“Guess who’s back? Back again. Tubby’s back. Tell a friend.” -Eminem (Except the part about Tubby)

That song has been stuck in my head when thinking about tomorrow’s matchup between the Cards and Minnesota Golden Gophers at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

For the record, I was a  Tubby fan.  He made me tolerate the Cats in a way I never felt when Coach Pitino was there, or since with Coach Gillespie.  With him, you knew what team you were going to be facing.  He demanded toughness at all times on defense, and his guys never gave up.  Some of my friends that are UK supporters like to bash on his later recruiting troubles, but think about how different the Cats would have been had Randolph Morris not bolted to the Knicks.

But anyways, I believe this will be a real tough game for the Cardinals.  Not to downplay any of the early season’s success, but this UofL team has either been fully overmatching their opponents, fully preparing for their opponents, or both.  This game, with the first non-bus trip (like Nashville and Cincinnati were), will require a focus that hasn’t really been needed so far.  Scouting reports and game film are always vital, even more so when you only have one full day to prepare (and that opponent has had over a week).

I’ve been fearing this game for a while.  It will be a difficult test, and I am excited to see how this group of guys, as well as the leadership of this team, is able to handle the trip in a mature, business-like fashion.  Coach Pitino has stressed many times the importance of road games, and he does have an excellent point.

Road games are where you find the real heart of the team.  There won’t be 20,000 red-clad supporters, and a true leader of this team is expected to emerge.  For the last two seasons, it has been David Padget.  Now, T-Will, Earl, or a surprise force will be needed to handle the adversity.    

Keep an eye out for leading scorer Lawrence Westbrook, who’s averaging 14.1 ppg and has 11 steals on the season.  6-10 freshman Colton Iverson leads the team in rebounds, and rumors are out that he doesn’t mind practice as much as his surname would suggest.

If the game does get a little out of hand (not likely), be sure to watch the sidelines for hands-down, the most entertaining mascot in all of sports.  The Gopher made watching all 10 Big Ten Tournament Games at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2005 tolerable, where the first team to 30 points won every game.  I expect a good show, a good game, and a Cards victory.