Deuce, you asked for it, so here it is....How does everyone see the Cards doing in the upcoming season? Let's please keep the discussion to Louisville Cardinal basketball discussion only.

:lol: Thanks man.

Returning Leaders/Scorers:

 

Jerry Smith: Jerry will need to step up in his Senior season.

Edgar Sosa: I think having Peyton Siva in town will light a fire under Edgar to perform to his ability, which will make the Cards better.

Samardo Samuels: He'll continue to get better. Key points to watch for are his strength around the rim and ball handling. The better he plays, the better the Cards will do. I also think he has the potential to emerge as one of the premier big men in the Big East.

Terrance Jennings: Will play more this season, IMO. Solid contributor off the bench last season, and I think the best defense big man on the squad.

Reggie Delk: Hopefully he'll get some more time. Good shooter, lots of hustle on the defensive end. Could be a very important role player.

George Goode: Another contributor in the post. He definitely has the most "upside," and will continue to improve over next season.

I think the major concern area for the Cards has to be who is going to step up and take some of the scoring load. Losing Clark and TWill is going to be almost impossible to replace, but they should be alright.

 

I look for Jennings to have a huge year as it seemed he really started to come on towards the end of last season.

 

Also, what happened to Knowles? I thought he was a junior last year.

I think the major concern area for the Cards has to be who is going to step up and take some of the scoring load. Losing Clark and TWill is going to be almost impossible to replace, but they should be alright.

 

I look for Jennings to have a huge year as it seemed he really started to come on towards the end of last season.

 

Also, what happened to Knowles? I thought he was a junior last year.

 

I hadn't added Preston yet... He'll be back, he was only a sophomore. He will be our best defender by far IMO, and if his offensive game improves as much this off-season as last, he'll be a major player.

 

I agree with someone taking the scoring load. I think the majority of points will come from Samardo and Sosa/Smith. There will definitely need to be some role players step up in that regard.

Is the new arena going to be ready for next season?

Is the new arena going to be ready for next season?

 

I believe it will be the 2010-11 season, but I'm sure one of the Cards fans can correct me if I'm wrong.

What kind of contributions does everyone expect out of the newcomers, specifically Siva and Buckles?

I believe it will be the 2010-11 season, but I'm sure one of the Cards fans can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

That's the plan. Jim Host may find a way to delay it, though.

Will Knowles be playing this coming season???

Will Knowles be playing this coming season???

 

Can't imagine why he wouldn't, unless someone on here is privvy to info no one else knows.

That's the plan. Jim Host may find a way to delay it, though.

 

Him and the falling concrete...

For me, the biggest questions have to be 1) as mentioned above, where are the points going to come from? and 2) how good can Siva be right out of the box? Vegas odds I saw earlier have Louisville as 12-1 on the national championship... that's the third-best behind Kentucky and Kansas. That sure didn't seem right to me, but who am I to argue with Vegas?

Cards should be alright. Luckily for them everyone else in the bEast lost a lot too. Do I think they will repeat as Big East champs, no. Do I think they will be in the discussion and stay a top 20 team all season, yes.

UofL is flying under the radar a little IMO, in the early preseason rankings. Sure they lost two 1st round picks, but the cupboard ain't exactly empty. Their lineup is pretty deep:

 

Sosa-Siva

Smith-Knowles

Delk-Kuric-Marra (Swop and Buckles can play the 3 too)

Samuels-Buckles-Swopshire

Jennings-Goode-Van Treese

 

They are going to be a team that plays 9 or 10 players again, and they are still very athletice. I think Siva will push Sosa for his minutes, and Buckles will be a big contributer late in the season. Samuels and Jennings will be dynamite in the post.

 

I think they will be a top five Big East team and around a 4 seed in the tourney.