Louisville Maintains Focus, Shreds South Florida

Big East opener not requiring heavy doses of exertion, intensity or emotion. Out of the way, in the books.  Respecting the opponent, not looking past anyone. Louisville 73, South Florida 52.

• Not a momentum builder by any stretch of the imagination, but no one was looking past South Florida either, including the crowd, waiting until the 35 second mark to begin the “Beat UK” chant.

• Edgar Sosa is this team’s most dependable part, with the exception of a few misdirected passes in the early going. Following the sit down, going on to compile five assists, four rebounds, two steals and 16 points. His ultimate legacy, or lack of it, however,  may hinge on how he performs Saturday.

• U of L is more consistent when Jared Swopshire is in the lineup, if the South Florida game is any indication. He doesn’t get overly excited, which can be bad or good, depending on what’s going on around him. His improvement, if it continues, could be a major factor come March.

• The continuing inability of Samardo Samuels or Terrence Jennings to dominate any team with a recognizable name is distressing. The inexplicable inability to finish, missing seemingly easy two or three-foot shots painful to watch.

• Jerry Smith going down the middle is an adventure, defying predictability. Either looking great or klutzy. Where did that three-point shot go anyway?

• A star needs to be born Saturday, the most likely candidates Peyton Siva or Mike Mara.

• Preston Knowles will show up. Count on it.
  

Let the hype begin for the Louisville-Kentucky circus.

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For Starters, A Win Over Arkansas

Good way to start the basketball season, against an undermanned opponent that will get much better when all the suspensions are lifted, making a University of Louisville 96-66 win over Arkansas difficult for the NCAA tournament selection committee to overlook in March.

• A deserved pasting for John Pelphrey, the Kentucky mountain man. Pelphrey having mental contortions, losing to the school he hates the most, coached by Rick Pitino, the man and coach he idolizes.
• Jared Swopshire the pleasant surprise. One never knows what Pitino is trying to accomplish when he says a player is the most improved. He was right for once, Swopshire a force on the boards with 13 rebounds. Good form on that three-pointer as well.
• Pitino may have been right, too, about Edgar Sosa being a changed man. Not one sulk to go with his five assists, three rebounds and 12 points. Played with high levels of confidence.
• Not a good debut for Mike Marra who Pitino said was the best high school shooter he has ever seen, not coming close on any of his four shots.
• The inside game still needs lots and lots of work, because it doesn’t come naturally for Samardo Samuels. Still playing far below the rim, getting pushed around. Not an offensive threat against legitimate teams when it counts.
• Reginald Delk didn’t let a year on the bench shake his psyche, 18 points for scoring honors. A role player playing his role to perfection.
• Peyton Siva providing a little preview of many good things to come with that reverse layup while taking a pounding.

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Louisville Basketball Brings Expectations

Here we go again.

The University of Louisville basketball season arrives for real. And, yes, some lofty expectations accompany the season opener against Arkansas. Fans have quickly become accustomed to Elite Eights. Never mind that the analysts aren’t as optimistic.

Don’t doubt that it will take a while for this group to find its legs. A team doesn’t lose the likes of Terrence Williams, Earl Clark and Andre McGee and pick up where it left off. These departures, remember, included the top two scorers and a defensive legend.

• Throw in the entire Rick Pitino playbook from game one along with all of the Ralph Willard wrinkles, and there’s a huge learning curve ahead. Some heads are spinning, and ears are ringing.
• The really big questions about this team are the big guys. Samardo Samuels needs to have developed threefold during the off season to become an offensive force. Unless he has changed, Terrence Jennings is physical, but lacks coordination, predictability, consistency.
• Jared Swopshire has the fluidity and the body but not the confidence or shooting ability, at least not last season. Kyle Kuric plays like a big man trapped in a 6-foot-4 body. He would control the boards otherwise.
• Jerry Smith may be in the best shape of his career if reports of all the extra effort over the summer are accurate. If Smith returns in freshman form, he could erase the memory of those ball fakes.
• If it’s true that Edgar Sosa is a different person with a different mindset, it would be the third straight season.
• The only thing certain is that Preston Knowles and Peyton Siva will be instrumental in any success Louisville enjoys this season. Everything else is speculation.

