Significant change is in store for the University of Louisville basketball team, according to Rick Pitino, on his Thursday radio show.
One has to question the timing, thinking maybe a week ago might have been a better time to introduce change. After all, U of L is headed to New York this weekend for a second game against Syracuse, only the second-ranked team in the nation.
Pitino has won seven of the last eight games against Jim Boeheim, lost by only one point two weeks ago. If he makes good on his promise, he’s making a big gamble in a final regular season game.
The only explanation forthcoming was that Pitino told Wayne Blackshear to either get used to getting banged around or to forget this season altogether. The coach said Blackshear responded with his best practice since arriving in Louisville.
Even if Blackshear does play more, that doesn’t constitute significant change. Blackshear could have a great game and no one would be shocked.
What would meet that criteria would be someone like Elisha Justice starting in place of Peyton Siva at the point guard position. Justice is probably a better shooter, and he wouldn’t make some the same mistakes that have plagued Siva.
Surely not Kevin Ware starting. But he could be seeing more playing time, as could Angel Nunez.
There are only so many bodies to go around so his options for making really significant change are pretty limited.