A great regular season under the belt, the kind of season fans all but took for granted a couple of decades ago. Having endured the lean, in-between and too few high times makes one savor what the University of Louisville men’s basketball has accomplished this season. Those times also temper any thought of being overly confident during tourney times.
- No matter what happens over the next few days and weeks, this has been a magical season. Rick Pitino says a lot of things, one never knows what he’s going to say next because he thrives on being unpredictable, but the one to be remembered today is his promise to “return the ‘Cahds’ to prominence.”
- The current group is in no way a great team. A good team for sure, but with some weaknesses and shortcomings. However, Pitino has overcome many of the deficiencies with a charismatic super star in Terrence Williams and an approach to playing defense making it possible to believe that good things are inevitable.
- Not a good shooting team by any stretch of the imagination, nor a good half offense. Too many walking calls, too many turnovers, poor free throw shooting. The majority of points seem to come off of turnovers, awkward drives to the basket, and spurts of dunks and three-point shots. Every shot an adventure, every point a surprise, resulting in ecstasy and hypertension for Card fans.
- A defensive intensity reminiscent of Roger Burkman’s 1980 team, relentless on the attack, challenging every dribble, every pass, creating opportunities the offense does not. Led by Andre Magee, requiring intravenous fluids pre-game, Preston Knowles, shifting between, fourth gear, fifth gear and overdrive, Terrence Williams, making good shooters disappear, and Earl Clark, thriving anonymously where he is indispensable.
Nothing is possible, anything is possible.