We Know Something: Louisville Isn't Very Good

Yeah, I know they beat Syracuse twice. But for some reason Louisville really can't beat the teams they are supposed to beat. Come to think of it, they really can't beat the teams they aren't supposed to beat either (two times is the exception). They have three good wins this season: Syracuse, Syracuse and Notre Dame. That's it.


A 54-33 rebounding edge towards the Bearcats is astounding. What was also astounding was the 12 point lead that Louisville let gradually slip away in the second half. The first half was all Louisville all the time. Sosa looked like a man possessed out on the court. He was hitting just about everything he put up from layups, to three's to mid-range jump shots. Terrence Jennings and Samardo Samuels were scoring easy buckets under the basket and Louisville's match up zone looked stifling.


On the other end of things Cincinnati couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. For a team that only shoots 29% from the three point line, the Bearcats came out shooting almost exclusively three's. The ended up shooting 22% for the game from beyond the arc. Louisville had shut down the middle with their two big men. On top of jacking up the trey, Cincy was getting off awkward looking jump shots that weren't even close to going into the basket. But they were grabbing the ball two or three more times on second chances. Those second chances weren't falling. Louisville was 50% from the field and Cincinnati was 31%


They started falling in the second half. Cincinnati looked more comfortable and confident. Louisville's swagger started diminishing. Cincinnati was getting every rebound. Louisville was missing every shot. The tide had turned.


Louisville had plenty of chances. They were in the bonus well before Cincinnati and had opportunities at the free throw line, they just couldn't convert. They were 8-14 from the line and shot only 57%. "Big Shot" Sosa was a putrid 3-8 from the line and missed some crucial charity shots near the end of regulation.


Sosa, to his credit, had a fantastic game besides the free throw shooting. He had 28 points, leading all scorers. Samuels added 13 and Reginald Delk has 16. The hero from the Freedom Hall Finale, Kyle Kuric, ended up 0-1 (air ball from 3), 0 points in 15 minutes played. Cincinnati had four players in double digits with Yancy Gates leading them with 16.



So does Louisville belong in the Big Dance? Absolutely, no question. What seed will they get? I am thinking they will be getting a 9-11 seed. How far will they go? Good question. The only time they have really put together a decent win streak was after the humiliating loss to St. John's. After that game they won three in a row against Syracuse, Notre Dame and DePaul. They had won five in a row earlier this season but that was against the likes of Radford and Oral Roberts. The likelihood that they could put together some type if amazing streak in the NCAA tournament is highly questionable.


They finished up the season 2-3 in their last 5 games. They go into the tournament and will face a decent but not great team. They could get bounced out the first game or they could go all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. I would call a Sweet Sixteen appearance for this team a victory because I don't think they have the talent to go that four. The likeliest scenario is that they make it to the second round and bow out. They just aren't that good.



Side Note: I didn't receive any phone calls, text messages or Facebook posts last night professing the greatness of Louisville and how they are going to win the Big East and then make it to at least the Elite Eight. I also didn't hear any ridiculous statements about how Louisville is now better than Kentucky and would beat them for sure if the two teams faced off again. Amazing how minds can change and people can flip-flop from game to game.