Daily Archives: January 9, 2014

The Beak Basketball Breakdown: The Tigers

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The Cards will renew a conference rivalry that historically is considered to be one of the better hardwood feuds in NCAA basketball when they face off against Memphis for the 88th time on Thursday night at the KFC Yum Center. The Cardinals lead this series 53-34 and have won the last four. Memphis enters Thursday’s American Athletic Conference match-up having won nine of its last 11 games. Louisville is a perfect 9-0 at home this season, with all nine games won by 16 or more points. The Cardinals return home for the first time since December 17th.

The Tigers could pose the biggest threat to Louisville for the AAC title and if last season’s meeting was any indication, this year’s meetings will be fun to watch as Josh Pastner should have his best team in his five seasons as head coach. Their deep, veteran backcourt is among the best in the AAC, Memphis returns a perimeter game that can compete with any team in the country with Joe Jackson (15pts, 3.5rpg, 3.5apg), Geron Johnson (8.3pts, 4.9rpg, 3.5apg), and Chris Crawford (8.8pts, 4.2rpg, 3.0apg). Crawford and Jackson are the first teammates to have 1,000 points and 400 assists for a career. While emerging low-post force Shaq Goodwin (12.3pts, 6.6rpg, 1.8apg) and freshman sensation Austin Nichols (8.5pts, 4.2rpg, 0.2apg) are controlling both the defensive paint and the boards.

Memphis comes into Thursdays game averaging 80.5 points-per-game, while shooting 47% from the floor and 29% from 3-point range. The Tigers are converting 65% of its attempts from the free-throw line. Defensively, Memphis is allowing 69.7 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 44% from the floor. The Tigers are out-rebounding their opponents 510-473 with a rebounding margin of +2.8 averaging 39.2 boards-per-contest.

Memphis
2013-14 OVERALL RANKINGS
-POINTS PER GAME
80.5
35th
OVERALL
-REBOUNDS PER GAME
39.1
56th
OVERALL
-ASSISTS PER GAME
16.5
20th
OVERALL
-FIELD GOAL PCT
.473
66th
OVERALL

Kenpom Ranks
Overall – #35
Defense Adjustment Efficiency
– 96.3 ranks 45th
Offensive Adjustment Efficiency
– 111.5 ranks 45th

Folks this is probably one of the most important games of the season. Not only does it hold conference implications but also will hold season implications as our Cardinals need this quality win for their post season resume. Missing the opportunity to get the RPI quality wins against UNC and UK the opportunities are going to be few and far between as the rest of the season plays out. It won’t be an easy task to get the first win over a ranked opponent as Memphis is a very talented and athletic group. They get to the basket, like to control the paint and rebound well. The Cards front-court will once again be held to the fire. Mango, Van Treese and Montrezl will have to defend and hit the boards for Louisville to win and our back-court duo of Jones and Smith will have to stop their talented guards and force them to take jump shots. They only shoot 29% from beyond the arc. Their guards love to drive and dish and stopping the ball is key here. Cincy beat this Memphis team by playing great interior defense and stopping penetration. That will be the key for the Cardinals Thursday night. Be sure to wear your “WHITE” and cheer loud Cardinal fans!

Floyd St, A Road To Redemption

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I’m very happy to be writing this article knowing that just a few days after Coach Strong’s departure the University of Louisville’s Football Program has found the next head coach to lead the program forward. And I say forward because that’s exactly where the program will go with Bobby Petrino leading the way. This is a very good thing Cardinal fans. There isn’t a fan among us that wanted to go backwards after the success the last coaching staff worked so hard to achieve, we’ve been there done that. This will assure that a Top 15 program in the country will not only remain that way for the near future but also take that next step forward as well.

I know some fans are torn on the decision to take coach Petrino back due to his off the field indiscretions and due to the way he handled himself when he left the Louisville program the first time. A lot of folks like to sit atop their moral high horse and cast stones on the lowly souls who stumble beneath them. But to judge those folks would be just as bad so I won’t. And I don’t think anyone should be forced to forgive/forget but aren’t we as human beings at least required to give those who have done wrong some room for redemption? Coach Petrino had a year off from football, and had a year to reevaluate his life and priorities. “I just made a terrible mistake, something that I have to live with for the rest of my life,” Petrino said. “I’m trying to work hard every day to make things right, to put it behind me and move forward.” Can’t we give him that chance? Who are we to tell someone they can’t change?

And while it may be questionable what kind of person he is there is no doubt what kind of coach he is. With the move to the ACC taking place next season and the level of competition reaching a whole other level it was a no brainer to take a coach with a resume like Bobby Petrino has. He’s never done anything as a coach to even raise an eye brow of the NCAA. As a head coach he has a record of 83-30 a 73% winning percentage. Bobby has a history of building formidable programs. He has the best winning percentage (.82) of any head coach in Louisville football history, took our Cards to the Orange Bowl and had us all but a field goal away from playing for a national title. When he took over a dying Arkansas program many thought he would struggle to rebuild in what most consider the best college football battle ground in the country the SEC West. But not only did he rebuild that program he led them to the Sugar and Cotton bowls and had them on the cusp of competing with Alabama and LSU for the SEC West crown. And last year he took over a Western Kentucky program leading them to a 8 win season and beating in-state Kentucky along the way. He has been called an offensive minded genius in the past and has proven that he is a winner time and time again.

On Thursday Bobby Petrino will officially be announced as the Cardinals football coach and will probably be introduced as such to the folks in attendance at Thursday nights basketball game. Coach Petrino will start his road to redemption, a road that will be paved of much success for the football program. Be happy Cardinal fans and welcome back home Coach Petrino! L1C4!