Success for University of Louisville basketball against Western Kentucky is always more likely when a few nuances are observed:
- Consider Western a dangerous foe. That’s the first thing, always has been, probably always will be, even though WKU dwells in obscurity most of the time. The Hilltoppers will turn up later in the NCAA tournament.
- Play WKU in Louisville, not at Bowling Green or a neutral court. Means too much to Western, especially when they’re using passed-over recruits like A. J. Slaughter who grew up wanting to play for Louisville. There’s always one or two of them.
- Play like your reputation is on the line. Program superiority rarely equals automatic wins, especially over an envious opponent.
- Remember Wood Selig is WKU’s athletic director, he who would not be kind to Louisville basketball if he were on the NCAA tournament selection committee. Remember his role in sending the women’s team to LSU last season.
- Games against Western help prepare U of L for more serious threats in the state.
I saw things from Samuels in the WKU game that I haven’t seen before from him. And I mean good things. I hope it continues.
Wonderful defensive intensity by the Cards Sat. afternoon. Good guard play as well. The press was very effective, too. A good win against a WKU team that had beaten Vandy before facing the Cards. Where this one ranks as far as strength schedule probably won’t mean too much, but the fans in Frredom Hall needed this one to restore a bit of faith in the Pitino system.
Still think that A.J Slaughter and Stephon Pettigrew could see significant minutes if they had become Cardinals. Slaughter has a nice three point release and Pettigrew is just a high intensity workhorse. They’ll contend in the SunBelt this year.