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A check of the roster indicates that former equipment manager Tim Sypher is now director of the Yum Center, and Vincent (Vinny) Tatum, former president of basketball operations, is now managing the equipment.  All in the family, the growth process.

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The Lady Cards take on Hartford University on the road tonight after their narrow weekend win over Dayton. See Sonja’s take here.

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Shake It Off, Louisville 74, Morehead 54

No mas, por favor!

Cast the nightmare spell, the disaster scenario on another top seed another year, the nightmare with the 64th seed toppling the No. 1 seed. Visions of the ice gathering, the ship sinking, bubbling, never to resurface.

Those big second halves aren’t automatic and the supply could be limited.

Andre McGee making the most of every second.

Come out pumped, ready to play, the first 20 minutes. Louisville was, but the adrenaline was pumping overtime for Morehead, providing ample evidence:

Every opponent will be super charged, over motivated, driven and desperate to take you down.

Not necessary, not appropriate, this stuff reported by CBS Sports:

Terrence Williams had extended his long, tattoo-covered arms and boogied at midcourt when the Morehead State pep band played “We Got The Funk” during pregame warmups, an indication that the tournament’s top team — one with two titles already on its resume — was in the mood for some celebrating.

There’s loose and there’s being silly.

The No. 1 ranking, the No. 1 seed. Forget ‘em. Bathed in the accolades for four days, almost four days too many. More of a detriment than a weapon in the NCAA Tournament.

• Andre McGee all over the court, here, there, back, forth, in, out, relentless on defense, setting the example, defining leadership. No time for laurels, got to bust one’s butt, or get out of the way.
• Samardo Samuels never celebrates, no joking around with him. The closest he comes to smiling is a rim-rattling dunk, his body language all business, with his nine points largely responsible for Louisville’s two-point lead at the half. Some day going to be great one because he is so focused.
• Terrence Williams due to come out of his shooting slump, adjust to whatever the opposition is throwing at him these days. A Louisville win without a T-Will dunk or two or three leaves fans with a half-full sensation, just not quite as satisfying. Get serious, T-Will, this is serious stuff. Show time comes later. We appreciate the nine rebounds, the 13 points, but there is more in the tank.
• Earl Clark apparently saving his best for Sunday. The five assists would have been impressive without the five turnovers. The one steal was impressive but what followed the next few seconds wasn’t.
• Edgar Sosa not letting Clark out do him with an equal number of turnovers. Can’t afford them.
• Jared Swopshire finally hitting a three-point shot. Progress but still timid. Invest some energy into all that playing time.

Typical of many Louisville performances this season, the good, the bad and the ugly. Wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun if the Cards made it look too easy.  Bring it, Sunday.

Must Read from The New York Times: The Little Cardinal That Could

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Your Big East Conference Champs

These are the moments, these are the days, the times, the kind of achievements that fans hope against hope will happen for their teams. Magical mystery moments, the ultimate highs, the peaks that keep one going during the valleys, touring on the big championship bus through the regular season, then kicking it into high gear in the Big East Tournament.

The University of Louisville Cardinals are Big East Conference champs. As in champions of the Big East, the regular conference season, the Big East Tournament.

Count ‘em, once, twice, two gigantic trophies coming to the Belknap, the ultimate, better than pure gold, the prize that drove all 16 teams in one of the strongest basketball conferences in the history of basketball.

“Quite special for the team, quite special for the university, and quite special for our fans,” proclaims Rick Pitino, a quite special coach, never setting ceilings for his teams, always setting the goals to the highest level, never satisfied, always reaching higher, ever higher, not done yet, far from it.

Terrence Williams in tears following the dream game, the real one, possibly giving the University of Louisville its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in a couple of decades. As a friend has been saying, “A return to the glory days for the University of Louisville. Is getting back there sweeter than being the first time. Maybe, maybe not. But it sure makes you appreciate what this team, what Rick Pitino, what Terrence Williams, Earl Clark, Andre McGee, Samardo Samuels, Preston Knowles, Jerry Smith, Terrence Jennings and company have accomplished.

