Cards played some seriously good defense last night against Pitt at the Yum!

I believe Pitt is averaging 80+ on the year. Great defensive showing by the Cards last night.

Smothering defense, but Louisville stretched that lead in the final minutes when Pitt had given up the ghost.

 

Bad shooting night from both teams. Have to get Lee to stop taking his threes from two steps behind the line and Lewis didn't score at all.

Smothering defense, but Louisville stretched that lead in the final minutes when Pitt had given up the ghost.

 

Bad shooting night from both teams. Have to get Lee to stop taking his threes from two steps behind the line and Lewis didn't score at all.

@Getslow - Let's remain focused on the positives, it's Friday after all!! The Cards had worn Pitt down by the end and eventually the offense will return (I hope LOL).

@Getslow - Let's remain focused on the positives, it's Friday after all!! The Cards had worn Pitt down by the end and eventually the offense will return (I hope LOL).

 

That final score hasn't made me forget how bored I was during huge stretches of that game. :lol2:

 

It was pretty ugly all around. I'm accustomed to it, being a Louisville fan, but I don't particularly like it.

Games with Pitt are rarely fun to watch. Just how it goes with these two teams.

 

Getslow, you're not going to kill my buzz today. It's Friday.

Games with Pitt are rarely fun to watch. Just how it goes with these two teams.

 

Getslow, you're not going to kill my buzz today. It's Friday.

 

Not my goal at all. I just think this team has boatloads of potential and can't wait until they play up to it.

 

No arguments with how beautifully smothering that defense was last night. Lewis, Lee, Snider, and Mitchell didn't let those guards so much as breathe freely.

Not my goal at all. I just think this team has boatloads of potential and can't wait until they play up to it.

 

No arguments with how beautifully smothering that defense was last night. Lewis, Lee, Snider, and Mitchell didn't let those guards so much as breathe freely.

 

Lewis has been a disappointment lately, for sure. Forcing too much instead of focusing on distributing the ball.

Not my goal at all. I just think this team has boatloads of potential and can't wait until they play up to it.

 

No arguments with how beautifully smothering that defense was last night. Lewis, Lee, Snider, and Mitchell didn't let those guards so much as breathe freely.

 

Yay, now you're getting there! Have to enjoy that Friday buzz...

And let's not forget how, yet again, Chinanu Onuaku emerged as the dominant force powering this team. He was good on offense and outstanding defensively.

 

And the whole tenor of the game changed when Pitino went to double seven-footers to put on their four and five. It looked like their PF (Young, I think?) was going to be a killer. Johnson went out, Mahmoud came in and he couldn't find his way to the basket for the rest of the game, really.

Onuaku was OUTSTANDING on both sides. 4th straight double double. Cards played smothering defense in the 1st half (17 points allowed) with 0 fouls from Onuaku and Pitt not even getting to the bonus (a very rare occurrence in a half for a Pitino defensive team).

 

In the 2nd half, Onuaku had 4 fouls, including the obligatory moving pick all officials are obligated to call on him at least 1x per game. Discipline on that front has to be a concern moving forward.

 

Lee and Lewis are both in shooting slumps. Glass Half Full -- everyone goes through it and they'll return to norm soon. Glass Half Empty -- they have hit tough competition in the ACC and can't perform at this level the way they were against the no-names of the early season schedule. Since it is Friday, I'll go with Glass Half Full.

 

Mitchell is similarly hitting a wall. Does he power through it and rise to the next level? I think so. He is a stud athlete and just his defensive prowess & "spark plug" should carry him. Any offense, particularly outside shooting, is a bonus.

 

When they went up tempo after halftime they were better. Push the ball from each defensive rebound and force contact and FTs. If it's not there, pull it out and run the offense to get Onuaku the ball where he can exploit it. He will need to learn to kick it back out to play inside out when they start to double him.

 

Cards are dismal when trying to run clock with a lead. Double high stack at the FT line has been tried 2x and both NC State and Pitt made runs after Pitino tried to institute. You could tell Pitino wanted to try it and see how it worked. It is not yet ready for prime time. With solid ball handlers who can also shoot FTs like Lee, Lewis, Mitchell and Snider, it should be good once they get it figured out.

 

A little break until next WED should give Pitino some rare practice time to work on things. Get Mathiang back mid-FEB and work him back into the rotation with the team that is now playing and we'll see where things go. Lots of upside potential.

I think both Lee and Lewis will get it together again here soon. They never had to play defense like they have here recently and their shots feel a little different from spending so much energy on the defensive side of the ball. Once they get custom watch out!! Onuaku is the best post player Louisville has had since Clifford Rosier days. Man that guy has improved and should stay one more year just to work on his mid range game which is not very good right now. Good jump hook and power toward the rim won't cut in the NBA.

Stretches of the game were painful to watch, but you have to be thrilled with the defense.