Daily Archives: November 20, 2014

The Beak Basketball Breakdown: Thundering Herd

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The Cardinal basketball team will be back in action on Friday night at the KFC Yum Center taking on the Marshall Thundering Herd in the (GLOBAL SPORTS SHOWCASE) or as I like to call it the Global Sports Sacrifice. This will be the second game in a five team round robin style event. The Cards will play two more games next week in the Showcase. The Cards and the Herd have played 15 times dating back to 1941. The Cardinals have won six in a row and lead the series 10-5. The last game between these teams was back on Nov. 27, 2010 with the Cards winning 80-66. The Cards will be looking to start the young season 3-0 and coach Pitino will edge closer to that 700th win only needing 3 more.


Marshall hired one of their own Dan D’Antoni to take over the head coaching job in the off-season. Dan D’Antoni who is the brother of NBA coach Mike D’Antoni has a coaching style that employs furious defense that he hopes leads to turnovers and quick baskets. They will look to speed the Cardinals up and not let them find any type of rhythm. They do return some decent players and the will start two sophomores, two seniors and a Junior. Sophomore Ryan Taylor appears to be their best player and he is leading the team with 18.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.7 APG. Senior Cheikh Sane is their big man and he is leading the team in rebounds averaging a solid 10.7 a game. Sophomore Austin Loop who averages 12 PPG and Junior DeVince Boykins who averages 7PPG are also solid for the Herd. Through three game the Herd is averaging 75.7 points per game 75.7 while allowing opponents 55.7 points per game. They are averaging 43.3 rebounds per game, 7.3 steals per game, and 5.3 blocks per game. They are averaging 16.0 turnovers per game while their opponents are averaging 16.3.

The Herd 2014-15 OVERALL RANKINGS
Offense | Defense
-POINTS PER GAME
75.7
110th
OVERALL
-REBOUNDS PER GAME
43.3
59th
OVERALL
-ASSISTS PER GAME
18.7
33rd
OVERALL
-FIELD GOAL PCT
.465
114th
OVERALL

2014-15 Kenpom Rankings
Overall- #202
Defense Adjustment Efficiency
-97.4 ranks 141st
Offense Adjustment Efficiency
-95.0 ranks 261st
-Per Kenpom game prediction he has the Cardinals winning the game 83-60 based on his indexes.

I do think that this game will be a slight upgrade in competition, but the Herd will still be over-matched in every area of the game. They are a team that plays hard and they do a good job on the glass. They are also a team that shares the ball and can put the ball in the basket. I do think the Cardinals will get a better workout on the defensive side of the ball and in their rebounding game. I will be watching to see if Onuaku continues to progress and can repeat his impressive performance from the last game. Will also be watching to see if the Cardinals can get another one of the freshman to start to emerge. These types of games are very helpful in getting a lot of guys in to get some court time.

I jokingly call the Global Sports Challenge the Sports Sacrifice because these smaller teams are really no match for the Louisville’s of the college basketball world, but for their efforts these smaller teams are able to take home a big paycheck and due to the exempt factor of this event the Cardinals are able to get in some more game-time to help them prepare for the season. These games aren’t very fun to watch but they do serve a purpose big picture.

The Beak Prediction
Louisville 80 Marshall 57

Reggie…, Reggie…, Reggie…!

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I can’t wait to hop in my car and head up to South Bend Indiana on Saturday and watch my Louisville Cardinals take on the Fighting Irish. It is one of those sports trips that every avid sports fan has on their bucket list. The tradition, pageantry, mystique and history that defines the University of Notre Dame football program is unmatched in college sports. The lore of Notre Dame Stadium rivals that of some of the most legendary venues in all of sports. And it’s one of College Football’s most sacred grounds.

There have been many magical moments in Notre Dame stadium since it opened in 1930. If those walls could talk they’d tell stories of one of the greatest motivators in the history of sports Knute Rockne, great players like the Four Horsemen, George Gipp, “Jumpin’ Joe” Savoldi, Joe Montana, and Raghib “The Rocket” Ismail.

The Stadium has been described as having the power to inspire. And it has inspired some great athletes over the years, but it also was the backdrop to one of the biggest underdog stories in sports. There’s not a sports fan alive that hasn’t seen the movie “Rudy”. A film based on the real life events of the small town steel worker Rudy Ruettiger.

On Saturday I hope to be witness to one of these special moments in Notre Dame stadium. But this time I hope it is a Cardinal that leaves his story of triumph and glory among those walls and with those thousands of ghosts of seasons past. On Saturday I hope I hear the chants of Reggie, Reggie, Reggie echoing across that hallowed field.

I have had the privilege of speaking with Louisville’s true freshman quarterback a couple times this season. Reggie Bonnafon is polite and articulate and speaks softly, his voice barely carrying over the hustle and bustle of the post game locker room. But rumbling beneath the quiet demeanor is a football player with a gritty edge. That grit is what has got him through this tumultuous first season at Louisville.

Reggie who won the second string duties during spring ball has been thrown into action early and often during the Cardinals first run through the ACC. He has started three games tallying 662 passing yards with four touchdowns and one pick. Things haven’t come slow or easy for him and tragedy followed as his father Wallace died of a heart attack on Sept. 15, two days after Bonnafon’s third college game.

They say the death of a father is like the falling of a great tree, suddenly leaving a son’s trembling branches exposed to the world. Reggie only missed the following week’s game at FIU to attend his father’s funeral, and has been on the football field ever since giving it his all. Inspired by a motivational wrist band given to him by his father before his passing Reggie vowed to finish the season in his honor. The wristband said: “Know the rules. Play the game. Own your destiny.”

On Saturday Reggie Bonnafon will lead our Louisville Cardinals on to that legendary field at Notre Dame stadium. A field that has seen many a destiny fulfilled will now play host to a young man looking to claim his own. Reggie said “I just think God’s put me in a situation that he knew I was able to handle,” “A lot of things have gone on this season. I don’t think anybody but him could get me through that.”

There is a lot of holiness around Notre Dame stadium. The large mural of Jesus from the school’s library is visible inside the stadium. It is known as “Touchdown Jesus” because Jesus’ arms are raised like the touchdown symbol. I’d like to think that another father will be watching over that stadium Saturday. Watching the son he loved so dearly living out his dreams and having his special moment. Reggie… Reggie… Reggie.