SU @ L'Ville

[Sgt Cuse]

Another Louisville fan here. I want to say right off, the reason we did not press you last year was that we were afraid to. Pitino stated as much about six different times last year. He wanted to get the Cards running and had not been able to due to our injuries. He was very clear though that he planned to go to an uptempo/pressing style except for Syracuse and UK. He knew we could not run with you (or them) last year.

I'm not sure what he thinks this year. It will be a fantastic game Saturday. Forgive some of our exhuberant fans that have been quoted on here. We are super high this year about our team and Saturday will serve to educate us on whether this is warranted. Also, we some times have a hard time interacting properly with others because we are so often confronted by the big boring nation. And please, don't throw everyone into the Kentucky hillbilly bus with the cayutes.

I also want to say that I am impressed with your message board. Today is my first day here and I have not visited a board with more reasonable and educated feedback. I have been joining some of the ACC boards to better educate myself on our new league and you guys show warranted pride in your team while remaining classy, realistic and informative.

It is going to be a heck of a game! Hope you don't mind me hanging around a little to throw in a UofL perspective once in a while. I won't abuse the privelage.

Cutty - welcome.
I think it will be interesting to see what strategy Pitino uses. This years SU squad looks like it might be a little more susceptible to the press than last years. MCW's handle is still a question mark and our depth is not good. Employing the press could tire us out.

But the risk to LVille is that MCW and BT can aggressively crack it and get it CJ to do some real damage one on one. Those could be points that would otherwise be hard to come by. And how many of those does Pitino allow in trying to get some second half tired legs benefit. That's why I'm hoping to see an aggressive attack of it, really tighten the screws in terms of strategy to Pitino.

 

[Cuttyhunk]

Cutty - welcome.
I think it will be interesting to see what strategy Pitino uses. This years SU squad looks like it might be a little more susceptible to the press than last years. MCW's handle is still a question mark and our depth is not good. Employing the press could tire us out.

But the risk to LVille is that MCW and BT can aggressively crack it and get it CJ to do some real damage one on one. Those could be points that would otherwise be hard to come by. And how many of those does Pitino allow in trying to get some second half tired legs benefit. That's why I'm hoping to see an aggressive attack of it, really tighten the screws in terms of strategy to Pitino.

Thanks. I can offer this. Pitino presses for 2nd. half results almost as much as for turnovers. I think that was the point the other UofL poster on here was trying to make. Pitino thinks he has the best guards in the country. He thinks that they are faster than any other tandem. And if you are telling me that you think the press may tire your guards out, then Pitino is thinking that X10. Another thing I can offer is that Pitino is not easlily discouraged. He will press and press and give up first half points until I am screaming at the screen to "Give it up already!" Then, with ten minutes left in the game, those points start coming back.

Someone mentioned on here that they thought the first 4 minutes were important. I completely disagree. We kind of feel teams out and push here and pull there and unless a team is poorly coached or really outmanned, we don't often jump to big leads in the first half. Pitino does not seem to worry about a ten point deficit either. You guys are really well coached. I don't know much about your team this year, but looking at the stats, my guess is that this is going to either be a big game (I mean career maker) for MCW or you might have a weakness there in ball control.

I had doubts that we were that good until I saw what we did to Napier and Boatwright.

 

[Garbs]

I hate when teams play both halves against us

 

[realorange]

You never know though...Pitino may just let this one get away for the betterment of his team in March...hard to say which direction he will go with it until after the game is played. Pitino is one tough read.

I've heard rumors that he may even change his suit at halftime.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Cutty - welcome.
I think it will be interesting to see what strategy Pitino uses. This years SU squad looks like it might be a little more susceptible to the press than last years. MCW's handle is still a question mark and our depth is not good. Employing the press could tire us out.

But the risk to LVille is that MCW and BT can aggressively crack it and get it CJ to do some real damage one on one. Those could be points that would otherwise be hard to come by. And how many of those does Pitino allow in trying to get some second half tired legs benefit. That's why I'm hoping to see an aggressive attack of it, really tighten the screws in terms of strategy to Pitino.

MCW with 8 TOs.

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[cuseinseattle]

I think this game will be close. When was the last time we actually got are a$$ kicked by a good team. It's probably been 4 or 5 years. Outside of Seton Hall I can't think of the last time we got dominated. Regular season game against Uconn in like 2008?