Hey guys, you made it possible to dream again. Even more important, made it possible to believe dreams can come true.

Incredible, unbelievable, let the adjectives roll. The Cards are on the bus. An incredible magical mystery tour, roll up, roll up, get on the bus!

Anyone want to guess where U of L will be in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls on Monday. Could it be the first time Louisville will have ever been ranked No. 1 prior to the NCAA Tournament?

No thing is impossible for this team.

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Magic Mystery Tour Notches Big East Title

First in the Big East, all alone atop the conference standings, No. 1 seed going into the conference tournament.  Fourth year in the Big East, the University of Louisville is the conference champion. That is in the strongest college basketball conference in America, maybe the toughest conference ever, certainly the most rugged.

Not a piece of art this win over West Virginia. You don’t go into Morgantown preparing for anything but ugly. They never disappoint, the Eers and their fans, their coach and their wild and woolly followers striving to intimidate the visitors, every opportunity, every way possible.

All for naught: The couches are safe, the volunteer firemen relaxing.

• Terrence Williams wanted this win bad, no denying him, he can’t do enough, carrying the team on his shoulders. Getting the rebounds, steals, deflections, assists and baskets when his team absolutely has to have them. Five of six three-point shots, seven assists, six steals, six rebounds, 20 points. Was there ever a more most valuable player at Louisville than T-Will.
• Earl Clark, well, he plays like Earl Clark. The box score doesn’t track walking calls, which seem like every other possession. He usually makes up for his miscues with rebounds but two doesn’t quite get it. The 13 points were very helpful, however, especially the three that put U of L ahead on top, 55-54, at the 4:31 mark. No fair closing your eyes when he decides to shoot.
• Jerry Smith never gets enough credit. His two free throws in the final minute had to go down, or this adventure may have not had a happy ending. No problem for Jerry, the swishes  sweet on the backboard microphone.
• Louisville made never have another half like the one at Georgetown when the Cards didn’t miss a shot in the first 11 minutes. This team plays a  lot of ugly on offense. Tough admitting it, much less accepting it. But the defensive effort is about as good as Louisville fans have ever seen.
• Maintaining their defensive intensity, nothing new. What was new was the Big East officiating crew making calls on things they ignored all season, putting Andre McGee, Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings in jeopardy with four fouls apiece.
• Just ask West Virginia guard Alex Ruoff how good the U of L defense is, needing one three-point basket to set the all-time three-point milestone for the Mountaineers. Not this game. Zero three-pointers. Tears before and after the game for the Senior Night honoree.

Not a conference for the meek, this Big East.

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Exhale: Louisville 62, Marquette 58

About what you would expect when two teams from the top 10 get together from the toughest college basketball conference. Teams knowing which plays the opposition is going to run before coaches call them. Clinging defense. Sporadic offense. Teams not living up to fans’ expectations, win or lose.

• In many ways, Samardo Samuels personifies the spirit of this particular team, with all his up and downs, looking spectacular at times, a bit silly and inept at other times. Samuels has lots to learn, he knows it and he keeps working to get better. A little improvement here, a little there, and before you know it, he will be a dominant force down the road.
• No high-wire acts for Terrence Williams in this game, just contributing all-around. Nobody is better at finding their pivot man with those bullet passes. The man loves the game, loves his team. He is the leader, the one his teammates look up to, the one they listen to, the one who sets them straight.
• Reward time for Andre McGee who has made life hell for opposing point guards. Always smiling, optimistic, positive, he deserved, earned all those points, 16 of them, four of those three-pont swishers.
• Unpredictable that’s Earl Clark on offense. One just never knows how he’s going to perform on that end of the court and nothing surprises fans, whether he’s hitting or missing three-point shots, finishing or not finishing around the basket, completing or throwing away a pass, whatever. Just keep what you’re doing on defense, Earl, standing tall, grabbing precious rebounds. You keep life interesting, exciting even.
• Team game, Edgar Sosa. Think team, you perform better.

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