to win. It does not rank very high on my list of accomplishments. I am most proud of the fact that I can earn a living doing something that I love. I get to be a part of sports history all of the time. It never gets old. Best moment of my career was the Albany Firebirds winning the title in 1999. Best group of people that I have ever been around. I still think about those guys all the time.
nickev: Speaking of the Firebirds, in a 2008 interview you listed the AFL’s Albany Firebirds’ coach Mike Dailey as one of your mentors. Who are some other people who have had an impact on your career?
Ari Wolfe: My mother is my biggest influence. She followed her own path to being a very successful professor at the University of Wisconsin and she always supported my dreams of being an announcer. Best Mom ever. I admire guys who do their homework and don’t rest of their athletic accomplishments. Two guys from the NFL Network that represent those values are Mike Mayock and Charles Davis. Hard workers and better people.
nickev: What was it like to work for Jon Bon Jovi?
Ari Wolfe: It was amazing. He was not only the owner, but a huge fan. He regularly listened to our broadcasts when he was on the road and told me once that I was his father’s all-time favorite announcer. Gave me a feeling of job security rarely felt in broadcasting.
nickev: Once again we really appreciate the opportunity to sit down and talk with you. We wish you the best of luck and hope to sit down and talk with you soon.
Cards Most Profitable Team in NCAA Tournament
By: Miller | March 16th, 2010 | Category: Cards - Cats
CNBC.com has a very interesting piece about the NCAA Tournament from a financial standpoint. Within this article, Darren Rovell breaks down the most profitable teams in the Big Dance and as it turns out, Louisville is ranked no. 1. And it isn’t close either.
The Cards, an Adidas school, reported a $16, 869, 659 profit in 2010. Ohio State, a Nike school, ranks second with a $11, 417, 941 profit. Kentucky, also a Nike school, comes in 10th with a reported $6, 157, 308 profit.
Rovell also looks at some financial figures from other areas, such as cost of a thirty second ad during the tournament ($100,000), amount John Wall will make if he’s the first pick in the 2010 NBA Draft ($5,114,280), and the amount Adidas pays Kansas to be it’s apparel provider ($26,670,000,).
It’s a pretty interesting read and I recommend taking a look, here’s the link.
BREAKING DOWN THE BRACKETS FINANCIALLY
Slick Rick, Montgomery Talk Louisville vs. Cal
By: Miller | March 15th, 2010 | Category: CardsAfter learning they would be facing each other in the first round, the Slickster and California head coach Mike Montgomery held press conferences to talk about their Friday match-up. The Courier-Journal provided video from the Slickster’s presser, and audio from Montgomery’s.
There is nothing really newsworthy because both coaches are just starting to put together their game-plans, but the one piece of news involved the injured Jerry Smith. Jerry injured his thumb in the home finale against Syracuse and was unable to play in the loss to the ‘Nati, but it appears he will see at least some action on Friday.
CBS Releases T.V. Pairings for Big Dance
By: nickev | March 15th, 2010 | Category: Cards - CatsThe T.V. Pairings for the Big Dance have been released. Kentucky gets Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas in the first and second round where everyone will get to hear Bilas slurp up on Cornell more than The Office’s Andy Bernard. Louisville gets the No. 1 crew of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg because everyone knows that you have send your best crew wherever the Dookies are.
Oklahoma City – Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
Spokane- Tim Brando and Mike Gimensky
Milwaukee- Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
Providence- Verne Lunquidst and Bill Rafferty
Jacksonville- Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
Buffalo – Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
San Jose- Speiro Dedes and Bob Wenzel
New Orleans- Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