 

[jordoo]

I think both teams will be pumped up and ready to play. Its an interesting matchup with two very good defensive teams who struggle at times in the half court but both have talented scorers. Also both teams play a lot of zone but in pretty different ways. I really think the key is for us to handle the press well all game, play good D and keep Lville from getting easy transition points.

No way this Lville team is as good as the one that went 14-2 with Williams and Clark but no team this year is. Its a down year the BE probably had 2-3 teams that season better than any team playing college bball this year.

 

[CorduroyG]

I think this game will be close. When was the last time we actually got are a$$ kicked by a good team. It's probably been 4 or 5 years. Outside of Seton Hall I can't think of the last time we got dominated. Regular season game against Uconn in like 2008?

We got waxed pretty good last year at notre dame. Think we made a late run to make it a little more respectable, but that game was pretty much over from the opening tip.

But I do agree with u, it will be a close game. I think we'll lose by 6 or so, with james i think we win. Anyone thinking we'll get run off the court isn't giving us any respect, we're on a freaking 26-1 run in big east games.

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[Room 914]

I think this game will be close. When was the last time we actually got are a$$ kicked by a good team. It's probably been 4 or 5 years. Outside of Seton Hall I can't think of the last time we got dominated. Regular season game against Uconn in like 2008?

Last year at Notre Dame, then when Kyle Kuric went crazy against in the last game at Freedom Hall.

 

[CorduroyG]

Last year at Notre Dame, then when Kyle Kuric went crazy against in the last game at Freedom Hall.

We didn't get blown out in the kuric game, we were winning at half.

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[Knicks411]

Lost that Lville game by 10, probably wouldn't be considered a blowout. And it was also nearly 3 years ago.

In 2011 we lost to Nova by 11 at home; that's another game I remember being pretty close a lot of the way. Seton Hall absolutely killed us that year though; still can't believe th at happened.

I think we lose by something in the 5-9 point range, but games can change so much at the end with free throws, etc. A game t hat was competitive for 38 minutes can end up being a 10-12 point loss.

 

[BlueCurtain]

I think this game will be close. When was the last time we actually got are a$$ kicked by a good team. It's probably been 4 or 5 years.

Try last year, on the road, when the team was reeling from a suspension.

 

[Room 914]

Must have just seen like we got blown out. Haha, I remember he couldn't miss.

Worried about this one Saturday though. We just haven't played a team this tough yet. Dieng and Behanan could feast on us inside just like Temple did. If we come out and play from behind the whole game, we're screwed. A strong start is key. Don't want to let them come out on a 10-2 run or 20-6 type start. That would kill us.

 

[rstone7727]

All the stars seem to be aligned for UofL right now. Dirty out, Defense of new #1 ranking, home game for the Cards, we haven't played well at all this year. Actually though, I think we may very well have more success against the press than we would in a half court game against their zone. We have struggled at times this year against the zone.
Cuse 65
UofL 62

 

[Fly Rodder]

If Rak and, more importantly, MCW or BT can limit their fouls - I think SU has a decent chance to win. If Lousiville is in the bonus by the 9-8 minute mark of the 2nd half, it's going to get ugly.

 

[jdubs30]

Let them press. I'd love to make this a track meet.

 

[RF2044]

Let them press. I'd love to make this a track meet.

Would prefer that to having it devolve into a halfcourt rock fight, like last year's game down there.

 

[Marsh01]

Try last year, on the road, when the team was reeling from a suspension.

I'm sure that was one of the best days of 2012 in your household.

 

[Cuttyhunk]

We didn't get blown out in the kuric game, we were winning at half.

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You are right. The game Kuric had the 22 pts. in the second half, you guys were in it almost all the way. I just happened to watch that game again last night. I cannot believe that we beat you. You guys were really good and really great in transition. We were not nearly as good. Kuric got a couple threes that were pretty well guarded and then it kind of snow-balled.

I gotta tell you (well, I guess I don't have to, but I want to! lol) Rautins was really easy to dislike from an opponent's pov! That's probably what made him an Orange favorite I would imagine. I understand he and Kuric are both is playing in Spain now.

 

[jec1521]

Stop being so pessimistic guys. We're winnin' this sh**t.

 

[jdubs30]

Would prefer that to having it devolve into a halfcourt rock fight, like last year's game down there.

Let's make their big men run.
Siva got 2 fouls against UConn when UL was pressing because he was reaching.

I appreciate what you're saying, but looking at our half court offense lately, I don't want to have to see that vs. Russ Smith and Siva uptop, with Dieng camping under the basket.