Whether or not Marquette was a good team was irrelevant.
The concern was why the University of Louisville basketball team was looking so bad on its home court. With 22,000 fanatics on hand. A team on life support.
An ad hoc offense led by Preston Knowles, taking more bad shots than good, not getting any lucky bounces during the early going.
Peyton Siva on the Andre McGee development track, getting layup after layup swatted away during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
A defense relying on big guys playing rough in the middle, or as Rick PItino once indicated, turning everything under the basket into a car wreck.
Officials calling anything and everything from the opening tip. Every U of L defender over 6-foot-9 getting in foul trouble early. Seventeen fouls between Gorgui Dieng, George Goode, Stephan Van Treese and Terrence Jennings.
Louisville trailing by 18, Marquette shoveling the dirt on, 65-47, at the 7:03 mark, burying the dead.
Not over, however. There is a pulse.
U of L hitting its next six shots. Van Treese hitting a layup, maybe we can keep the score decent … Knowles connecting on a three-pointer, following up with two more. Van Treese again, this one a dunk. Chris Smith finally hitting another shot.
Jennings making huge contributions, Yes, that Jennings. Four free throws when Louisville had to have them. If he does nothing else, he will be remembered for those shots. Maybe that’s why he was in there.
Kyle Kuric finding himself open with four seconds left, his layup putting U of L ahead to stay, 71-70.
Unless close finishes are just destined for Louisville-Marquette games, Rick Pitino’s team may have finally found some heart Saturday. There is indeed a pulse and good reason for a more optimistic outlook.
Marquette Blog:Â Epic Choke Job by Marquette
DVR material, this game. Blood pressure can’t take much of it in realtime, but had to watch the last 2-3 minutes live. WOW! So, who showed up at crunch time? SVT, PK, KK. Even TJ at the line–who was that, and why was he wearing Jennings’ uniform? And Rick–looking a lot older at the end, along for the ride with the rest of us during most of the comeback, just nudging the battleship a little now and then. His work was done in practice sessions. Way to go, Cards! Good time to be a Card fan.
Yeah, I turned down the sound so I could hear the Lady Cards battle against UConn on the electric radio. (Note to UofL…dump 101.7…you can barely pick it up outside of Shelbyville.)
But, the picture was worth a thousand words. The KFC YUM Center now has a signature game to boast about. Only thing better would have been being there in person. Preston Knowles, we salute you…
Archie, get me a beer!
Unbelievable game, unbelievable effort (at least at the end). And to think, I almost turned it off at the nine minute mark, but true fans leave it on “just in case” of one of those miraculous comebacks. Glad I’m a true fan!
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Edith, get me my heart medicine!
The shame is all the football recruits left with about six or seven minutes to go and missed the rally and the incredible crowd. Wish they could have stayed for our version of the “PTI Big Finish.”
“Whoever wakes up, snaps out of the doldrums first will be the winner in this one. Probably by a last second shot.” You called it, Charlie.
After moaning that this game was PAINFUL to watch, but remembering previous nailbiters with Marquette, I forced myself to watch to the end. Wow. GO CARDS!