Part of that was because they were shooting so many jumpers, which I didn't necessarily have a problem with because a lot of them were open looks, they just missed them.

 

I agree, however they are not a good shooting team. Good teams will bait them into taking those shots more often than not. You watched it today, just as you did the last week of December.

 

Until they can prove they can consistently hit an open 10-15 footer, they should just rely on attacking the basket and their defense. They seem to be a good free throw shooting team, that goes a long way when you attack the basket.

Neither Rozier nor Jones can EVER get in foul trouble (or perceived foul trouble). Others are coming along, but in big games, Jones and Rozier need to clock at least 32 minutes each for UofL to be competitive.

 

Looks were good, but not great. You simply have to make them.

 

Blackshear had a nice dunk. Beyond that, script was the same.

 

Trez chucking up 3s and jump shots to show NBA balance has had the opposite result - it has taken him away from the basket and hurt his strength of inside play.

 

Levitch's defense must be AWFUL to keep him on the bench b/c the kid can apparently stroke it from behind the arc. Others? Jones & Rozier are streaky and best when they step into the shot and shoot in rhythm.

 

I really like Mahmoud at the 4. Didn't play much, but he is an active and long defender. Leave the 5 to Mathiang, Onuaku and maybe some minutes for Johnson in a pinch. Get Mahmoud in the rotation at the 4 (and feed him some Hardee's Velveeta Patty Meltdowns!!!)

 

They may go scoreless in Charlottesville.

I agree, however they are not a good shooting team. Good teams will bait them into taking those shots more often than not. You watched it today, just as you did the last week of December.

 

Until they can prove they can consistently hit an open 10-15 footer, they should just rely on attacking the basket and their defense. They seem to be a good free throw shooting team, that goes a long way when you attack the basket.

 

Could Coach K's new found 2-3 zone have had anything to do with Louisville attacking the basket?

 

Could Coach K's new found 2-3 zone have had anything to do with Louisville attacking the basket?

 

Doubt it. UL has been jacking up three's all season. They fell in love with it against the cupcakes and even though they hit some, they were near the bottom of the league by percentage made. Kentucky played them man, with the same result.

 

They simply are not a good shooting team. Which would tell me to attack the basket, since they have a great defense. I'm not sure what they have on the bench but it may be worth pulling a pure shooter (if they have one) in and sacrifice a little on defense. Otherwise, if they don't attack the basket they will have a short post season.

UofL shooting threes isn't a new thing... They've done it every year Pitino has been here, whether they were a good shooting team or a bad shooting team. So let's not act like that is isolated to this year...

I knew it all along. :thumb:

 

Now that's a good one!!

Louisville is the worst shooting team I've seen this year!

UofL shooting threes isn't a new thing... They've done it every year Pitino has been here, whether they were a good shooting team or a bad shooting team. So let's not act like that is isolated to this year...

But you must admit he had better shooters than he does this year. If you have guys that their strength is driving to the basket why let them stand out there and shoot threes all day.

But you must admit he had better shooters than he does this year. If you have guys that their strength is driving to the basket why let them stand out there and shoot threes all day.

 

Sure there have been better shooters before. But they haven't had good shooters EVERY year they've jacked up a lot of threes. It's just what UL does.

I will preface this by saying I am not a Louisville basher. Most UK fans are, but I have enjoyed watching U of L basketball through the Denny Crum and now Rick Pitino years.

 

I was so looking forward to watching this game. Wow....Rick's team has been struck with the ugly stick. Duke went to the zone and U of L had no answer. Ugly, ugly basketball by the Cards.

 

I then got to watch much of the West Virginia/Texas game, and I will say if Louisville played West Virginia in a game where the first team to 100 wins, and both teams packed in a zone defense, it might take two days to finish.

 

The lost art in all of basketball is the jump shot. There are some really poor fundamental strokes out there and Louisville has a whole team of them.

Ine thing has always struck me about a Pitino coached team and this was the same when he was at UK. His teams always look lost against zone defenses. He wants them to be an up tempo offense and you can't run against a zone. His teams struggle big time.

Okafor was very fun to watch. He's in a league of his own, although I'd like to see he and Cauley-Stein go at each other.

 

Louisville can't shoot.

 

Say what you will about Coach K, but he can flat out get it done. You know Pitino was totally freaked out when he saw Duke go to the zone and Coach K knew it would freak him out.

I think UL would improve significantly if Pitino would make this "tweak": make Harrell stay low and make him work hard to get post position.

UofL shooting threes isn't a new thing... They've done it every year Pitino has been here, whether they were a good shooting team or a bad shooting team. So let's not act like that is isolated to this year...

 

What is isolated to this year is that the shooting at UL is at an all time low under Pitino. In his previous 12 seasons they only shot less than 33% from 3 one time and that was was just under 32%. So far this season they are under 30%.

I would rather watch an ant try to eat a bale of hay, than watch UL try to shoot a basketball. I have never seen a Duke team play zone defense for any length of time in years until I watched the replay of this game. A UL shot is more of an assist attempt as it is a real shot. If the opponent keeps them off the boards or controls transition it is very hard for them to score.