GETTING INSIDE
As Big East play gets under way, Louisville is generally considered the conference’s biggest early disappointment. Given the strong nature of the league, that’s not a sign of panic, but losses to UNLV, Charlotte and Western Carolina, the latter two coming at home, weren’t expected to start the season.
But Big East basketball is another matter, and more often than not Rick Pitino has his guys ready to play when the bright lights go on.
Louisville began the conference schedule by dominating South Florida 73-52. After a “break” to play local rival Kentucky, a game many Cardinals fans consider the most important on the schedule, Louisville gets a trip to Providence, followed by home dates with St. John’s and Villanova.
That’s not a bad early schedule for the Cards, and it’s followed by a trip to play unranked Pittsburgh and Seton Hall. All in all, five of the team’s first six Big East games are against unranked opponents, and the other, a meeting with Villanova, is at home.
And it’s a good sign that the team handled South Florida so easily in the Big East opener. All the talk in the state has been about the matchup with Kentucky coach John Calipari, as though Pitino and Calipari were going to settle old scores with a boxing match at center court rather than with a basketball game between the Cardinals and Wildcats. All week long, Pitino implored his team to stay focused on the Bulls instead, and clearly that effort paid off.
Louisville 73, South Florida 52: Even with No. 3 Kentucky next up on the schedule, the Cardinals focused on the Bulls and knocked off an undermanned South Florida squad to win their Big East opener.
Louisville took advantage of the fact that USF was missing key frontcourt players Gus Gilchrist and Alex Rivas because of injuries. Edgar Sosa led the Cardinals with 16 points, and center Samardo Samuels and forward Jared Swopshire had 12 apiece.
“We are taking baby steps, and I don’t think we are anywhere near where we think we should be,” coach Rick Pitino said after the game. “We are improving. We are getting better. We are taking baby steps.”
NOTES, QUOTES
• F Samardo Samuels set career highs in points with 29, rebounds with 15 and in minutes played against Louisiana-Lafayette.
• Coach Rick Pitino surprised his players after they dismantled Western Kentucky, 102-75, by giving them a rare day off during the holidays. According to guard Jerry Smith, that simply doesn’t happen. “That’s why it was so crazy,” Smith said. “It surprised us. That’s why everybody went nuts in here.”
January At A Glance: Most Big East teams turn January over to Big Conference games, but Louisville must first get past its annual war with Kentucky, this year at Rupp Arena. After that, the Cardinals play two of their next three games at home, which will be a huge help. They do get to ease into the conference as much as you can ease into the Big East, facing South Florida in the opener, then playing at Providence and facing St. John’s at home before the first real conference showdown in Freedom Hall when Villanova, the conference favorite, invades.
Quote To Note: “Samardo was an animal tonight. He hasn’t been too happy with the way he’s been rebounding the ball, so he got after it tonight and just looked like a monster.”—G Edgar Sosa, to the Louisville Courier-Journal, after F Samardo Samuels scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Louisiana-Lafayette.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: Much of this early season has been spent learning how to play without the two stars from last year, Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, both in the NBA. The Cardinals now rely heavily on F Samardo Samuels for offense and on a man-to-man press on defense. There was a glitch in mid-December when they lost consecutive games to Charlotte and Western Carolina, but coach Rick Pitino turned up the defensive pressure and got his team back scoring points as it can do.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—F Jarod Shropshire, F Samardo Samuels, G Preston Knowles, G Edgar Sosa, G Reginald Delk. Key Subs—G Jerry Smith, G Rakeem Buckles.
Game Review:
Louisville 94, Oral Roberts 57
Louisville 102, Western Kentucky 75
Louisville 86, Louisiana-Lafayette 69
Louisville 73, South Florida 52
Game Preview:
At Kentucky, Saturday, Jan. 2
At Providence, Wednesday, Jan. 6
Vs. St. John’s, Saturday, Jan. 9
Vs. Villanova, Monday, Jan. 11
In Focus: The season doesn’t depend on Louisville’s Jan. 2 game with Kentucky. Much more than that is involved. Two of the most flamboyant, controversial coaches in college basketball meet for the first time as rivals in the Blue Grass State. Playing at Rupp Arena doesn’t make it any easier on Louisville, nor does the fact that John Calipari has John Walls and Patrick Patterson, potential All-Americans, on his side. The match-ups between Samardo Samuels and Patterson, and the one between Walls and the Louisville pressure should be classic.
On The Spot: The Cardinals had a tough time shooting the basketball, going 3-for-15 from three-point range and 12-for-22 from the line. A better Big East opponent will take advantage of that kind of frigid performance.
Roster Report:
• G Edgar Sosa had another strong game for the Cardinals. He led all scorers in the game with 16 points and finished with five assists compared to two turnovers.
• G Jerry Smith had six points and six rebounds. Coach Rick Pitino cited his efforts on the boards as giving the team a big lift in the second half.
• G Preston Knowles has been playing well lately but had a tough Big East opener. He went 2-for-7 from the field and battled foul trouble, though he did finish with four steals and three offensive rebounds.
• F Terrence Jenkins missed the Louisiana-Lafayette game after being suspended for violating team rules.
• F George Goode is recovering from a bruised knee and did not dress for the Louisiana-Lafayette game.
